Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-25
CHAPTER xxYr

~>>>s ~o4AiSo 0eT paCk 10 HlnRwoCd
AFTER her interview with Crane. must have
thought that the millennium for driving
horses had surely come. Even tho amb,-
ton to urge the patriarch beyond his COM
piacent, Irritating dog-trot was crushed out
OF her by the terrible new evidence that
Crane had brought to bear testimony
against her lover
i didn't need this" tho girl moaned to
herself In her intensity Of grief her
thoughts became audible in expressed
words oh. God! she pleaded to the fields
that lay in the silent rapture Of summer
ee on. strengthen me against all this
Iaiseness. You didn't do Il. George-you
couldnt-you couldn't! And Alani my poor.
weak brother: why can't you have courage
and clear Mortimer
:, aer heart rose in angry rebellion against
ner orother, against Crane, against Proyi-
dence, even against the man she loved
why should he sacrifice both their lives be-
come an outcast himself. to shield a boy
t VINO IN IN moment OF weakness had commit
.Su an act which might surely be forgiven
II ne would but admit his mistake-yes. II
might even be called a mistake. The pun
lshment accepted in heroic silence by MortI-
mer was out of all proportion to the wrong
nocent lives. | 'A' utter rum OF TWO In
Firmly as she believed in Mortimer's inno
cence, conviction was forced upon her
that unless Alan stood forth and boldly
proclaimed the truth, the accumulated guilt
proof would cloud Mortimer's name perhaps
until he had ceased to be- Even after that
MS memory might linger as that of thief.
Inc evening before Alan had been out at
Ringwood and Allis had made a final en-
deavor to get him to clear Mortimers name
by confessing the truth to Crane On her
Knees she had pleaded with her brother.
The boy had fiercely dtsclaimed ALI com
plicity, protested his own innocence with
Vehemence. and denounced Mortimer as
worse than a thief In having poisoned her
mind against him
In his assumed anger Alan had disclosed
Mortimer's treachery-as he called it-and
crime. to her mother. Small wonder that
Alils hour of trial was a dark one The
90 rage that had enabled her to carry Lau-
re to victory was now tried a thousa nd
.nore severely. 1t seemed all that was
cit her, just her courage and her faith,
>hey mad stood out successfully against ali
pronunciation of Lausanne, and with Gods
help they would hold her true to the man
she loved.
Even snails pace lands him somewhere
hnaliy, and the unassailed bay, with a pre-
monitor of supper lowering obscureIv In
MS lazy mind. finally consented to arrive at
Ringwood house
Allis stole like a fearsome child avoiding
COLLINS to her father ProvdentiaIIy for a
tiny solace to Allis he had not been initiated
IN the moral crusade against the iniuuitous
Mortimer. In him was only reiuvenation of
good fortunes elixir. SO the girl chung to
MIN as drowning person might to plank
VI sttlNdtioE- SHe lOnged to tell him every
thing. of her love for Neutrality-suspicious. he
had guessed it. for she spoke brave words
often of the sturdy young man who had
saved her from Diablo. Perhaps she would
tell him II she felt her spirit giving way
1t was cruel to stand quite alone-and be-
seech him, as he had faith in her, to believe
In her lover.
Allis went to the tea table by her fathers
side fearing to get beyond his hearing. She
dreaded her mothers questioning eyes.
What could be said in Mortimer's defense
or In her own? Nothing; she could only
wait
A square. oldfashioned wooden clock on
the mantelpiece of the sitting room had
Just droned off seven mellow hours when
the faint echo of it's music was drowned
by the crunch of gravel; there was the
quick step OF somebody coming up the
drive; then the wooden steps gave hollow
notice. The visitors advent was announced
again by the brass knocker on the front
door.
"rN 60" said Allis, as her mother rose.
Tho girl knew who 1t was that knocked
not because Of any sane reason; she simply
knew that It was Mortimer.
When she opened the door he stepped back
hesitatingly Was he not a crdminal-was
he not about to leave his position because
Of theft2
Come in." she said, quietly. I'm glad
you have come"
Shall II Just want to speak to you for
minute. said I would come. We can
talk here on the veranda, can't we7'
Il would rather you came inside; there is
no reason why you should not
IF you don't mind, should like to be
alone with you"
Very well, como into this front room;
we shall not be disturbed"
Il am going away" he began. 'T can't
stand 1t here"
you have done nothing-nothing to clear
yourself?"
Nothing
And YOU won't7"
''No"
as this wiser"
Its the only course left me-"
There was a silence for q long minute
They were both standing. The girl broke
the stiffness.
II am glad you have come. because I
can tell you again that 1 know you are in
nocent. 1 know 1t, because my heart re-
peats it thousand times a day. 1 listen to
the small voice and hear nothing else"
You never waver-you never doubt?'
"Never."
You never will?'
Never"
"Then l don't care. Other men have had
their misfortunes thrust upon them, and
have stood 1t without complaining. have
had less to solace them than you have given
me now, and 1 would be a coward if l even
n