The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1895-10-11
CRATER v11r-c.atia.e13

Il am sorry to say" answered Mr..
Grey, ''that not only suspicious but
very damning proofs point to Miss
Rosamond."
Before he could finish the sentence,
Godfrey with a cry that startled both
his companions had sprung to his feet.
care you raving mad, Mr.. Grey?"
"Wait until you hear"
II will hear nothing; 1t is monstrous
1T Is infamous." he cried wildly.
"Rosamond, the gentlest, kindest crea-
ture that ever was born! Look here,
Mr.. Grey, If 1t was in any other place.
or ut any other time, I would knock
you down."
And the young fellow doubled his
fists rs though lie had much difficulty
in restraining his inclination even us
1t was.
Without another word he rushed out
of the room and bounded up the stairs
to Rosamond's chamber. His knock
was answered by q maid.
II want to see Miss Rosamond;
must see her-I will see herr
His manner was SO wild and cxcit-
ed that the woman was positively ter
rified, and allowed linn to push past
her.
White as death and still in a state
Of semi-cOnsciousness ROsamond lay
upon the bed, dressed as she was, with
an eidcrdown quilt just thrown over
her.
In moment Godfrey was bending
over her, kissing her and calling upon
her name with enilearing epithets, in
the most passionate accents.
The sound of that dear voice. the
warm pressure of those loving lips,
awoke her from her trance. and. for
getful Of everything save the blissful
consciousness of his presence. she
threw her arms around his neck and
for the first time found relief In tears.
ooh. Godfrey" she cried. do you
know Of what they suspect met"
II do" he answered, grinding Ills
teeth. land I should like to have
strnngled the man that told me-"
"Then you do not believe 1t. dear?"
"Believe 1t. my darling; would
sooner believe myself capable Of such
an act than you, my love, my wife. I
will prove 1t at once by making you
my wife. will this very day."
"Oh, hush. hush, dear; you talk
wildly; you don't know what you say.
And you must not remain here. l will
get up; I feel better now; go down
into the drawing room and I will
come to you. Oh, Godfrey, I feel no
fear now that you are come"
His usual impetuosity now wrought
up to fever heat, Godfrey refused to
listen to one word from Mr.. Grey,
while he ordered the secretary to
leave the room.
Finding him quite impervious to rea-
son, the lawyer left him In great an
ger.
And Godfrey walked up and down
the drawing room like Gagged tiger,
waiting for Rosamond's appearance.
She came Mt last, and he almost car
ried her to u couch and sat down be-
side her, but 1t was some time before
he could compose himself sufficiently
to listen to her story.
1t must be remembered that as yet
she knew nothing of the evidence Of
the box.
"And upon such shallow pretence as
this, they have dared to suspect you"
he cried: "the scoundrels, they shall
pay dearly for this"
'Oh, hush. dear; such violence IL
useless" pleaded ROsamond. ''Indeel,
indeed, you must bs calmsr, and think
what is best to be DONE"
Impressed by the reasonableness Of
this view Godfrey began to repress his
excitement and tried to reason, but
not without an occasional explosion.
Their tete-a-tete was interrupted by
the return Of DIR. Grant, who, upon
being told of Godfrey's arrival, imme-
diateiy assembled to the drawing room.
"Oh, Doctor" cried the young man,
"yO4 do not believe this infamous
story? You do not believe that Rosa
mond isl canRot speak the word in
connection with her nAms."
II do not. was the answer, given
with some emphasis.
Godfrey positively embraced him,
while Rosamond looked fearful graft
tude.
In o few minutes they were inter-
rupted by o knock at the door.
1t was Dawson, with request to
speak for moment with DR., Grant.
There was something In the express
ion of his face that told he was the
bearer of some fresh news.
Desiring the two old lovers to re-
main where they were, he followed the
/ old servant out of the room. Dawson
was so agitated that he took some
time in telling story which can be
condensed into q few words.
A little while before the parlor maid
had called him aside, and, after many
tears and much beating about the
bush, had intimated that she had
something very important to tel.
/! Her confession was this.
The fact of the secretary having had
q patsat fastening put on the closet
in his bedroon.-which was always
! kept locked-had excited her curiosity
to know what he was so careful to con
ceal.
One morning when she was making
i the bed she found key upon the floor
which had evidently been accidental,
! dropped.
| It was the key Of the closet.
e Burning with inquisitiveness, silt
= applied 1t to the lock and opened tht
door.
f! Within was trunk, open, aud 1t,
contents disarranged as though he hat
been suddenly called away.
I, On the top Of all this was squar,
wooden box. which she was prepared
to swear wis the same as that rount
in Miss Rosamond's fooAa,
The eagerness with which DR.. Gran
listened to this story may be imagined
Telling Dawson ON no account t
mention the circumstance to any one
he sought out Mr.. Grey and told hin
the girls story:
III this Ia true-anA I do not see an,
reason to doubt TIT certainly put
a new aspect on the case, and,
may confess now, that 1t points In til
direction my suspicious have take
from the first. At all events we mus
allow the proceedings against this poo
girl to stand oyer for to-day.
"In the meantime ] will see this gil
myself and hear the story from he
awn lips"
The maid was forthwith sent fol
and came into the room with eyes re
and swollen with weeping and sobbin
and trembling. Nevertheless, she re
peated the story exnctly ~ she ha
told 1t to Dawson.
AAAd why did you not mention
the moment the box was discovered /
the young lady's room?" demande
Mr.. Grey severely.
The girl hung her head.
"Answer me directly"
please, mir, 1t was because I didn'
like 1t to be known that I'd been
looking At Nj. Abershaw's things,
she answered.
Look me In the face" said the Law
| YAR WAu6 alra0n zzOaaA III Tint 1,O