Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1898-02-21

Benton s room was not entirely closed,
and as Miss Hastings drew near she
recognized Ralph's voice. He was
speaking excitedly.
"You are silly to take on so,' he was
saying. Hendricks and his gang may
search till doomsday and never know
the truth. I have fixed that. Montcastle
will help"
Miss Hastings paused. The carpet
had muffled her footsteps. They did not
know she was near.
ST never had such an awful feeling
in my life said Miss Benton. ooh,
can't stand it any longer! 1t will kill
MEL
"Bosh! Look at me. The papers are
even going over my record and limiting
that I did it, and yet defy
"Hush! Somebody will hear you,
cautioned Alice, and the door was sud-
denly closed. Miss Hastings reiterated,
white and quivering, to the library and
sat down again. She covered her face
with her hands and tried orefect. No;
she would never entertain that thought.
Ralph Benton was her ideal, her con-
leption Of all that was manly and noble
in man. Il might seem to others that
he was guilty, but she would never be-
lieve it. And yet how strangely he had
acted when he came down from his
room just before the body had been
found! And then the words which she
had Just overheard-what could he have
meant:
Miss Hastings happened to glance in
to large pier glass which reflected
q IL L II Is
Benton's loom and saw Ralph APP
preaching It was the first time she
had caught his face in repose since the
murder, and the sight of it shocked her
inexpressibly. He was white and bag
gard, and his eyes were beginning to
be bloodshot.
He came into the library, started
slightly on seeing her and then adj
vanced, with smile.
81 am SO sorry for you, dear Julia, -
he said tenderly. 'It is not often that
3 fellow gets his flancee into such an
awkward situation as this. AS rule,
the great troubles come after marriage.
not before. -
"Your trouble is mine. It would be
Just as great if we were separated, - the
girl returned sadly.
He nodded and tined his face from
her. She fancied his lip was quivering.
"Do YOU know what the papers are
limiting az, Julia-I mean about me?''
he asked without looking at her.
"My uncle was here just now and
told me'' answered the girl.
ST am glad you are aware Of that
anyway Ralph said. 81 could not
consent to allow you to remain unless
you knew it..
Nothing on earth could make me
think you were guilty Of such a crime, -
said Miss Hastings, "and I intend to
stand by you.
hand in his.
81 saw your uncle drive up, and
knew what he came for,' said he,
"and if you had deserted me I should
have given up. I could stand good
deal, but to lose you now, in addition
to all the rest, would be more than
could bear. Really, am in earnest. :"
Miss Hastings covered her face with
her hands and heaved deep sigh. She
was thinking of the words she had
overheard just moment before. She
wanted to ask him if he were not keep
ing back SOM ething from her, but such
a question would imply lack of faith
in him, and she remained silent. Steps
were heard in the hall. Some men car
rying large bouquets and wreathS OF
flowers were reflected in the pier glass
as they passed to the drawing room to
lay them on the coffin. Ralph followed
her glance to the mirror.
"Poor old man!'' he said. ST have
not yet realized that he is really dead.
Sister acts as if she did not either. We
shall miss the dear old governor in
spite of all the rows
The power of articulation seemed to
have left Miss Hastings. She tried to
speak. She attributed the failure to her
mental condition.
"Poor Aunt Marthap' sighed Ralph,
releasing her hand. SIT will kill her,
I'm afraid. If you only knew her, you'd
understand. She is peculiar, but she
has been mother to sister and me and
has already suffered too much
''Does she know?" asked Miss Has
tings, finding her voice at last. s'Has
she heard?"
'fNot yet replied Ralph. ST tele-
graphed DIR. Gibson at the sanitarium
to keep the papers from her. I hope he
will be cautious. 1t is on her account
that we are SO particular, but''-he re-
fected moment-''I forgot you don't
understand. Some day shall tell you
the whole gloomy story. We've have
our skeleton, you see."
''All families have them,'' observed
the girl wonderingly.
"Ours is one, however, that can be
done away with by plentiful use of
common sense, and sister and I are do
ing all we can in that direction. It has
been uphill work, and now it will be
harder than ever"