Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-09-27
CHAPTER XXI.

forthcoming from the wears daughter,
preferring TO think out her thoughts
alone.
Her heart beat unanimously with
sudden hope as she heard Severn's
quick footstep on the gravel walk.
She sprung up, and the next moment
was in his arms in the hall.
"Well?" he asked, at length, in
happy, ringing voice, holding her away
turning off the road, took a short lit
a little so that she might see the
brightness in his eyes and guess how
matters were.
George, it can not bet is too soon
for-thatr'
TT is not too soon; and my darling
may hold her head as high as she
pleases and fear no one on this earth
The cloud has passed away, and the
future shall be as full of happiness as
love can make it.
"You-you mean"
81 mean that the man who is ac-
countable for your sisters death has
confessed at last. Your name is free
from even the shadow of a stain"
The sudden revulsiOn of feeling was
so great that for q moment she reeled
and swayed helplessIy in his arms.
at is too strange-too good to be
true" she gasped breathlessly.
Tell mean / not the best detec-
tive in the worldY he asked, gayly.
II want to know all about it, from
the very beginning"
''It is a strange story. When Wnare
was down here, he told you how
happened once to save his life, and a
dozen times he professed his gratitude
to me, and SWOre that some day he
would repay me in kind. Well, / went
to his address in London, and by good
tuck found him, though he was on the
point of starting off for Paris-frOm
there goodness knows where. I told
him all-hOW we loved each other, and
that the only barrier between us was
the unexplained mystery of your sis
ter's death, imploring him to tell me
anything he knew. You know his i'm
pulsive way He caught hold of my
hands and wrung them hard. i al
ways told you | would prove my graft
tude' he said. You saved my life
it is yours to do with as you choose.
shot Ada Warrington because she was
untrue"
A low cry burst from Elaine's pale
lips. All these years. eXhauStively as
she considered the matter, this solution
of the enigma had never suggested it
self to her. That he, her sisters
hearted at her death, could have been
it's cause seemed too horrible to be-
Iieve
1T is not true-it can not be! He is
saying so to save me, sacrificing him
self from a mistaken sense of graft
tude'
II thought so myself at first, but he
managed to persuade me at last that
It was not quiXotism, but the actual
terrible fact"
Taking a large white envelope from
his pocket, he placed it in Elaine's
hand.
Here is a confession that he par
ticularly wished you to read. He said
1t would explain his conduct, though
it could not excuse it,
She drew out a sheet of closely writ
ten paper and read it aloud. Her
voice faltered. ont the perfect silence
that reigned about them made every
word distinct.
Though every tongue may eXecrate
me when the truth is known. there is
only one for whose opinion I care, and
this perhaps because she is the only
one who has real cause to think of me
with contempt and scorn.
'That l killed Ada Warrington
seems to me an act that circumstances
justified; but nothing can pardon or
extenuate the fact that by my own
cowardly dreadf of exposure [ have
spoiled her sisters life. 1t is she only
who has the right to condemn.
when Elaine Warrington stood up
before those idiots who believed her
guilty, and | saw her slowly realizing
the terrible suspicion that was in their
minds, I suffered more than Iseever
shall again. even if / expiate my crime
by death. To remain silent while she
bore the burden of my sin-to feel my
self as weak and miserable a wretch
was even worse than if others had
known my meanness and Scorned me
for it-for | was judge and culprit in
one. No other will ever view me in so
despicaple light. But I was resolved
that unless it was a case of an innO-
cent persons dying in my stead, l
would not speak, would not give my
life for her unworthy one. While they
thought me grieving for her love l
was inwardly reviling her memory,
heaping imprecationS on the false
woman who had wrecked my happi-
ness
Il had thought her so sweet and
true, so child-like and artlesS in her
frank admission of her love for me.
From the first her evident pleasure at
my coming had flattered my vanity,
and gradually it awakened something
deeper in my heart-only gradually.
For long time [ was in doubt as to
which sister | preferred, and, cox
comb that I was, tried to make myself
acceptable to both. Each was so
charming in her different Style-Elaine
with her Shy dignity and Semi-prud .sh
demeanor and the deep gray eyes that
betrayed a passionate loving soul,
Ada with her happy gayety of heart,
every feeling On the surface, and her
pretty winning ways that subjugated
nearly every man with whom she
came in contact.
"Tn S1ch . state of iDdaciSion it