The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-05-11

LEAVE Us IOGE11Eh.
out the single word Yes and when II
did come out it was in husky, unnat
ural tone.
There was silence for 6 moment
and then the daughter spoke in a calm
clear voice:
"'No good can ever come of false
! hood, mother she said. Let us be
frank with this gentleman. We did see
Mr.. Drebber again
"'God forgive your cried Nine. Char.
pentier, throwing up her hands and
sinking back in her chair. You have
murdered your brother
Arthur would rather that we
spoke the truth the girl answered
firmly.
"'You had best tell me all about it
now l said. 'Half-confidences are
worse than none. Besides, you do not
know how much we know of it.
Ion your head be it, AIicet cried
her mother: and then, turning to me:
Il will tell you all, sir. Do not imagine
that my agitation on behalf of my son
arises from any fear lest he should
have had hand in this terrible affair.
He is utterly innocent of it. My dread
is, however, that in your eyes and IN
the eyes of others he may appear to be
compromised. That, however, is sure
ly impossible. His high character, his
profession, his antecedents would all
forbid it
&c 70 oil
breast of the facts / answered. De
pend upon it, if your son is innocent
he will be none the worse
"'Perhaps, Alice, you had better
leave us together she said, and her
daughter withdrew. Now, sir she
continued, Il had no intention of tell
ing you all this, but since my poor
alternative. Having once decided to
speak, will tell you all, without omit
ting any particular
1T is your wisest course, said /.
"'Mr. Drebber has been with us
nearly three weeks. He and his sec
rotary, Mr.. Stangerson, had been trav-
cling on the continent. ! noticed
Copenhagen" label upon each of their
trunks, showing that that had been
their last stopping place. Stangerson
was quiet, reserved man, but his en-
ployer, / am sorry to say, was far other
wise. He was coarse in his habits and
british in his ways. The very night
of his arrival he became very much the
worse for drink, and, indeed, after
twelve o'clock in the day he could
hardly ever be said to be sober. His
manners toward the maid servants
were disgustingly free and familiar.
Worst of all, he speedily assumed the
same attitude toward my daughter,
Alice, and spoke to her more than once
in a way which. fortunately, she is too
innocent to understand. On one occa-
sion he actually seized her in his arms
and embraced her-an outrage which
caused his own secretary to reproach
him for his unmanly conduct
but why did you stand all this?' 1
asked. L suppose that you can get I'D
of your boarders when you wish
Mrs. Carpenter blushed at my
pertinent question. Would to God
that had gives him notice on the
very day he cane she said. But il
was a sore Temptation. They were
paying a pound a tay each-fourteer
pounds week, and this is slack sea-
son. l am a widow, and my boy in the
navy has cost me muct. i grudged to
lose the money. l acted for the best.
This last was too much, however, and
l gave him notice to leavs on account
of it. That was the reason of his
going
"'Well?
"My heart grew light VIXEN I saw
him drive away. My son is On leave
just now, bu. did not tell Aim any
thing of this, for his temper is violent,
and he is passionately fond of his Sis
ter. When l closed the door hahind
them a load seemed to be lifted from
my mind. Alas, in less than an hour
there was a ring at the bell, and l
learned that Mr.. Drebber had Re
turned. He was much excited, ard
evidently the worse fo- drink. He
forced his way into the room where l
was sitting with my daughter, and
made some incoherent remark about
having missed the t.ain. He then
turned to Alice and, before my very
face, proposed to her tbat she should
fly with him. "You are of age he
said, land there is no law to stop you.
l have money enough and to spare.