Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1902-05-30
CHAPTER w.

remOrSe on hearing Glars make tnlS
coarse and cruel speech, Clifford
watched the girl narrowly, and was
shocked and surprised to observe that
while he and her uncle were at a
white heat Of excitement. she showed
remarkable self-control. After mo-
ment's silence on her part, she inter-
rupted Clifford's protests and excuses
with little pettish movement Of her
hand.
"Never mind apologizing," said she
CURLY. LET us hear what you have
to say. Now 1 know what you meant
by your being disturbed"
She cast down her glance upon the
shabby carpet of the little sitting
room, and stood, leaning with one hand
xpon the table, her head half turned
away, In the attitude of close atten-
ton.
1t was evident that she did not suf-
fer half so keenly as did Clifford,
whose voice was hoarse and tremulous
as he spoke in answer.
"You don't suppose, you can't sup.
pose, that I accuse you of anything
said he, trying in vain to meet her
eyes, and betraying even to the preju-
diced eyes of George Claris the genu'
iness of his feeling. 81 was disturbed
In the night. 1 found a hand under
my pillow. I caught the hand with
my purse and my watch in It, The
hand was a woman's, small and soft
and slender. There, that's all know"
"But you think it's enough to go
upon when you accuse my niece OF
being thiefr' shouted George Claris.
as he brought his heavy fist down with
q sounding thump upon the table.
Hush, uncler said the girl, with
perfect calmness. "Mr. King never
meant that / am sure of it."
And to the young mans intense re-
lief and gratitude she looked straight
in his face with faint smile.
"Thank you. Thank you with all
my heart" said he, hoarsely.
Nell was still very pale but she was
quite calm and composed, and after a
short pause, during which the two
men had watched her, wondering what
she was going to propose, she sudden
ly sat down upon a chair and leaned
upon the table, in the endeavor to hide
the fact that her limbs were not as
much under her control as her mind
was,
'Let us think it out" said she. And
then, before either of the others had
spoken, there passed suddenly over
her face a sort OF spasm of horror
struck remembrance, as if half-for-
gotten incident had suddenly flashed
into her mind with a new significance.
Clifford saw that a light had broken
in upon her. But instead of commune
eating to her companion the idea,
whatever it was, which had flashed
through her own brain, she raised her
head very suddenly, and meeting Cliff
ford's eyes with a piercing look,
asked:
"You have some idea, some sugges-
ton to make. What is it,"
It was strange how the man had
clustered, and the woman prepared
herself to reason. Clifford sat down
on the other side of the table, feeling
that here was a person with whom he
could discuss the matter with all rea-
sonableness.
II was wondering" he said, gently,
whether you ever walked in your
sleep. I know it seems an infamous
thing to have dared to connect you
with the matter at all"
THAT will do" she said, gravesy.
II don't want any apologies about
that. I can see, Mr.. King, that the
very notion makes you much more I'M
happy that it does me-"
The tears sprung to Clifford's eyes.
Every trace of suspicion of her hon
esty had melted away long since I'M
der the influence Of her perfect
ightforwardness
"It's awfully good of you," he said,
gratefully. GAS I was saying, SOM
nambulism is the only explanation pos
sible You must have read Of such
things. You must have heard that it
is possible for a person to take things
in his sleep and hide them away with
out ever being conscious of what he's
doing"
Again there passed over the ingen-
nous face Of the young girl that look
which betrayed some vague but hor-
rible memory. 1t perplexed Clifford
and worried him. 1t was the one cir
cumstance which marred his perfect
belief In her, for it showed what all
her words belied-that she had little
more knowledge than she confessed to.
"And what made you think the hand
was mine?" asked she. in troubled
tone. And instinctively, as she spoke,
she tried to hide her hands under the
rim of the broad hat which she had
taken off.
"Well, the hand was small and soft,
IKE yours, said Clifford in a low
voice. $50 small that it was almost
like a child's hand in mine. 1t seemed
to me that I had only touched one
hand in my life like it,
Nell shot a frightened glance at
him, and in the pause which followed
Clifford saw tear fall on to the table.
cloth. He started up.
"Oh, this is horrible" he moaned.
But the girl sprang up in her turn,
and turning to her uncle cried, in q
voice full of energy:
Uncle George, you must give to
Mr. King the money he has lost. what