The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1894-04-06
CHAPTER XIV.

RAYMOND's HOUR OF TRIUMPH.
I'm so glad you've come" sal
Mother st. Gertrude to Raymond. rs
abel is frantic, and this, coming SO soon
places all the responsibility upon me fo
opposing your plan. Are you sure it
Laurence?'
II Just heard the news from the re
porter who brought me your message
| have no doEbt of its truth. His owI
comrades have identified him."
The Trumpet is going to publish tn
story of his trouble tomorrow. I'm
derstand You have the influence to sup
press it. must ask you to do so.
II assure you will"
Then, about the funeral? To at
| tend to that is the least our order cal
do for one who was such friend. Blu
Will you aid our agent in securing tn
necessary permits:''
. ~ me look after the whole matte
and pay the expenses.
mo; we cannot do that"
Have you thought of the buria
place? The case is considered one o.
suicide.
"Suicide!'
yes"
And that means the denial of Chris
tian burial! What shall we do:"
My idea is to place the body in a re-
ceIving vault for a time. Events may
demonstrate that he was killed or that
it was the result of an accident. Mean
while continue Investigations.
Il will consult Isabel"
How is she?' .
''She is bearing up bravely. She
seems to get strength from the desire to
vindicate his memory. She had not
Thought Of this new feature--denlal of
Christian burial"
1t may not be the proper time to
suggest it, Mother st. Gertrude, but
from my worldly, more experienced
point of view she ought. for the sake
of his memory, place herself under my
protection and with me proceed to make
Investigations. She cannot do it here,
and she will not trust any one but her
self, feel, under the circumstances.
You cannot, with peace of mind, allow
her to proceed alone.'
II interfered once. l will not do SO
again. 1t shall be as she says. But
the denial of Christian burial! 1t is
terrible! Terrible!'
II am certain that we can prove that
it was not suicide. Perhaps his ex-
oneration will incriminate another-we
may be able to prove that he was foully
dealt with"
i will go to Isabel" ,-
Raymond had determined to marry
Isabel. He was afraid that Mangau
might learn just enough to justify the
issue of an injunction that could be con-
tinued for some time. The publication
of these proceedings might elicit facts
to undermine his hold on tho property
il an order to restrain him from getting
the deeds was decreed.
Mother ST. Gertrude eyed him critic
ally. She was suspicious still Of this
man. She believed his profession of
love for Isabel. His reputation as
man of wealth dispelled the idea that he
was after her property. Again, the nun
had not learned of tho value Of the
lands that were destined to DO convert
ed into parks. Therefore his love up-
peared to be disinterested. 1t was the
intensity Of his ardor-its velocity, one
might say--that she could not account
for, but his eagerness to remove any
and all aspersions from Laurence's
character sprang from q bread spirit of
generosity, She concluded. Where gen.
srosity was great, other affections were
developed, she reasoned,
and their outpour as impetuous.
Before you co." he added, "there
ire few things l should say. Some |
one must get an order from the public
for Laurence's effects.
His sister can get it. Naturally, il she |
to speedy marriage, / will
axe charge of that, see what is neccs-
AIRY to be done to straighten out his af-
airs, satisfy all claims, If any, and |
AIRY out the designs of Miss Le-Le- /,
and, will say, with your permission,
md hope to be allowed the privilege
II calling her Isabel"
1t is cad affair. this DEATH" said |
st. Gertrude, her grief at las,
her and driving out of mind
all else. The tears, long suppressed in
The presence of Raymond, forced their I
way, and as a stream, just breaking
through confirming barriers, roars in
at its freedom. these lachrymal
'ivulets signalized their victory over
Ter power of mind by wrenching from
Ter heart sob after sob that gave SINGER
ty to her flow of sorrow.
Even Raymond was touched. Here
was W Jman who had stood at many o
,ed of suffering. alternating human ills.
yho had been so accustomed TO death
hat II became almost an everyday in
ident in her life, yet weeping like
hid, crying piteously as the lamb that
'ainly runs and bleats amid the heath
z Of the Scottish mountains. for the