The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-02-01

and perplexed? l could not determine.
lyon will tell me just what you mean"
said she earnestly.
was equally emphatic in my reply.
THAT is only just. You ought to know
why | trouble you with this matter 1t is
because this letter of which l speak was
taken from its hiding.place by some one
who went into the hotel paror between the
hours of 10 80 and u, aud as to my certain
knowledge only three persons crossed its
threshold on that especial morning at that
especial time | naturally appeal TO each of
them in turn for an answer to the problem
that is troubling me- You know Miss N.
Seeing by accident letter addressed to her
lying on a Bible in a strange hotel you might
have thought it your duty to take it out and
carry it to her. If you did and if you lost
it"
But 1 didn't" she interrupted warmly.
:" know nothing about any such letter, and
if you had not declared SO positively that
was in that hotel on that especial day
should be tempted to deny that too, for /
have no recollection of going there last
month"
Not for the purpose of rearranging veil
that had been blown off ?"
''Oh!" she said, but as one recalls a for
gotten TACT, not as one who is tripped up in
an evasion.
began to think her innocent and lost
some Oh the gloom which had been Cypress
ing me.
~ on remember now," said l.
..Oh, yes, remember that"
her manner so completely declared that
ner Acknowledgements stopped there, | saw
1t would be useless to venture further II
she were innocent she could not tell more.
II she were guilty she would not; SO feeling
that the inclination of my belief was in
favor of the former hypothesis, again took
her arm and said:
Il see that you can give me no help. / am
sorry, Tor the whole happiness of man
and perhaps that of woman also, depends
upon the discovery as to who took the letter
from out the Bible. where had hidden it on
tnat unfortunate morning." And making
her another low bow l was about to take
sively by the arm.
w hat man? p, she whispered, and in a
turned and looked at her. "Great
heaven" thought l, ..'can such a face hide
selfish and intriguing hearth" and in
flash | summoned up in comparison before
me the plain, honest and reliable counte.
nance OF Mrs. Couldock and that of the
comely and unpretending Miss Dawes, and
knew not what to think.
Y GU do not mean yourself?" she CON-
tinued as she met my look Of distress
No, L returned, happily for me my
welfare Is not bound up in the honor of any
woman" aud leaving that shaft to work its
way INTO her heart, If that heart was vul-
nerable, | took my leave, more troubled and
L
For her manner had been absolutely that
OF woman surprised by insinuations she
was too innocent to rate at their real i'm
portance; and yet if she did not take away
that letter who did Mrs. C0uldock? I'M
possible. Miss Dawes? The thought was
untenable even for an instant. | waited in
great depression Of spirits for the call which
L knew Taylor would not fail to make that
evening.
When he came 1 saw what the result of
m la fnVNG a1rRl,y L.
| as see it now. he had conversed frankly
with Mrs. Couldock and with Miss Dawes
ana was perfectly convinced as to the utter
Ignorance OF them both in regard to the
whole affair In consequence, Mrs. Wal
worth was guilty in his estimation. and be-
ing held guilty could be no wife for him
much as he had loved her and urgent as may
| have been the causes of her act
But, said !, in some horror of the con-
| sequences OF an interference for which |
was almost ready TO blame myself now,
Mrs. Couldock and Miss Dawes could have
| done no more than deny all knowledge of
this letter. Now Mrs. Walworth does that
| and"
you have seen her? You have asked
| her"
Eyes, have seen her and have asked
| her, and not an eyelash dropped as she
affirmed complete ignorance OF the whole
| affair"
Taylor's head fell.
Iolu you now that would be, he muir
INJURED at last 81 cannot feel that it is any
proof of her innocence. Or rather" he
added, II should always have my doubts
And Mrs. COuldock and Miss Dawes p"
~, AM! he cried, rising and turning away
there is no question of marriage between
either OF them and myself"
was therefore not astonished when the
| week went by and no announcement of his
wedding appeared. But l was troubled and
| am troubled still, for If mistakes are made
| IN the criminal courts and the innocent
sometimes through the sheer force of cir
! cumstantial evidence are made to suffer for
the guilty, might it not be that in this latter
| question of morals Mrs. Walworth has been
| wronged and that when played the part of
| arbitrator in her fate I only succeeded in
| separating two hearts whose right it was to
be made happy? 1t is impossible to tell
Nor Is time likely to solve the riddle. Must
l then forever blame myself, or did l only
do 10 this matter what any honest man
would have done in my place? Answer
Inc, some one, for do not find my lonely
bachelor life in any wise frightened by the
doubt, and would be grateful to any one
who would relieve me OF it.
Copyright, 1891 by The AuaorS' alliance; all rights
FeSerued
The story for Sunday, February Sth,
will be 1.-The Murderer" by Florence
Warden, author of THE House on the
Marsh"