Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-09-26

tsp WIN 49, tio!i hllf .fllS. 4hdloSOliy l4lC
only unconstraiael person of the party.
Evelyn and Aurelia had appeared to-
gether. and it was evident from Evelyn's
Expression that Aureiia had told her.
What conversation there was turned
upon Sir Georges illness.
we must 80 by the afternoon train,
my DEAR" said Marston down the table
to his wife. "In Sir Georges present
state all visitors are an incubus"
Carr looked up 81 think ought to
go too" he said. II wished to arrange
TO do so this morning, but Mr. Dan
ve,s," glancing at Charles, would not
hear of it. am sure when there Is ill
ness in II house strangers are always in
the way"
II have seen my father since then
replied Charles, land fear his Illness is
much more serious than had any idea
Of. That being the case. feel it would
Ea wrong to press nny one, even Middle
toa, to stay and share the tedium Of q
sick hoase." P"
After a few more civil speeches IL was
arranged that Carr should, after all,
leave by the train which he had proposed
In the morning. twas found that there
was still time for him to do so, but that
was all. He was evidently as anxious
to be off as tho Danverses were that he
shouldgo. The dog cart was ordered, a
servant despatched to the lodge in hot
haste to pack his portmanteau and in
half an hour he was bidding us good-by,
evidently glad to say it. Poor fellowl
He little guessed, as he shook hands
with US, how shamefully he had been
suspected, how villainously he had been
traduced behind his back.
Somehow or other l had not had a
moment Of conversation with him since
the morning, or single chance of telling
him how had stood up for him In his
absence. Either Charles or Niarston
was always at nand. and when he took
leave of me l could only shake his hand
warmly, and tell him to come and see
me again in town. watched him spin
ming down the drive in the dog-cart,
little thinking how soon should SEQ
him again, and in what circumstances
"We shall have more snow" said
Ralph, coming indoors. ~ feel it in
the air.
General and Mrs. Marston were tho
next to leave, starting an hour later and
going in tho opposite direction. saw
Marston turn aside when his wife was
taking leave OF the others and go up to
Charles. The old hand and the young
one met and We're locked tight.
"Good-by, my dear boy" said Mars
ton.
Don't CO." said Charles, without look
ing up.
II must. said Matston. ~ am due at
Kimberley tonight, on business; but"
In u lower tone, 81 shall come back to-
morrow, In case can be of any use.'
They We're gone, and l was the only
oneremaining. 1t has occurred to me
since that perhaps they expected me to
go, too, hut l never thought of it at the
time. l had been asked for a week, and
to so before the end Of it never SO much
as entered my head.
There was no chance Of going out. The
early winter afternoon was already clos
ing in, and a few fakes of snow were
drifting like feathers In the heavy air,
promising more to come. Every one
seemed to have dispersed-Ralph up
stairs to his father, Charles ont of doors
somewhere in spite of the weather. l
remembered that l had not written to
Jane since left London, and went into
the library to do SO.
AS ! came in ] saw Evelyn sitting In a
low chair by the fire, gazing distracted
ly into 1t. She started when she saw me,
and on my saying wished to write some
letters, showed me awriting table near
the fire, with pens, ink and paper.
"You will find it very cold at the big
table window" she said, looking at it
with its broken drawer, chink open,
| with u visible shudder.
installed myself near the fire, talk
ing cheerfully the while, for it struck
me she was u little low in her spirits.
She did not make much response, and
was settling down to my letters when
she suddenly said:
"Col. Middleton
Eyes, Miss Derrick"
II am afraid am interrupting your
writing, butt
Hooked round. She was standing up,
nervously playing with her rings. "But
IL know am not supposed to-but |
know what happened last night; Aurelia
told me-
ut is very sad, isn't its' said. "But
cheer up. 1 dare say we may get them
back yet" And nodded conf1dentially
at her. "In the meantime, you know,
you must not talk of it to any one"
do you suspect any one in particu-
lary she asked very earnestly, coming a
step nearer.
hardly knew what to say. Carr,
need hardly mention, had never sus-
pected for q moment; but Charles-Mars-
ton had evidently believed what Charles
had said. but am by nature more eau
tious and less credulous than Marston.
Besides had not forgiven Charles yet
for trying to incriminate Carr. Not
knowing what to say shrugged my
shoulders and smiled.
"You do suspect some ono then?'
my dear young lady," l replied,
when jewels are stolen one naturally
suspects some one has taken them.n
so should Imagine. Whom do you
naturally suspect"
could not tell her that more than
suspected Charles.
~ know nothing for certain" said.
But yon have suspcion?n
~ have u suspicion"
"She went to the door to see if it were
shut, and then came back, and said in a
whisper
$50 have L.
Perhaps we suspect the same person.
said.
She did not answer, but fixed her dark
eyes keenly on mine. l had never no.
ticed before how dark they were.
saw then that she knew. and that she
suspected Charles. just as Sir George had
done.
nodded.
Nothing is proved" said.
II dared not say even as much as this