Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-05-03
DO they suspect anyohcy'
They've hardly begun TO make


asked anxiously. ~ thought they
might perhaps suspect me" lie said
this with forced and uneasy laugh
that grated painfully on the girls ear.
"Why you, Tom2 Why should they
suspect your Did you go 90 the mill
that night, as we arranged you should2
have often wondered whether you
did"
mo, lass, / didn't go. | started to
| go, but never went"
~ wish now you had" she said.
"You might have saved his life. This
ilight never have happened II you'd
gone there Why didn't you go?"
81 don't know. | suppose was bit
afraid of facing him, or didn't think
any good would come 1T. lie was so
dead sure Of my having tempered with
his money"
as that why you came away, them"
Eyes, mostly, that and other thingD"
"Nhat other things?"
ooh, don't want TO talk about them.
Never mind them now. did come
away, and ever since | saw what had
happened that night, I've been down
right afraid lest they should think I'd
cut IL on account of-of old Goodies
death"
II wish you'd tell me what other
things led TO your coming away, dear"
said Mary, gently.
"Why2 II can't do any good that
can see" he answered, somewhat
sharply. 1--WE been u fool Mary hc
said, in low, rather ashamed voice,
but I've given It the Po-by now. Don't
ask me any questions about that; any
way not yet. III tell you some day.
I've been u mad fool, but it's all over,
II you can forgive me. I'm going
away, as told you In the letter, and
don't want you to think hardly of me.
lass: but I'd rather You didn't ask
anything about that" he said, de-
jectedly.
"lll only ask you one thing. You're
sure You weren't in the mill that night,
Tom?"
"Surc? OF course, I'm sure! Who
says different? | wasn't far away
from the mill, but didn't go into IT,"
Then II anyone says they saw you
going into the place that night about
ten o'clock from the Watcrcoursc- lane,
II wouldn't he true. would itP'
mo, IL would be n laundering lie,
whoever sHid it," he answered. vchc-
mcntly. Then he added, quickly and
shrcwdly: "Then I'm right, They do
suspect me, ch?"
what scarf had you on that night,
Tom?' she asked, passing over his last
question.
why, just what have on now. e.
bc sure lac answered, readily. "iut
what do you mean by such question
as that?'
"ld better tell you plainly. They
say you were seen getting into the
mill that NIGHT ut about ten o'clock.
and that u handkerchief Of yours -ouu
gave You, Tom-was picked up inside
the mill. close by the place.
"Who found it?'
II believe Reuben Gorringc did"
"Cursc him; he's IL traitor, ! be
lievc!' cried Tom, ficrocly.
Nay, Tom; hos friend. Directly
the affair at the mill had happened he
came round 10 say that he wanted yuu
ut the mill, and that you were not TO
think anything more OF what had hap.
pcncd in the afternoon between Mr..
Coode and You. He's friend.
Docs he know you've come to see
me?' asked the man, suspiciously,
"llc doesn't know II; but he guessed
| should come, and he advised me to
tell You To come back to Wulldcn
Bridge and face matters out, but that
il not he would do whatever he could
to help You to wait until the cNplana-
tion could be given"
"ENplanation," cried Tom, "what
explanation? What does he say against
me?"
He does not say anything against
you, dear; all he means Is that
there are matters which will need cx-
planation." She was anxious to let
him know what she knew. and yet
Stunned the task of speaking out
lplainly. 1T may be necessary that
you should-should say why You
came away; and-and what YOU were
doing during the whole of that oven
ing, and how the handkerchief eau
have come 10 be inside the mill close
by that window"
what do Jou mean by this, Mciy?"
he asked, have you come here Just to
try and question mo rs to my duings on
that night?"
IL have not como to ask any ques-
tions for my own sake answered the
girl.
"Well, II You have come for mine you
make great mistake. don't care a
straw what people say, have already
told you that | don't wish to speak Of
the matter"
lit is not what ordinary people
think, dear; but what the" she
stopped, and changed the form of
what she was saying at is no time
for beating about the bush. | have
been half afraid to speak out. But |
had better. am afraid they do suspect
you, Tom, and there are one or two
reasons why. Some of these are known
to those who are making Inquiries
the police--others only to ourselves,
In the first place there is the lsnowl-
edge that you had words with Mr..
Coode that day, and that he told you
to leave Walkden Bridge"
That's why ] Left said her com
panion, eagerly.
"Yes, | know, my dear, but they
know you did not leave until nearly
midnight; oF ut least they think II, and
they think that you We're about the mill
and got into the place through the win
dow In Watercourse-lane; then that you
dropped a handlSerchie close by--and II
q. IL -
went there? Then, for some reason,
s.fhnN h.a III