Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-09-27
CHAPTER XXI.

s4yern's departure he unexpectedly
returned. Elaine was in the sitting.
room. She had refused the invitation
the colonel had guessed would be
forthcoming from the wears daughter
preferring to think out her thoughts
alone.
Her heart beat unanimously with
sudden hope as she heard Severn
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 a
happy ringing voice, holding her away
turning off the road, took short cut
a little so that she might see the
brightness in his eyes and guess how
matters were.
George it can not belt is too soon
for-that!'
ut is not too soon; and my darling
may hold her head as high as she
peases 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"
II mean that the man who Is ae-
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 moment she reeled
and swayed helplessly in his arms.
at is too strange-too good to be
true" she gasped, breathlessly.
Tell mean | not the best detec-
tive in the world?" he asked. gayly.
II want to know all about it, from
the very beginning
1T is a strange story When Weare
was down here, he told you how |
happened once to save his life, and Il
dozen times he protested his gratitude
would repay me in kind Well, | went
to his address in London and by good
luck found him, though he was on the
point Of starting off for Paris--from
there goodness knows where. 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 implorlng him to tell me
anything he knew You know his i'm
pulsive way. He caught hold of my
hands and wrIlng them hard. / 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 Elaines 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
lover, who had appeared so broken
hearted at her death, could have been
its cause seemed too horrible to be-
lieve.
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
1t was not quixotism, but the actual
terrible fact"
Taking LARGE White envelope from
his pocket, he placed it in Elaine's
hand.
Here is confession that he par
ticularly wished you to read. He said
It would explain his conduct, though
1t could not excuse it"
She drew out sheet of closely writ
ten paper and read it aloud Her
voice faltered, bnt 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 / care aud
this perhaps because she Is the only
one who has real cause to think Of me
with contempt and scorn.
That I killed Ada Warrington
seems to me an act that circumstances
iustified but nothing can pardon or
extenuate the fact that by my own
cowardly dread 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 l saw her slowly realizing
the terrible suspicion that was in their
minds, I suffered more than Ikeyer
shall again, even If expiate my crime
BIZ death. To remain silent while she
bore the burden of my sin-to feel my
self as weak and miserable wretch
was even worse than IL others had
known my meanness and scorned me
for it-for I was judge ard culprit in
one. Nc other will ever view me In so
despicarlc a light. But was resolved
that, unless 1t was case Of an inno-
cent PERSONS dying in my stead,
BoRid not speak, would not give my
lie for her unworthy one While they
thought me grieving for her love l
vas inwardly reyiling her memory,
heaping impreeations on the false
woman who had wrecked my happi-
ness.
Il had thought her so sweet and
true. 50 child-like and artless in her
frank admission of her love for me.
rom the first her evident pleasure at
hlr coming had flattered nv vanity,