Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1892-12-16

| per, ana WIN tnat Snc went IOfWafQ
and held our her hand. He took it in
both his held il moment or two in
silence and then let il GO She could
feel the shiver that ran through him
from head TO foot. He stood front
ing tho west where the last ashes of
the burnt-out day were not yet wholly
distinguished. by their pallid crepus.
cular light she could see the working
of his face and note the flame of
troubled rapture which sprang into
his eyes the instant they rested on her,
before the ardor OF which her own
sank abashed.
'Yes-it is /. he answered after Il
pause which ought TO have been
measured by heart-throbs instead OF
seconds Il could not rest longer
without looking again on the old place
land satisfying myself that all under
It's roof were well Fut-I had no
thought OF seeing you"
1T is the FIRST time / have set foot
In she tower since that terrible night
and ] cannot tell what Impulse
Brought me here this evening. You
say that you had no thought OF seeing
me. Perhaps you wished first of all
to see my uncle All Roden If YOU
had known how he has louged to see
you you would have come back long
ago"
NO have not come in order TO
see Colonel Bernage, and he must not
know that have been here | came
because l could no longer stay away
MT I ha1 f,s If
seeing any one-not even you and
two hours hence | shall be back in
London"
You did not come to see my uncle
and he must not know that you have
been here! OH Rodent 1t was
cry in which pain, amazement and
sorrow all seemed 10 have part
Love and sorrow that verged on de-
spair spoke out OF the young mans
eyes as they ga1ed into hers. Taen
he said Il know well what you think.
and | cannot blame you for it."
1t is not what think. Roden but
what the world thinks and says.
coupled with your own silence that
has been such pain to us all. Be-
licye me when | tell you that in tho
thoughts both OF my tuncles and my
self you have ever been held guiitless
OF that which has been laid TO your
charge"
Heaven bless you for those words
Thea although the evidence was 10
all seeming so strong against me. you
did not-you do not-credit that am
the murderer OF Captain Daryill!" He
spoke quickly almost fiercey. 1t was
rs though he needed TO be still more
fully assured that sho held him guilt
less.
Need repeat my assurance that
we have never lost cur faith in yor?"
she asked. with a shade OF sweet no.
proach in her voice. but as time
passed on. and your silence remained
un broken. can you wonder if my uncles
sometimes said TO each other. May !
there not have been quarrel between
the two and may it not well have
come to pass that what was done was
done in a moment OF passion Of UNI
governable frenzy. caused perhaps by /
some great provocation or insult the |
secret OF which was known to them
selves alone" That is what they have |
sometimes said 10 each other"
Such generous hearts as theirs find |
it hard TO think Ill OF any one. If they
had thought infinitely worse OF me.
they would have been justified in do
ing so. My silence must have seemed
incomprehensible TO all of you. But
not even TO the extent admitted in
their thoughts am l guilty. had
neither part nor parcel in the death
OF DarvilL am as innocent of all
in Il rs Colonel Bernage
Emma stared at him dumbly. q
strange confluence OF emotions aqi-
tating her heart; Joy thankfulness.
wonder and faith that was justified of
itself; but over all the brooding
shadow OF mystery in which there
seemed TO Turk an unseen menace.
Il hen Why she said at last
and then was silent but it was not yet
so dark that he could not read the
rest OF her question in her eyes.
Then why did | not come forward
and prove my innocence before tho
world?" he said. This is question
which cannot answer either to YOU
or any one-pray pardon the rudeness
wi len compels me TO say so.
But Roden. | don't understand |
fail TO comprehend OH
help me out-you know what | want
TO express
You fail to comprehend why or
how 1t comes TO pass that ] am thus
bound in letters which | am power
loss TO break. Believe me. il | were
at liberty TO tell you would. all.
how gladly! but my lips are sealed.
The secret is not my own or it would
have been told long ago. All can
do is TO ask you not TO lose faith IN
me. and sometimes to think OF me-a
little"
but this is terrible, For how much
onger have you condemned yourself
~ carry this awful Durden?"
4 cannot tell. My release may come
az any hour or il may never come"
Never! Do you mean that all
IoIr life long you may have to remain