Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-23

Amelia fnstinctively perceived the change
steailnS over her cousin, and when Delos
Hawkins asked his question she felt Louise
start and saw her fix her eyes in a stony
stare upon the doctor. He did not venture
to look her way until the announcement of
the recess had beer made. They were but q
few feet apart, and though the doctor saw
at once that she had been greatly affected
by what had transpired he was far from
guessing just what she felt. He went close
to her and said:
well, they've let me off the rack, in or
der TO make it worse for me when they begin
again. suppose"
He smiled as he said it, as If to make light
of a disasreeable matter. Louise's face re-
manned hard and eXpressionless
Il shouldn't think you'd care" she re-
sponded, and then turned away and slipped
her arm through her Cousins.
A look of intense pain crossed Amelia S
who seemed stunned. He dimly perceived
the dreadful meaning back of Louise
words She felt that he was making the
case look as badly for her father as the
known facts would permit. So imperfectly
did she grasp the significance of the facts
that not an iRkling of the doctors efforts to
shield the professor appeared to her. If she
could have expressed the feeling that had
chilled her heart she would have said:
why did he tell so much? Why could he
not keep silent?"
Every word he had uttered appeared to
her now like blow aimed directly at her
father. Amelia, who understood the doc
tors attitude, though she knew little of
what he might have told the court had he
chosen to speak freely, felt as if She too
had been stabbed, for she had not dreamed
that Louise would SO misinterpret the doc
tor; a II too clearly she saw how hopeless was
the situation she had created, for neither
she nor the doctor himself could explain to
Louise how loyal he was to her interests
without at the same time setting before her
the facts in such a light that she, too. must
he
father.
Regret, regret that she knew to be vain
overwhelmed Amelia. She knew not what
to say or what to do. The doctor, too while
ne longed to assert his loyalty, to explain
himself and at the same time to comfort
Louise, saw the utter hopelessness of any
such attempt. If his lips were sealed as to
what ne knew to the court, a thousand
times more so were they to her. Moreover
the time and place precluded the possibility
of explanation.
Temporary relief and escape from pos
sble scene came through good Parson
Whitaker who pushed through the crowd
ano suggested that the young ladies go to
his house during tie recess hour. Amelia
promptly accepted the kindly invitation for
herself and Louise, and they started out
with the parson.
Constable Minot Hawkins had had his eye
on them, and even his rather dull under
standing was impressed by the fact that
something was wrong.
Looks IS If she'd cut him." he reflected,
and, fearful of his official position, he hus-
tied his way to the door, Intercepted Louise
and Amelia and presented them with the
papers that required their presence at the
hearing.
Just to make sure that you're here in
the afternoon he said.
You ought to have given them to US last
evening", returned Louise.
The constable stared. but made no reply.
He tried to speak to the DOCTOR but the lat
ter waved him impatientIy aside. Other
villagers, life long friends, Jared as badly
The doctor was in no mood for gossip He
was only dimly conscious of what was go
ing on around him. His thoughts were on
the Fairview tragedy. that grew blacker
and biacker every moment. The people by
whom he was surrounded We're but unm-
portant details of the picture. He saw
them without knowing what they did. He
went down to the street, answering none