The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1901-04-05

q
Hold, sir, or ! shall place the affair
in the hands of the police"
Hardy, l think. But proceed in
that way ifyou prefer. Good evening"
you think that | am afraid of pub
licity; wait and see shall denounce
you, sir. over my. own signature. l
shall make your name a football for
scandal mongers in every town in this
state"
And how about your sons. madam?
You desire above all things that Ray
moId Hobin shall marry your step
daughter and inherit under the will
of the man you coddled and bulled out
of his senses. The name of the mar
Who was shot'I shall not tell you. but
will tell you the name of The wom-
an who shot him-.l thought you were
'he woman. | was mistaken, and for
this error owe you anapology."
This is infamous!"
81 was mistaken, l say, honestly.
For l thought that the woman who
would retreat from her dying usband,
appealing to her with his heart in his
eyes, who would link an orphan girl
to libertine, might easily pull trig-
ger to remove lesser obstacle" The
woman rushed up to him with hands
clenched.
"Scoundrel! If / had the weapon
now l would prove your judgment!
Out of my housed" DR.. Brodnar smiled
wickedly.
Il was mistaken" he continued,
coolly; "the woman who shot this un.
known gentleman lies, half delirious,
in room % at the Spotswood, and her
name is Louise. And, madam, l will
do her full justice; she erred in her in
formation and her aim. For the man
she hoped to destroy was this liber-
tine, cashiered, swindling, cheating
son of yours. Denounce me, but
breathe word against the fame of
Frances Brookin, and l shall go before
Richmond with my cause. Good even
ing"
He bowed mockingly, and was turn
w
violently aside and Holbin rushed on
him from behind. A keen knife in his
hand flashed in the gas light and fell,
but once only. Maddened with the
pain and enraged at the cowardly at
tack, Brodnar lifted his assailant from
the floor and hurled him across the
room. He fell in heap against the
wall, the knife rolling to the feet of
the frantic woman. TO snatch it up
and throw herself upon the athlete
was an instant's action; but she was
impotent to harm him then. He seized
her wrists and turned the right one
slowly but remorselessly. Her pale
/ lips uttered no sound. but the long
white fingers relaxed at length under
| the terrific ordeal and the knife fell
to the floor Kicking it across the
! room, he pushed the woman away, and
! stepping outside the dor, closed it be-
| hind him. He heard the furious ring
/ ing of the buffers bell, and soon be-
held William running clumsily
through the hall. He had opened the
/ front door, but the servant having
passed, he changed his mind, and hav.
ing slammed the door made his way
down and back to the wing occupied
by Frances. She had retired, but arose
at once.
Bring your key and let me out at
the gate" he said, land quickly" She
threw on her wrapper and wondering
ly obeyed. 81 have found the other
woman in the case" he continued. hur.
riedly as they traversed the garden
st is all very sad, my child, and too
late now to be remedied." He coult
not see the girls face nor understand
that there was room for any miscon
struction of his statement; that hel
mind was occupied with Richard Som
ers, as his had been with Holbin
Frances felt as though the blood wa
freezing in her veins.
what woman?"
''The woman who did the shooting!'
"Why-whS-what was her motive?'
jealousy" he replied, briefly
"What l want to say to you is this
something has happened tonight tina
will prevent my returning here. Yol
must come to see me occasionally, ant
always when needing advice or heir
In the meantime keep up your courage
Nobody can disturb the big fact in ou
case. We have the law on our side.
shall explain it all some time. Ant
our wounded friend-you don't ask o
him-is better and impatient. He vii
. leave Richmond tonight. Good-by."
"Oh, watt" cried the girl in an
, guish. The woman-where is she?"
, AT the Spotswood aud ill.," He fel
the blood running from a stab in hi
shoulder down his arm. and. fearful @
, the effect should the excited girl di,
! cover that he was wounded he hurrie
: away to his assistant. Frances waite
a.. at the gate, her face in her hands, he
5 heart aching. With a sudden and d,
spairing resolution she went back I
Y her room.
7 Quick. nanny. help me to dres:
{. l must 90 10 the hotell"
= LORD "a mussy, chile, what de ma
y ter?"
Help me, mammy-quiekl Don
D. ask any questions
Frances started AWAY wrinVinr h