Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-04-08
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He peered at her through the gloom
with dilated eyes. afraid Of mistaking hes
meaning, through his guilty conscience
always dwelling on the one dreadful sub
tect, yet her awe-st1uck tones might have
removed all doubt.
about Jacob Lynn" she went on. In q
whisper, and would have continued. but
his head dropped upon his hands, and he
groaned SO deeply that shs knew he had
understood.
Yet he dare not raise his eyes toward
the daughter whose life, by his mad, i'm
Dulsive act, he had ruined.
Not until Jane stole over to her fathers
side and drew his head ON to her breast
did he venture to look up.
Then little by little tho whole story waa
drawn from his lips: how he had met
Jacob Lynn that afternoon, intoxicated
and stayed to demonstrate with him.
"Give me your daughter and will new.
er drink again" had been the reply. with
Q drunken laugh.
Il would sooner see her dead at my feet
than married to such q one as you," the
Quartermaster had retorted, warmly.
Then In his fury. scarcely knowing.
trooper had poured out such a torrent Of
refrained from a reply. He accused
jane of having schemed his removal from
Alipore that she might in the end marry
the Colonel; in his drunken rage he rallied
at her and called her names. At last as
one foul epithet escaped his lips, the
Quartermaster could restrain himself no
longer. The fatal blow was given-only
one, yet so terrible in it's results, and like
ly to be the undoing of them ALL
When her mother entered the room to
keep her father company, Jane closed tho
door softly and stole away, and at once
wrote a note to Colonel Prinsep.
Dear Colonel Prinsep"-she began,
though she thought with faint smile Of
his suggestion, that as a penance she
should use his Christian name, she did
not do so then-"You said that when
wanted help was to ask you for it.
need 1t now. Will you come tomorrow
morning as early as you can? Yours sin.
cerely, JANE KNOX"
She dispatched 1t at once. and an hour
later received the reply:
Dear Jenny: l shall be with you to-
morrow morning at ten o'clock, without
fail. Be very sure that will do for you
all that is in my power. Always your
friend, STEPHEN PRINSEP."
The following morning Jane was walk
ing on the road in front Of the house soon
after nine o'clock. After further consid-
GRAFTON she thought 1t wiser not to wait
for Colonel Prinsep inside. Walls have
ears, and 1t would never do to risk tho
danger Of any one overhearing their con-
versation. Tired and overwrought by the
excitement through which she had gone,
it seemed an endless time before he came,
ha hnf q b.,
appointed hour.
"You have been waiting for me?" he
exclaimed. "Child, how tired you look!"
He had made q movement to lead her
back to the house, but she drew back.
Not there. Some place where thero
Is no chance of our being overheard. Ii
is something important have to say,
or should not have asked you to come"
He looked at her reproachfully, but said
nothing. She was tired-in trouble-and
he had come to help her.
They turned into the compound Of tho
next bungalow, which they remembered
was empty, yet for the moment, in their
abstraction, had forgotten how It was
Jacob Lynn had been found dead there.
simultaneously they reco1lected, and
Colonel Prinsep would have taken her
away, but she resisted.
''This place Is as well as another: what
does It matterT she said, YEARLY.
AT least, come into the sun and sit
down." he said, authoritatively; and hav-
ing found her a seat that looked away
from the spot they had all such good
reason to remember, he waited patiently
for her to say more.
''Did you know" she began, abruptly.
''that my father had applied for leave
homer
YEA I knew it." he acknowledged.
"And that 1t had been refused?"
"Au such papers pass through my
hands. Yes. knew 1t had been refused
"And can't-will you tell me why?'-
anxiously.
II had Q private letter this morning
telling me- that all leave in the regiment
would b refused until the inquiry into
I1nn's death was completed" he an
swered, slowly.
She gave q faint gasping cry. Until
aow she had clung to the hope that there
might have been some trivial cause for
that ominous refusal, and it cost her
something to relinquish it.
"Is that all you wanted to knowT' he
asked her presently, and for few mo-
ments received no reply.
Let me tell you quickly. then, it will
be less difficult to talk about. 1t is
she spoke as though the words were be-
Ing forced one by one from her lips-'it
Is my father who is guilty of that murder:
and 1 want you to tell me how best To-
screen himT
II have guessed that it was so." he r,..
marked gravely; then as she turned sud-
denly pale and started to her feet, ter
rified by a new fear he added, quickly:
mo, no; no one else suspects him that
I know of. 1t was something you said,
which l misunderstood at the time that
6rst awakened my suspicious"
Something that 1 said," she repeated.
blnnkly, wondering how she could have
been weak enough to SO tetray herself
and whether to him only.
~Yes. One day at Mrs. Dene's, yvu
aid something about an inquiry that the
Commissioner was instituting, and begged
ne to 60 away. knew nothing then OF
tour suspicious Of myself. The only rea1
bon I could imagine for your warning
was that your father was guilty, ana you
feared that my evidence might tell against
him. 70 allay your fears, unfounded a.
they were, was prepared to 60, and
had made all the arrangements to do %,
when you explained to me what you had
really thought. Then Of course 1t was
Unnecessary should leave Now tell me
how can help you best"
II want you to tell me-"
'"Then let me hear the whole story, a.
K occurred, or at least 20 much a. you
can bear to speak Of"
She told him all she knew, with dry
Ups and faltering voice.
"Why, 1t is not murder at all-scarcely
hanslaughterr' he exclaimed, at its CON
Nusion.
Then you do not blame him-not alto,
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