Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1898-11-09
CHAPTER XXlI.

and .etters which had come since he start
ed in the morning, an unusually thick en-
velope, directed in Callander's handwrit
ing
This changed his plans. 1t would b.
folish- to start before reading what Cal
lander had to say and doing so would com
pei him to lose the train.
He opened the letter, glanced at it, ant
ringing for the man who waited on him
hastily directed that no visitor should b
admitted. Then, drawing his chair neal
the window, he began, with interest which
deepened at every word, to read the lonI
epistle addressed to him.
Il have been going to write to you
Standish, ever since Dorothy proved tt
me how greatly l have wronged you il
my mind. l have begun once or twice
but, somehow, my brain would not keel
clear or steady. There is such clout
troubling and confusing me; but las
night, as I lay awake, battling with my
thoughts as usual, something seemed te
break away in heart or head, and light
came to me-
Il don't think am mad, but am no.
what used to be. and there is a strange
splrit-not my own-urging ME at times
with force l cannot resist, to do many
things. Ever since Dorothy showed me
the truth, l have wanted to tell you ev
erything, for you loved her, not as
thought, but as true elder brother, and
you will understand me-perhaps you will
help me.
when she left me in India it was
rueful day. Then l was i'll; after. I re-
covered. Her letters were not the same
they were cold, constrained. How mad
l grew, with an agonized longing to see
her again, to hold her in my arms!. Ny
mother wrote often. She did not like you.
do not know why, but she did not She
was always repeating how my darling and
Dorothy preferred being with you to any.
one else, even to Egerton, who was so su-
perior.. 1t was long time before she
toused the devil within me, but she did al
last. Then 1 came home
1T is a long, weary tale; it seems t.
me that l am writing of another, and
pity him profoundly. as I should never
pity myself. My hatred of you grew
deep and cunning; there was no base.
cowardly act 1 would not have done. could
L have tortured you without bringing dis
grace on my own name. But all through
my curious, agonizing mental struggles,
remembered that my name belonged to
my children.
"BrOoding, haunted by hideous vision
y, Deing compelled for my honor's sake
to put away my wife, to drag her through
the mire and filth of legal proceedings, OF
the opprobrium of society, of moral an
: Inhalation; something whispered to me,
have the courage to save her from all this
let the icy hand of death send her I'M
suHied to better world, where the All
seeing alone can judge her. The idea
would not, did not, leave me, 1t had an
extraordinary Fascination for me; even
now though 1 know my suspicious We're
wrong, l believe 1 did my best for her
under the circumstances
TT was not murder not was the act
of tenderest love. ! wanted no revenge
en- her-I only wanted to save her from
shame and bitterest grief. I resolved to
send my beautiful Mabel to heaven, even
while l affronted hell for her sake. Ny
logic is sound, Standish, is it not? She
would have gone hence blamelessi From
me an inexorable judge would have de
manded the price of her blood, and for her
sake I am contented to pay it!
'AThis idea fascinated me- had, from
the fear of doing my dearest one harm in
some ungovernabie fit of despair. remain
ed in m$ own room, on the plea of indif-
-ferent health, and there I thought out my
plan. One night, just after you had gone,
I had put on my smoking jacket and sat
down to think, but / could not smoke, my
mind was a sort of fiery mist, all the past
unrolled itself, the happy hours, the
sweetness and purity Of my darling;
should I allow shame to touch her? A
voice said to me, the hour has come let
It not pass / rose up, and took a long
keen knife, which Egerton had given me
as n curiosity; it was fine and sharp. 1
went softly but boldly to her room. l did
not fear to meet anyone. l was not over
stepping my right. The door opened with
out noise.
..Now, l have nearly told you every
thing, Standish. Ny brain is growing dull
and dreamy. l have always wondered
why Egerten shrank from me. Dorothy
has explained why. She has restored my
faith in you When / knew the truth it
made me pitiless. The irreparable evil
wrought by mother infuriated me. l
rushed to her and told her that, thanks
to her cruel tongue, her son was what she
would call a murderer. / wonder it did
not kill her! My sufferings have been
great, though I have had long spells of
torpidity. Since / came down to Fordsea
I have been conscious of an awful, ire
sistible WEAKNESS Of life. Like the un-
happy Moor, whose story is so like my
own. MY occupations o'er'-no, not yet!
must settle my account with Egerton.
cannot rest till that is finished"
Standish was very white and his teeth
were set when he laid down the last sheet
Of this long, sad, startling letter.
It was too true, then. Dillon's clever dis
entangling of the puzzle! What terrible
tragedy. this destruction Of two lives! His
generous heart ached for the ruin, the in
Justice. wrought by a spiteful tongue, by
the selfish recklessness Of a man too abb
i. sorbed in a guilty passion to hesitate at
the sacrifice of friendship, honor, loyalty
or even the happiness of the woman he
professed to love.
1t was brutal, insatiate, but Standish
had no time to think Of Egerton now. Cal
lander's case was a serious one. He must
not be suspected; the terrible truth must
not leak out For the unfortunate Grim
inal himself Standish felt the most pro
found pity. He could not look on him a
responsible. Disease was fast gaining
upon him, but a jury would probably takt
very different view Of his condition
Come what might, he must be shielded
from the consequences of his desperate
deed.
"I waste time pondering here when
ought to act" he exclaimed, and, taking
CaHander's long confession. he inclosed !
in 4 fresh, strong envelope, sealed II, and
writing on It his own name, he added: It
be DESTROYED In case Of my death"
- Then, with a heavy heart, he put
change of raiment into his bag, and, hav
ing snatched hasty meal, drove to Wat
erloo Station. He was rather too soo'
for the eight thirty train to Eastport, s'
b sat In the corner Of The waiting room
-