The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-05-01
: ow FIRST PUBLISHED
CHAPTER XXn-CoYr1NUED.

and then mechanically moving toward the
mantelpiece, set down his glass and turned
TO stare at Dom with an aspect so stricken
and amazed that the old Frenchman re-
pented himself bitterly of his unguarded
precipitsncy.
Are YOU madm George found tongue to
ask at length.
"Ah. my young friend" cried Dom, in a
distress so real that Redwood, shaken and
Astonished as be was, was compelled TO be-
lieve in it. What shall / say to you9 How
shall l escape from what you have heard"
"HorribleT" George questioned TO himself.
"Impossible. What do you mean" be de-
nanded, with an angry stride toward his
host.
"Mv dear George answered Dom. MY
dear young Redwood, am desalote. lcah-
not tell you anything, 1t would not be
right or Just to tell you anything. nave
been blind" he cried, wringing his hands
above his head, ard tramping to and fro
Through the split wine and cracking spin
+ers Of glass. Il should have tried to stop
this years ago."
George seized him by the shoulder clutch
ing him in his agitation, more roughly than
he knew. and bringing him to standstill.
why should you have tried TO stop IL
years sgo{r he asked. ~ on mean soue-
thing. What do you mean"
There was no conviction clearer In the
word. no conviction more impossible 10 es-
cape from, than that which had uoIhluaLeu
the Francnmaus mind for years. The false
andre Dom had been the murderer OF
Caorge Redwood and John Hetherldge was
1he false Andre Dom. This belief had
taken unconscious root in bis mlndi ana ne
had nourished it until it had grown to be
iperadicable. He had admitted always thaC
he could prove nothing but that TACT, yet
this had never in tue falntest degree shaken
his sense of right to his own suspicion.
That Young Redwood, to whom he had
Dlayed the part Of philosopher and friend
for seven or eight years, and wEom ne had
learned TO love, should have pledged himself
TO marry the daughter OF his fathers muir
derer was nothing less than appalling. his
snspiciou had grown iato oertalnty-Ior MN
and il was upon the uncomfortable i'm
pulse of that certainty that he had spoken.
Yet he knew Of nothing which could carry
conviction TO another mind. All these con
alterations passed like lightning through his
thoughts. He saw an Iutoerable tragedy
before him and was powerless to avert 1t.
lie stood in an impoteut silence, ValnIy
searching for a way OF escape.
"Tnless YOU are mad" George said,
sternly, ''you mean something. Tell me
what you mean"
INV dearest boy" Dom stammered, mis-
erably, Il can tell you nothing. Nothing.
was q miserable fool TO speak, and yet
could not help 1t. am not mad. had
reason aud dreadful reason. DO not, Deg
OF YOU. hurry into this marriage"
"Do you dare" George asked him, grip
ping him yet more tightly, ITO breathe a
word against herW
Against herN Dom answered 10 ag-
prieyed amaze. "Neverl Not a word
She is as spotless as an angel. As pure as
snow
Then tell me-" George demanded. with a
chelky face and blazing eyes. Tell ME
what you mean"
''She is not TO blame" Dom answered
looking up at his guest with a glimmer Of
tears IN his eyes. "And you are not to
blame. You should know, dear youth.
that love you well. / have tried many
times to show it. And tell you-I dare to
tell you this, that for your fathers son to
marry her fathers daughter is thing in
credible, intolerable, horrible"
Come" said George. shaking him little
in his grasp. you have gone too far to 60
back now. Tell me why"
Il cannot tell you why" Dom answered
In a Wild and quavering voice II have no
right TO tell you why. There is a bar be-
y y
knew what it was, you would burn your
right hand in tie fire. Sooner than leap
that bar you would see her burn her own
hand. You would rather carry her to her
grave than do it."
Redwood released him, dropped his
hands, and then hid his face in them for a
moment, but only for a moment.
He looked up again, straining his hands
across his brows with the action of swim
Iner newly emerged from water.
Dom" he said, 81 must know more OF
this"
II can tell you no more, D." Dom responded,
doggedly. II dare not have told you less.
Your life, dear youth, is in your own hands.
] have told you the truth as l believe it.
You must do what you will. What you
must. You will hate me always now, and
for that shall be sorry, very sorry. but ]
cannot help it,"
Redwood glared at him for awhile in 81,
lence, and turning suddenly from him
walked out of the room AID out Of the
house. He wandered for hours about the
fields, prey TO alternate anger and ne Wild
erment; but think as he would he could fine
no key TO the meaning of the extraordinary
scene which lay behind him.