The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-08
CHAPTER XIII,
Continued.

He was dead. I knew 1t at first glance,
yet l raised no cry. | could not. l
seemed in an instant to have become mar-
hle l saw him lying at my feet and did
not weep a tear. l did not even touch
him. l merely staggered to the table
al the side Of which he had fallen, and
mechanically, but with a Stoppage Of my
hearts action Which made the instant one
or untold horror to me, lifted the carriage
of the typewriter which he had evidently
been using when struck with death, and
looked to see what his last words had
been. had reason for believing that they
would convey some warning to me, or, at
least, an explanation of his sudden death.
And they did, or so I interpreted the
isolated phrase l came upon at the end of
the unfinished letter I found there. God
knows l may have been mistaken as to
what those five words meant, but l was
SO impressed with the belief that they
were added there for my personal en-
lightenment that I reeled under the re-
sponsibility thus forced upon me, and,
hardly, conscious Of what l.. was doing,
tore off, with almost criminal haste, the
portion containing these words, and fled
with them out Of the sight and reach Of
everyone in the house. 1t was a mad
thing to do, and I speedily regretted the
insane impulse which actuated me, for I
was very soon discovered in the remote
spot, to which had fed, and the piece Of
paper was found, and-and-"
How. could she be expected to go on?
Have I'VE that piece Of paper here?''
asked the coroner. ...-.. ..
It was produced, identified and passed
down to the jury. -. .A..-
1t was my opinion at the time, and. is
still, that; she told her story thus fully in
order to- elude the questions which any
apparent reticence Oh her part. would
assureGly have evoked. But, having
reached this point, it seemed impossible
for hap n f11.tihpp H,>po ~
under the eyes Of the crowd, but under the
fixed gaze OF her three cousins. Had, she
hoped for some signs of sympathy from
them which she failed to receive, or, al
least a partial recognition, on their part
of the suffering she was undergoing, il
the cause of truth and Justice? If so
no such recognition came. Georges firt
face showed anger and anger only
Leightons, a cold impa ssibility which
might have. passed for the stolidity of al
utterly unfeeling man if Ibis hands hat
mot BETRAYED his inner restlessness AM
torment; while Alfreds flashing eye ant
set lips made plain the fact that his emo
lions chung to his own position rattle
than to hers-as was, natural. perhaps
with that slip Of paper going the round
of the jury, and calling UP from that re
spectacle body startled, uneasy, or men
acing looks, according to the mature .
the man examining 1t. ..
You remember that slip: q BUSINESS com
munication broken into by these totall
irrelevant words. zone Of my sons He
Is it. any wonder that these twelve com
monplace men keenly felt their positio
in face of what looked like a direct &C
cusation from the fathers hand?
Yet as these five words, simple in them
selves and gaining meaning only from tn
effort which this young girl had made t
suppress them, were capable of being con
strued in hundred different ways, tn
faces which at first blush mirrored 5u
one thought gradually assumed a non
committal aspect, which would have bee
more encouraging to the mem thus com
promised, IL the facts still to be brougf
out in explanation Of Miss Meredith
conduct towards them had not been of S
damaging character.
Hope, who suI'n'ised, If she did NJ
know, the contents Of the letter she no
heard rustling In the coroner's han
awaited his next question with evidel
perturbation. Alfred, who may ha,
hoped that this letter would not apes
SO early in the extmiration. forgot hinse
for moment and cast. a look at his brotl
ers, which they took pains to ignore, pc
haps because Of the effort it cost the
to preserve their own countenances
face Of the impending ordeal.
l was witness both to this appeal al
its rebuff but to all appearances 2
FrIsbe saw neither. He was decidil
with What form of words to introduce h
new subject.
Miss Meredith he said at last, "ye
WILL now take this letter in your DIV
hand Have .ou ever seen it before?'
yes. sir, it was a letter which was Ell
trusted to ME by my uncle, and which
was told to preserve in secrecy so lol
as he retained his health and life
at is addressed, as all may see:
my three sons. George, Leighton and
fred Gillespie Miss Meredith, did "
understand by these words that the e
closed was intended equally for your thr
cousins?"
'.Yes,.sir. My uncle Archibald told r
So He expressly said, in giving it in
my charge that i'll the event of his su
den or unexplainable death, his thr
sons were to read this letter together.
ut has been opened, I see. Is that
Sign it has been SO delivered and read"
Eyes, sir. When on the night I ma
that Sinconsiderate attempt TO suppre
the slip Of paper on which my uncle
transcribed the five words you have il
shown to the jury, one of my cousins
preached me with having drawn erronec
and unwarrantabie conclusions fir
what was there written. VI, justified N
self by handing over this letter. Thou
/ was never shown its contents, i v
well aware Of the circumstances unt