Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1896-12-14
CHAPTER v.
A WHITE TOMB.


CHAPTER v.
WHITE TOMB.
From the moment when the true state
of Philippa's mind flashed upon me, to
the moment when left her sleeping that
heavy sleep / had little time to think OF
anything else than the best means OF
saving her life, and, if possible her rea-
son. True, throughout the whole of my
operations to effect this end, dim sort
Of horror pervaded me-a recollection of
the CHASTITY object which lay on the road
side some three miles from us; but 1t
was not until | turned from my patients
door that the terrible situation in which
she was placed presented itself to me IN
all it's dread entirety. Half broken
hearted, l threw myself YEARLY into my
chair, and covered my face with mg
hands.
What was to be dome? What was to
be done? Tomorrow morning the body
would be found. l felt certain that when
one point toward Philippa. Mrs.
Wilson knew of her starting from
home in the evening, alone and
on foot. She knew, moreover,
that Sir Mervyn Ferrand was her
husband; that he had ill-used her. She
Phillippa had fed. 1t did not follow that
because / was ignorant as to who were
my neighbors they knew nothing about
me. At any rate, William, my man,
would know the truth. So far as |
could see, tomorrow or, by the latest,
the next day Philippa would be arrested
for the crime. Most probably, [ should
also be included In the arrest. For that
/ seemed to care nothing; except that it
might hinder me from helping my poor
girl.
ANY hope of removing Phlippa-there,
mt If in Main xVOr6S-anV hOOa of fight
for days, even weeks, was vain. Let
everything go as well as can be in such
cases, the girl must be kept in seclusion
and quiet for at least fortnight or three
weeks. ] groaned as | thought of what
would happen if Philippa was arrested
and carried before the magistrates, .ac-
cused of the awful crime. From that
moment until the day of her death she
would be insane.
Yet, what help was there for it? The
moment the deed is known-the moment
Mrs Wilson learns that Sir Mervyn Fer.
rand has been found shot through the
heart, she will let it be known that Lady
Ferrand is at hand; and Lady Ferrand.
who has been passing under the name of
Mrs. Farmer, will be sought and found.
And then-and then?
Even if she did not die at once-even
if she recovered-oh. the shame of the
trial! No jury could or would convict
her; but for Philippa, my queen, TO stand
in the dock, to plead for her life;~ to
know that, whether convicted or acqult-
ted, the deed was done by her; to know
that all England is talking of her wrongs
and her engeance-horrible! hOrr1ble!a1t
shall never be. Rather will | give her
draught of opium heavy enough to close
her eyes forever. There will be plenty
more of the drug left for me!
Fool that / was! Why did do things
by halves? Why, for her sake, did
not hide the dead man where none would
G,,I II r.iAn ic 1aral
cts. SO that suspicion should have pointed
to 4 vulgar murderer-someone who had
killed him for mere plumber? Why did
/ not, at least, destroy any letters or
papers which were about him? Identif-
cation might then have been rendered
difficult, and perhaps been delayed for
weeks. In that time / might have saved
her.
Why do I not do this now? 1 started.
to my feet; then sank back into my chair.
No; not even for Philippa's sake could
go again to that spot If did SO,
should return as mad as she is now.
Not being able to bring myself to adopt
the gruesome alternative, l could do
nothing save wait events-nOthing, at
least. to avert the consequences of her
delirious act.
But for her something must be DONE
How could she, in her frenZied state,
be left here-her only companions two
men? Nurses must be at once procured.
| summoned William and told him he
must go to London by the first train in
The morning.
William would have received my in
StructonS to go to the AntipodeS with
imperturbability. He merely expressed a
doubt as to whether anyone would be
able to get to London tomorrow on ac-
count of the snow. l walked to the
window and looked out
The night was still one mad whirl of
al. o<1sNxv-
half covered by such as managed to find
a resting-place there. AS | watched
what | could see of the wild white dance,
| found myself thinking that by now
that dead man on the road must be
covered an inch-must have lost shape
and outline. l shiyered as / turned
away
'"They are sure to keep the line to
town OPEN" / said. eff you can get to
Roding you can get to London
''Oh, | can get to Roding right
enough" said William.
Then | told him what he was to do
He was to take letter to one of the
nursing institutions. and bring back two
nurses with him. No matter what the
weather was when they reached Roding,
they were to come to my house at once
even if they had to hire twenty horses
to drag them there. He was also to
get me a few drugs which l might want
William said no more. He nodded, to
show that he understood me; and | knew
that if it were possible to do my bid
ding it would be done.
OF his own accord he then brought
me food. l ate, for | knew that 1 should
want all my strength to support the
anXieties of the next day or two
l stayed up the whole night. Oh, that
awful night! Shall l ever forget it?
The solitude-the raging snowstorm out
side-the poor creature to whose side I
crept nOiselessly every half an hour. She
lay there with a face like mar
BILE, calm and beautiful. The long.
dark lashes swept her pale cheek.