Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1893-07-20
be interviewed. No papers were per

be interviewed. No papers were per-
mitted in the house."
Into this gloon-wrapped isolation a
visitor penetrated late one afternoon,
and was announced to his master by
Bennett. IN startled undertone:
"a person for you, sir. The same, L
think, that was in the dressing room
that day
could just discern the tall dark form in
the big chair by the writing table. He
added personal apology:
81 was listening for your bell, sir.
Sha'n't light up?"
There was a restless movement in the
big chair, the sound of hand brought
heavily down among the loose litter Of
the writing-table, then curt demand:
Light up. Let her come in. Leave
And see to it that there is no listening
among the maids
AS the gas-jet sprang into existence,
Eugene Norcross. looking across Ben
nett's shoulder, saw a sad white face
framed about with plain black bon
| net. It's owners eyes were fixed upon
him searchingly. Evidently she had
planned her approach. If she had hoped
to surprise any evidence of guilt upon
the stern, handsome, haggard face OPP
posite her, she was disappointed. He
met her intense gaze with one equally
| intense. His calmness remained abso-
| lutte, his whole attitude one of unf1inch-
! ing fortitude.
That he had suffered at all could only
| be conjectured from the black rings
under his eyes. and certain pinched
look about his fine, thin nostrils.
| The habits of lifetime are not easily
| forgotten. There was woman stand
| ing while he was seated. He rose,
waved her to a seat, staggered from
| physical exhaustion, laid one long
brown hand resolutely on the back of
his chair, and waited for Bennett to
close the outer door of the library after
him. He spoke first:
"You have taken daring step. Do
you know what you are suspected of?
Are you not afraid of arrest?''
| She looked hina composedly over from
head to foot. A shudder ran through
her slight frame she frightened her
clasp of a roll of newspapers she held.
"No," she said, 81 am not afraid of
arrest. That was what came here to
say. It'was a daring step for you to
take"
81 do not understand"
! "But it was in keeping. The man
who could murder one woman might
readily seek to throw suspicion upon
another one.''
He was visibly trembling; was it from
physical weakness? She had refused to
be seated, and he had remained stand
ing. He dropped heavily into his chair,
as that slight frail woman hurled the
monstrous accusation at him. in a voice
which, though perfectly under control
was fierce in its intense emotion. She
misread his agitation:
Il do not wonder that you tremble
The man who could take a woman's
life, who could clasp his brutal hands
around her slim white throat and keer
them there while her strong young life
current cbbed out forever, is Just the
sort of man to pale and trenble at feal
of detection. Brutei Cowardly brute
that you are. L would have denounced
you publicly at once, but thought
No! they will drag my poor Nellie from
the grave, his rich friends, and they
will buy him off from justice at any
price. They will parade all of he
weakness and her folly to the world
They will blaclsen her memory, as he
as you, Eugene Norcross, blackened tn,
soft smooth white skin of her prett,
neck. My poor little Nellie! My pref
ty, foolish butterfly
s'Great God! this is horrible.-tot
horrible to standi"
His eyes blazed like living Goals Hi
arched black brows came together in
fierce contraction. The solid chat
shook under him. She echoed hin
sternly.
\ Horrible: too horrible! agree Will