The Irish standard., 1893-05-20
rIIE IRISH sIANDARD: SATURDAY., MAY 72o.Z|

Then, in less extensively defiant tones,
perhaps in commiseration for the great
anguish in the sweet white face before
him, he added:
..She went away from me! Thank
God, the last words she ever heard me
say were i'll apology for that brutal out
break. had never spoken angrily to
her before. had never had occasion
entirely. Yes, she went away from me
and returned to the women downstairs.
/ could hear her voice above every
other one, the gayest, clearest one
there. as went out of the house again.
| dined at the clubhouse that day. I
wanted time to think the whole misera-
BILE business over fully before met her
again. | was afraid I might forget
that / was gentleman and she q
woman; false, damnably untruthful.
but vet a woman. Nothing would be
easier than for me to prove an alibi if
need be. I did not care for my own
company that evening. picked two
club men up on leaving the house, drove
them to the club, dined with them.
played whist with them, until-until-a
nger-Bennett, believe it was
came to the club and informed me that
Mrs. Norcross' maid, surprised at her
mistress not ringing for her at bedtime,
went to look her up, she found her-as
you know. You are her sister, and you
are entitled to this much" =
He stopped talking, and, reaching for
ward to decanter on the table, poured
out large wineglassful Of Madeira,
which he drank off at gulp. Nora's
ewes had never once left his face while
he was talking.
"You believe me, do you not?" he
asked, leaning wearily back in his
chair, and drawing his handkerchief
slowly across his lips.
''You have left me no choice. must
believe you. do"
''This is the first and only statement
I shall make on the subject. have Of
fered the reward, as T told you before.
In few days leave for Europe. There
is one thing 1 should like to do. Before
you came, it looked impossible
What strange turn things had taken!
He began again, in broken voice:
"In nthat-letter-she spoke of a child.
I should like to know that it would not
become pauper-would never know
the need which sometimes drives
women to deceive men. If you will help
mel do not know it's name. There
were no names mentioned. She only
spoke of her little girl. BY that knew
she was widow
''There is no need for that The child
will be well cared for. But it is gen.
erous of you"
She put out her hand to him impul-
sively. Perhaps, after all, he had been
more sinned against than SHINING. He
took the proffered hand:
''Thank you. I am glad, after all,
that have been able to rid your mind
of that hideous fancy, before leave the
country. It might have looked like a
fight And T don't know but what it
is. Life, here, is intolerable-will be
everywhere, in fact
s'And you have no theory? It was not
a suicide?'' she asked.
'sNo. OF that l am quite sure. She
was too timid, and not miserable
enough, by half! had theory-the
same one the detectives seem to have
hit upon.'
He pointed to the papers she had
thrown on his table.
"You mean the strange, plainly
dressed woman who was admitted to
Mrs. Norcrcss in the afternoon, and
who, according to the papers, stole out
by side entrance, evidently stunning
observation That was l."
$50 presumed. That was why I
said had a theory. have none now."
''Nor any clew whatever?"
"None. Unless'--he opened drawer
of the writing table and took from it a
small pasteboard box-'this may even
tually prove to be one" He extended
it, unopened, to Nora Lorimer. 1T
was found clasped in one of her hands.
But she had so many trinkets and bau-
bles that lay no stress upon it-scarce-