The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1901-09-12

by the open grave with moving lips that
uttered no sound. DIR. Brodnar alone
understood that her petition was no
prayer, but . pledge that would never
be forgotten. The widow stood oppo-
site, YELLED In deepest black, the apothe-
osis Of grief.
II was a matter of general comment
that Raymond Holbin was not present
at the funeral. II was given out that
q sudden indisposition had detained
him at home. But the indlsposition Of
Raymond Holbin was a fiction pure
and simple. There would have been
no more discreet and welI-behaved
mourner by the grave than he: but
there was nothing to be gained in at
tending the funeral, and there was a
matter OF vital importance which must
be settled In the deserted residence
OF the deceased.
For Holbin was n bcwildered and
unhappy man. Not that he feared Lou
ise. The Brookin will and the death
Of the testator apparently secured his
interests. even should Louise be rash
enough to carry out her threats OF ex.
posure. This, however. he felt assured
she would never attempt. Terror OF
the law had already proved itself po-
tent TO control her. In his hurried and
frequent visits TO the hotel he had a..
certained the fact that she was for the
time being completely In his power.
Reaction from her fierce excitement
had set in; she clung to him. helpless
and penitent. That she had seen a man
at midnight in the wing.room OF the
Brookin house and had shot him, he
did not doubt that she believed. A.
for himself, there were times when
he had thought her simply insane
the victim OF an Illusion; and yet the
facts seemed to support her statement
that she had visited the premises.
Clearly his best course lay In the sup
port Of the illusion.
This, then. was the invention which
Holbin carried to the ears Of the mis-
erable woman: The man she had slain
was indeed the lover OF the woman in
that room; he had been killed instant
ly, and a friend had carried away the
body. TO save the family's name Q
suicide had been declared; rejected
over and over. IL was said. the young
man had come into the garden and had
shot himself. All the evidence and the
surrounding circumstances pointed
plainly to this theory. The man who
discovered him, IL was said, had found
a note from the suicide upon his table,
directing him where TO look for his
body; but. added Holbin. while the
coroner had by a skillful selection of q
jury from among the family's friends
secured a hasty verdict In accordance
with the theory OF suicide, Il was ap-
parent that the police were suspicious.
and IL was said that some OF them were
quietly searching for the woman who
had left the imprints OF number two
shoes under the window Of the wing
room. Such was the story.
Louise believed II implicitly. The
horror OF her crime deprived her for
the time OF her mental powers md
good judgment. She suffered herself
to be guided aud directed by Holbin.
She was consigned 10 the care Of an
elderly negro woman, and readily ac-
cepted her room as her prison. II was
not long before she was physically
powcrless TO leave II.
Raymond Holbin's most serious ap-
prehension during the day which wit
messed the death OF John Brookin
grew out OF the fact that by infer.
cnce at least he had been charged with
crime. In connection with Louise. His
sense told him that someth hing
said by Frances in her last interview
with her father had provoked the sud-
den accusation. What did Frances
know OF Louise and who was her in
Torment! Gradually during the day
his suspicious nature secured ascend
ancy over his common sense. A 80.
cret visit outside the window Of the
betrayed the still distinct
tracks made by Louise and the fact
hat the Ivy had been disturbed.
From the moment Of these discov- |
cries Holbin was IA miserable man. II
Is n peculiar but n well-known lido |
syncrnsy OF the masculine nature that |
whatever the man himself may bring
10 the marriage altar he demands that |
he shall meet there only immaculate |
purity. The realization by Holbin
hat fortune could be secured only by |
linking himself for life 70 Frances, |
who was thus proven TO have com
promised herself, was alone sufficient |
10 fill him with bitterness and hatred, |
though IL did not for moment deter
him; but by not unnatural operation
" the processes which were molding
his future he had found himself |
strangely Influenced from the hour
'f their first meeting by this young
yirl whose future was to be linked 10
his. Fresh from school, her mind un-
'ormed, and with but vague idens OF
'eal life, Frances Brookin presented
hat charming combination of knowI.
'dge and ingenuousncss which makes
he girl-woman forever irresistible TO
men OF experience. Himself accom-
'lished and versatile, he set about the
leasant task of winning her conf.
ience, and he might perhaps have
but for over.nssldiousness
md the wonderful intuition of the
eminine mind. The unwclcome re-
ults OF his efforts were that within
wo weeks he had fatally alarmed her
nd as fatally involved himself. For
he first time In his life he was esnu-
nelly In love.
II was at this time that DR.. Brod-
'nr, lowering around hts aged patient,
discovered the drift Of affairs. and. be.
ominQ aware of the infnmv uisousA
through the will, privately took con-
rol of Frances and revealed to her
he plot OF which she was to be the