CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1902-02-13

as ] told II 10 YOU size nau stepped
out upon the vcrandn and had almost
Immediately re-enfcred the room by
the eastern window. She neither saw
nor heard any one Beyond confused
memory OF sharp and terrible Iiang.
sudden. unexpected and probably mean
ingless. because tie mind Is darkened
before II can comprehend. she tan re-
call nothing. There was very little for
the sergeant to put down In his note
book"
'Did he believe herr asked Brenda
"yes: ! think tie sergeant dld." re-
piled Kendall. with slight emphasis
on the noun. AT least the only iudica-
ton OF doubt he gave me WIS 10 ask
me In the corridor afferWnrd whether
the wound could have been SELF inhlet-
ed | told him 10 dlsmiss llie idea. aud
he seemed TO have no difficulty In do
ing 80. II Is not. nj the iirst glance.
physical inipossibilIty. but practically
It is precisely that"
Suppose she should say that She did
H." said brenda.
with apologies TO Miss Miller" re
sponded Kendall. Il must tell you thHt
that would not affect my opinion In
the least. II sine has any desire to
shield the guilty. she cannot do IL In
that way
Brcnda's keen gray eyes searched the
physicians face.
''Do you believe THAR she demanded.
-FrnnkIy" said Kendall. -my opin.
Ion Is that Miss Miller knows perfectly
well who did this deed
"And her motive for concealmentY'
II leave that to her own heart" was
the reply Yet II would seem that
there could bc but one"
"a motive OF the heart" said Brenda.
-Do you realize THAT this amounts TO
an accusation
Then let us not speak Of 1, amy
more said Kendall. Let us get back
TO Mr.. Alden
I'VE have air-ady done So she said;
but the doctor would not be- drawn
into such an admission.
after the police officer had gone
he resumed. 'Mis- Miller asked me
whether note addressed TO her had
been found In her room | answered
yes. and then she inquired whether
MIR Alden had BEEN Informed Of her
misfortune. Fearing to excite her. I
substltuir-i for tb. truth the ficiion
tNuf lurf nhAlAIfNA NR Nhla anu All
poor little patient merely sighed She
did not ask when she could sr Nr.
Alden nnr mention his namr again
in any connection"
"From which you Infer
Nothing whatever insisted Ken
dali
"you do not trust me-" said Brenda.
not without bitterness. You believe
Mr. Alden guilty Of this frighifui crime.
and you dare not say In my pres
sncc for fear that ! may not bc dis
rrect aud you may be put into m uu
pleasant position F"
~ could scprrciy bc put into posi-
ton morc unpleasant than this one"
said Kendall earnestly. II want to
tell you the exact truth about-ahout
everything that know or Imagine.
and II is deadly hard to do u when
you look n, me ms IL ! wrre an enemy.
This Is as near as ! eau come 10 an
accurnfe expression; Miss MIllcr's man
ncr convipccs me that she Is shielding
the assassin. and there Is no known
reason why she should shield any one
else than Mr.. Alden
"But why not take the perfectly easy
alternative that she is telling the
TRUTH"
Il will" said Kendall. III you wish
inc TO-"
81 am very serious" said Brenda.
''Thls is a promise you are mnkingT
at is," replied Kendall. his face
flushed and his voice not quite steady.
at Is my word of honor given to you.
and 80 twice sacred as the word of
n friend" he added. You were good
enough to say that we were friends
two years ago"
Il have better cause TO say II now"
she replied Let me hasten to prove
my sincerity In the usual way, by bur
denlng you with n confidence. You
must bc wondering ut me-"
"whyf"
"Bccause | am here"
II, Is fine thing" said Kendall
earnestly. $50 much know
II will tell you more" rejolned
Brenda. ''and II will make you think
better of Mr.. Alden. This tragedy of
today is n revelation to me. but not OF
the kind that you suppose. Mr.. Alden
had not concealed from me that his
heart had been won away. but I did
not understand. He told me OF Miss
Miller's existence two months ago. but
I would not hear all he wished to say.
He Intimatcd that he had begun to re-
gard her with feelings that mnde his
engagement to me dishonorablc.
viewed him with pity" and Brenda
laughed very softly and without mirth.
81 was so Incredibly ignorant OF every
thing outside my own sphere that
could not imagine the existence of