Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-07

voiced woman had loved me, but those let
tiers made it plain that l had been utterly
fooled. lie mystere de Persistence" said
Madam de Stael to her daughter, "c'est la
rapport de nos erreurs avec nos p~eines.'
And although there was in her, in her
character and in her terrible situation a
concentration of all the interests that be-
long to humanity, she was nevertheless a
murderess.
THE truth is here" remarked my friend,
laying his hand upon the heap of tender
correspondence which had been brought to
such an abrupt conclusion by the letter I
have printed in its entirety. 1T is a
strange. romantic story, to say the least"
"Then you really believe that she is
guilty." 1 exclaimed, hoarsely. ,
He shrugged his shoulder significantly,
but no word escaped his lips.
In the silence that fell between us I
glanced at him. His chin was sunk upon
his breast, his brows knit, this thin fingers
played idly with the plain gold ring.
"Well?" l managed to exclaim at last.
what shall we do?"
"Do?" he echoed, what can we do, my
dear fellow? That woman's future is in
your hands,"
why in miner" / asked. 'In yours also,
surely"
mo-" he answered resolutely. taking
my hand and grasping it warmly. mo.
Ralph; / know can see how you are suf-
fering. You believed her to be a pure and
honest woman-one above the common
run-a woman fit as helpmate and wife.
Well, 1 too, must confess myself very much
misled. l believed her to be all that YOU
imagined; indeed, II her face be any cri-
terlon she is utterly unspoiled by the world
and its w~ickedness. In my careful studies
In p~hysiognomy l have found that very sell
dom does a perfect face like hers cover an
evil heart. Hence, l confess that this dis
covery has amazed me quite as much al
1t has you. l somehow feel"
81 don't believe it," l cried, in%terruptinl
him. 81 don't believe, Amber. that she
murdered him-I can't believe II. Hers Il
not the face of a murderess."
Faces sometimes deceive" he said uui
city. "Recollect that a clever woman car
give a truthful appearance to a lie wherj
a man utterly fails"
81 know know. But even with thi
circumstantial proof / can't and won't be
lieve it,"
please yourself, my dear fellow h
answered. 81 know It is hard to believl
Ill of a woman whom one loves so devoted
as you've loved Ethelwyn. But be brave
bear up, and face the situation like a man.
II am facing it," l said resolutely. g
will trace II by refusing to believe tina
she killed him. The letters are plai
enough. she was engaged secretly to oil
Courtenay. who threw her over in favor O
her sister. But is there anything so yer
extraordinary in THAR One hears Of sue
things very often"
But the final letter."
1T bears evidence of being write
in the first moments OF wild anger O
/ realizing that she had been abandoned
3 favor of Mary. Probably she has by thi
) time quite forgotten the words she wrot
And in any case the fact of her living b.
, meath the same roof, supervising the houst
hold and attending to the sick man durin
Mary's absence. entirely negatives any ide
OF revenge"
Jevons smiled obviously and myse
knew that my argument was not altogeth,
logical.
"wen?" I continued. "And is not TIM
. your opinion?"
4 No. 1t is not" he replied, bluntly.
b "Then what is to be done?" l aske
I after a pause.
The matter entirely rests with 20
S Ralph" he replied. 81 know what / shou
r do in a similar case
What would you do? Advise me-"
urged, eagerly,
d Il should take the whole of the corr
: spondence, Just at 1t is, place It in Il
Z crate there and burn It," he said.
/ was not prepared for such a suggestio
e A similar idea had occurred to me, but
y feared to suggest to him such a mode
defeating the ends of justice.
"But II l do that will you give me
n vow OF seerecy?" l asked, quickly. "Recc
lect that such a step is a serious offen
against the law"
T. when | pass out OF this room l shi
have no further recollection Of every ha
Iy ing seen any letters" he answered, aga
" giving me his hand. I'm this matter I
v desire is only to help you. II, as you
le lieve, Ethelwynn Is innocent, then no hal
ls can be done in destroying the lette
N whereas Il she is actually the assassin s