Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-05-28
sir. Tell me the truth. ;

speak now and case my conscience or q
bad matter. told you did not know
this child's parentage. l told you
falsehood. know both her parents. One
was n scapegrace son of a proud family;
the other was q servant in his fathers
house Now you know the whole. am
DONE
The blood rushed to Maxey's head.
1.-THE proofs! Where are the proofs?'
Mr.. Dye again glanced at him appre-
hensively and backed a step or two near
er the door.
'Sir, there are no proofs. "
"None?"
"Not scrap. 1t all rests upon the
word of worthless vagabond whom no.
body would believe, who is in fact such
a villain and liar that he can hardly
believe himself If you wish to believe
that he has lied, there is everything to
encourage you in that belief, nothing to
discourage you.
'And why have you come here to
tell me this?"
Ibid not explain? was forced to. "
"By whom?'
"Sir, not by whom-by what By
my conscience.
Maxey raised his arm with gesture
of impatience The somber man shrank
back as if he expected blow. He cried
out apprehensivcly:
".lon't believe me! Don't believe
mel"
"Do you acknowledge it to be a lic?'
mo, no. Not that. only-don't be-
icve me. -
"Mr. Dye" said Maxcy suddenly,
will you swear n solemn oath, here i'll
my presence, that you have told me the
truth?'
"Sir, will not. No oaths. Not to-
night No oaths 1 have said it, and l
will do no more No, not if the sword
falls, 1 will say no more. That is all 1
came to say. I have said it. l will go
away again.
"Go, thenr' cried Maxey hotly. go,
while you can with safety get out of my
reach, and if ever you show your face
in this house again, unless you either
come to confess that you have lied or
hold the proofs of what you have said
in your hand, you will regret it to the
last day of your miserable life. Hold
on bit! Not quite SO fast, my good
man. l have not done yet. If you ever
breathe word of what you have told
me today to any living soul, and hear
it,
Maxey did not finish his sentence, but
he was all the more impressive, for he
looked unuttcrable things.
pardon me, sir, the caution is not
needed. 1t has cost me much to say it
70 7 cho1 ro1Onof II INF 7
must, must warn you that am not
the only person who knows this to be the
truth. If l had been, l never should
have come. Sir, thought it was better
that you should know the whole before
before you took any rash step or steps,
than hear of it afterward, when it would
be so much more painful to both her and
yourself You understand mo now?"
Mr.. Dye suddenly turned, opened the
door which led into the vestibulo and
glided out. Maxcy sprang after him, ex-
claiming:
"Stop sir, stop! I do mott do not
understand you'll
Maxcy reached the vcstibulc only
second or two behind his strange visitor
and would undoubtedly have dragged
ilIlll D<tCh oNCI lIIC oult1 plIO
at the very moment when he put out his
hand to seize him he heard the rustic of
a woman s dress He changed his inten-
ton i'll the twinkling of an eye. In an
other instant Mr.. Dye was free, the outer
door was closed, and MaXey, pale and
breathing heavily, stood upon the inside
with his back against it, facing the as
tonishcd Annette, who was coming,
quite unconscious of any intrusion, into
the vCstibulc.
els anything the matter, Mr.. Maxey?"
Misunderstanding at all. 1t was a
mere You startled me; that was all. y
"Who has been here?'
"You do not know, then? You heard
nothing of what he said?''
why, how strange you look! How
could I?''
81 don't look strange" said Maxey.
Its the bad light I'm in. 1t was no.
body you care to know. Let us go back
to work again. There was something
was going to say when was interrupt
ed"
Mr.. Dye was staggering down the
steps, clinging to the railing with one
hand, looking the personitication of de-
spair He muttcrcd as he walked and
crushed with his left hand paper in
the pocket of his thrcadbarc coat-a pa
per on which Il delicate feminine hand
had traced these words:
prove her a waif then. If they mar
~, shall hold you personally respon
sible!'
Doubtless the poor girls last hope"
thought the melancholy man, land I
have stamped the life out of it.
At that very instant, however, Julian
Maxey, the artist was making of these
words hollow mockery. He had come
back into the room with her and had
closed the door. That rapid pulse that
DR.. Lamar had warned him was so like