The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-05-13

And you we're tie LIST one - 80 her
alfvsfr observed the oorpner mcditstive-
", not perceivlng Ct once tho full force
and signincance tf biz remark.
\ But The young nctress with . womAn'e
natural quickness, saw her danger u
once, and shrunk back trembling, her
hands appraised e II to ward Oh . blow.
"Not--not the lastin she whispered
hoarsely with her eyes raised imploringly.
He corrected himself al once, his cor
rection not entirely uninnuenced By her
beauty and her pathetic look.
"Ibeg your pardon, Miss Warrington
/ should have said the last person We
know a. yet. May ask at about what
time you left the theatre 7"
"At eleven o'clock. My sister looked
ct her watch and told me the time
"And, according to the evidence, you
arrived at your house about an hour la
ter? What is the time you usually allow
yourself for the walk from the theatre"
about quarter Of an hour"
Yet last night you took about three
times AZ long?n
4 was walking up and down the street
waiting for her.
"And yet when you went In, you asked
II she had returned2n
"I-Ithought might have missed her"
That will do, Miss Warrington; /
have no further inquiries to make. /
will not detain you any longer"
May go 2" she asked, with an eager
ness tinged slightly with surprise.
Yes, you may CO."
She turned to leave the room with q
lighter tread and more erect bearing
than those with which she had entered
1t. At the door she half turned and
surveyed the crowd Of which she had
been the central figure. Her slow gaze
rested last upon the gentleman who had
twice come to her assistance. Then, with
deep sigh Of relief, she withdrew.
Though the tide OF public opinion had
wavered, even turned once or twice as the
inquiry proceeded, there was not one
person now in the room but thought her
guilty; yet when she had gone no one
fastened to express his opinion to his
neighbor. The sympathy she excited
overcame the first strong feeling Of
righteous indignation. Every one was
hoping that others had been less clear
sighted, and that some, strong doubt
might prevent the coroner from putting
their conviction into words.
What would the jury decide? It was
a fearful thing to accuse any woman Of
30 terrible crime without strong un-
questionable proofs. No mere circum-
stantial evidence could justify such an act.
Whether from some such consideration
or from pure compassion, the verdict
given was the simple one, "Willful
murder against some person or persons
unknown" and, curiously enough,
though It FLASHED with the opinion Of
most present, not word Of dissent was
heard. The crowd dispersed with won
derful quietude; only two or three, with
bated breath, whispered the different
conclusion to which they had been forced
to come. But for the present II was all
over; no more could be done now, what
ever might happen later. In 0 few
minutes the room was almost empty.
As the chief Of the police, who had
been watchi,.y the case, turned away
after short, low-toned discussion with
the coroner, the elderly gentleman who
was apparently interested in the case Of
the suspected girl addressed him.
What is to be the next move ?" he
asked, carelessly.
"A bad one for the poor girl, am
afraid. The evidence against her is too
strong to be ignored"
Circumstantiall''- despairingly.
Well, all evidence Of the kind is,
more or less. 1t is not often that any
one actually sees murder committed.
1t seemed scarcely fair to question her
to-day; for she hardly attempted de-
Tense. She was on her trial without the
benefit Of lawyers advice, and she
seemed to be scarcely aware that she was
not obliged to incriminate herself"
You believe her to be the murderess pr
Well, II must say the truth, / have
no doubt in my own mind but that under
strong provocation Elaine Warrington
was the murderess, the motive hav-
ing been jealousy"
The elderly gentleman muttered some
thing unintelligible ard hurried away.
Once In the hall, he looked round eau
tiously, and, finding himself unobservec.,
took the turning not toward the street
door, but toward the stairs which led to
the upper landing where the two sisters
had dwelt for FIVE months together,
and where now the living kept her sad
watch by the dead.
The next morning conjecture became
certainty, for Elaine Warrington had
disappeared as completely as though
she had never been in Sydney; and such
an escape could be viewed only as a con-
fession Of guilt. She had not dared to
stay and stand her trial.
A ship had left on the evening before
for London, and another In the early
morning for Ostend; but no one an
swering to her description had embark
ed, and other inquiries gave no clew.
The one fact remained, that Ada War
rington was dead, and Elaine, her sup
posed murderess, had fed, none knew