Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-03-28

l
The chain of circumstances was so
strong that it fully warranted Mr.
| Strickland In arresting DR.. Graham
upon the charge of the assassination Of
Marina Trenholme. At his examsna-
ton before a justice, Graham refused
to offer any plea whatever; he simply
said he was innocent of the crime.
Two Of the old servants testified to hav-
ing met the prisoner about half-past 3
on the morning of the murder in the gar
den, on the eastern side of the house.
He was pale and singularly agitated,
and when one Of them asked him II
anything had gone wrong, he had
pushed by him and hurried on.
Graham was committed to the county
Jail to await the converting of the AS
sizes on the first of November, when
his final trial would take place.
Marina was laid in the shady grave
yard where the Trenholmes had for
generations been buried, and after the
funeral was over, the guests departed
and left Ralph and Agnes and their
mother alone at the Rock.
His poor old father and mother were
nearly frantic with the dreadful turn
affairs had taken, and before her boy
had lain a week in prison, the feeble
mother was dressed for the grave. His
father, the honest old fisherman, went
about slowly, his tall form bowed, his
eyes vacant, his voice broken, and his
intellect verging fast upon imbecility.
A large part Of Ralph's time was
spent away, collecting any evidence
which might tell at the approaching
trial-indeed his every energy seemed
to be devoted to the work of bringing
condemnation on Lynde Graham, the
man he had once loved as brother. He
believed him guilty, and. believing this,
he said, sternly, to himself, he would
not hesitate to bring his own father
to the gallows! No, when he thought
of Marina, so beautiful, so foully MUIR
dered, he forgot there was such word
as mercy-he only remembered ven
geance.
Since the terrible tragedy Agnes
Trenholme had not been herself. She
was restless, nervous-glven to long
fits of passionate weeping, at which
times nothing could comfort her. Mrs.
Trenholme attributed it to grief for
the fearful death of her adopted sister,
and though she herself mourned the
gentle girl, and was Mortified beyond
measure at her tragic death, yet as the
time passed, and Agnes only grew
more and more depressed, she could
not resist little feeling Of impatience
at her conduct. A few days before the
first Of November, on which day Lynde
Graham would be brought to trial,
Agnes sought Ralph in the library.
He started at the sight of Agnes in
her white robes, and her face as white
as her dress, with the dark circles
around the great dilated, gray eyes. He
had never noticed before how terribly
she had changed.
"My dear Agnes, tell me what
troubles YOU"
She came slowly forward, and sink
Ing dI HIS lctt, Jul leu uCl ldCc III HIS
bosom and burst into sobs.
He lifted up her face and looked into
her troubled eyes.
my dear sister, tell me what 1t
means! I do not understand you.
did not know your love for-for her
was so intense"
20, yes; I loved Marina. l did love
her! Ralph, God knows she was dear
to me as an own sister could have been.
But it is not her death that is wearing
me to the grave. No, no-not thatw
mot that? Then tell me, and let me
comfort you"
81 must tell some one! I shall go
mad If do not! Some women would
suffer it in silence-would die before
they would breathe the secret. But 1
am made Of weaker stuff. l cannot
bear it alone. must have helpw
and / will give it to you, If it lies
in my power, my poor Agnes" he said,
stroking her hair.
ooh, thank you! bless you! If you
only mean it. Will you promise to help
me in my own way"
Tell me the circumstances. 1t would
be wrong to promise without knowing
to what 1 pledged myself"
Il want you to promise to spare the
life Of Lynde Graham"
His face grew black, he opened his
mouth to speak, but she covered it with
her two hands.
"Only her me out, Ralph. You shall
not deny me yet. l will hope little
longer. 1t is shame for me to confess
it, but his death upon the gallows will
kill me! 1 could not live and know
that while breathed he was yielding
up his precious life at the end Of the
terrible rope! the spectacle of a jeer-
ing crowd. He, the noblest, the purcct,
the best man that ever lived! You can
save him! You can refuse to appear
against him-I know there are ways
by which men prevent the conviction
Of even the basest criminals! And he
is not guilty! He never had such a
thought. He is innocent as the angels!
ID oIo no will