The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-10

An Unexpected Ally.

That night was busy one for me;
nevertheless found time to send mes
sage to Hope. in which I begged her to
read no papers till she saw me. and If
possible, to keep herself in her own
room. To these hurried words ! added
the comforting assurance that the news
l had to bring her would repay her for
this display of self-control and that l
would not keep her waiting any longer
than was necessary. But 1t was fully
10 o'clock before l was able to keep this
promise, and I found her looking pale
and worn.
Il have obeyed you she said. with an
attempt at smiling as pitiful as 1T was
Intellectual What has happened? Why
did you not want me to see the papers
or talk with Mrs. Penrhyn?"
Because I wished to be the first to tell
you the secret OF Leighton Gillespie's
life. 1t was not what was suggested to
you by the discrepancies you observed
between his character and life. He Is
sane as any man, but" it was hard to
proceed. with those eyes of unspeakable
longing looking straight into mine-"but
he has had great sorrows to bear, great
suspenses to endure, deception to keep
up, not altogether justifiable, perhaps,
but yet one that was not without some
excuse. His wife-Did you ever see his
wife?'
NO., she faltered-
Did not perish in that disaster of
hve years ago, as everyone supposed; and
1t was She"
"oh!" came in burst of sudden com
prehension from Hope, as she sank down
out Of sight among the curtains by the
window. But the next moment she was
standing again, crying in low tones in
which I caught note of Unreasonable
relief. II thank God! thank God!" Then
the SobS came.
I noticed once she had taken in this
TACT of his personal rectitude, all fear left
her as to the truth of the more serious
charge against him. Even after I had
of poison, and how it was through his
- agency 1t came TO be in his fathers
house, no doubt came to mar her re-
stored confidence in this her most cher
ished relative. She even admitted that,
now this one unexplained point in his
character had been made clear to her,
she felt ready to meet any accusations
which might be raised against him. LET
them publish their suspicions" she cried.
HE can bear them and so can I: for now
that he has proven true man, nothing
else much matters. may blush at
hearing his nane-it will be wears. I
think, before shall overcome that,-but
1t will be because failed to see in his
kindness to me the sympathetic interest
OF one whose heart has been made tender
towards women by his wild longing after
the wandering spirit whom he called his
wife"
Then she asked where I had placed
Mile heurs "a name so natural to MILL
cent Gillespie that 40 other was ever sug-
gested by her friends): and, having been
told where, said she would like to sit
beside her until the time came to lay her
in that garden Of that little home from
which all shadow was now cleared away
save that Of chastened sorrow.
A. this was what Leighton Gillespie Sc
cretly wished. I promised to accompany
her to New Jersey, and then, taking this
pure-hearted Girl by the hand, asked:
Have I performed my task Well?"
Her answer was-but that is my secret.
Small reason as it gave me for personal
hope I yet went from that house with
my heart lightened of its heaviest load.
did not read the papers myself that
morning. I had little heart for re-
porters version Of what had so thrilled
me coming from IIeighton's own lips.
Merely satisfying myself that the latter
was still in custody, 1 busted myself with
what came UP in my office, till the stroke
Of S released me to free exercise of my
own thought.
How much nearer we We're to the solu-
ton Of this mystery than we had been
the morning following Mr.. Gillespie's
death? Not much: "and while Hope and
possibly myself felt that the band of sus-
the exclusion Of Leighton, whom~we could
no longer look upon as guilty, left the
question of culpability to be settled be-
tween the two remaining sons of the de-
ceased stockbroker. to the world in gen.
eral and to the readers of sensational
accounts of the most sacred Incl
dents OF Leighton Gillespies past life
he was still the man through
whose agency the poison had entered the
Gillespie house. Nor could we fail to
see that the feeling called out by these
tales of his domestic infelicities and the
wild search in which most of his life had
been passed had its reverse side for those
people who read all stories of disinter-
ested affection with doubt. and place nc
more faith in true religion than If the
few bright spots made In the universal
history of mankind by acts Of unselhst
devotion had no basis In fact, and were
as imaginary as the dreams of poet OF
romancer.
That Leighton Gillespie had not beer
released after his conference with the dis
trict attorney was proof that his way wa!
not as clear before him as I had hoped
Yet was positive that Mr.. Gryce a.
we'll as Sweetwater shared my belief IL
his Innocence; and while this was com
fort to me, found my mind much exer.
cised by the doubt as to what the mex
turn Of the kaleidoscope would call up ii
I had not seen Underhill in days, and
rather dreaded a chance meeting. He oil,
not like Leighton, and would be the frs
to throw, contempt upon any mercy beinI
shown him on account Of his faithful at
tachment, to his disreputable wife,
seemed to hear the drawing query witt
which this favorite of the clubs would en-
any attempt l might make. in this direc
ton: And so you think 1t probable tina
mana man, remember with a chill
liable to hutter In and out Of his room a
all hours-would leave a phial of deadl
poison on his dresser and never think o
It again? Not much, old man. If he lai
It down there, which doubt, he took /
up again. Don't waste your sympathy O.
cad"
Yet did; and to such an extent that
took a walk instead Of going home an
hearing these imaginary sentences uttere
in articulated words. walked up Madi
son avenue. and, coming upon stor
which had reputation for an extra fin
brand Of cigars, I went IN to buy one.
Have you ever greatly desired an even
which your common sense told you wa
most unlikely to happen, and then sud
denly seen it wrought out before you i
the most unforeseen manner and by til
most ordinary of means? From the frE
night Of the tragedy with which thes
pages have been full / had wished for g
interview with the old butler. withou
witnesses, and as the result of a seemin
chance. But had never seen my wa
clear to this; and now, In this place an
In this unexpected manner, came upo
him buying fruit at a grocers counter.