Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-18

itself. usually so bright and pleasant,
seemed full Of dark shadows, for the lamp,
beneath its yellow shade. burned but
dimly, and everywhere there reigned an air
of mourning.
Half demented by grief. my love had
arrived in hot haste about 9 o'clock, and,
rushing to poor Mary's room, had thrown
herself upon her knees beside the poor
inanimate clay, for even though OF late
differences might have existed between
them, the sisters we're certainly devoted to
each other. The scene in that room was
an unhappy one, for. although Ethelwynn
betrayed nothing by her lips, l saw by her
manner that she was full Of remorse over
the might-have-beens and that she was
bitterly reproaching herself for some fact
Of which l had no knowledge.
We had not spoken Of the past. She had
been too full Of grief, too utterly overcome
by the tragedy Of the situation. Her mourn
full figure struck the sympathetic chord in
my heart. Perhaps 1 had misjudged her;
perhaps l had attributed to her sinister
motives that we're nonexistent. Alas!
wherever mystery exists, little charity en-
tiers mans heart. Jealousy dries up the
milk of human kindness.
Dearest" l said. rising and taking her
slim white hand that lay in her lap, "in
this hour Of your distress you have at least
one person who would console and comfort
you-one man who loves you"
She raised her eyes to mine quickly, with
a strange, eager look. Her glance was as
though she did not fully realize the purport
Of my words. l knew myself to be a sad
blunderer in the art Of love, and wondered
II my words were too blunt and abrupt.
"Ah!" she sighed. III only l believed
that those words came direct from your
heart, Ralph!'
They do" l assured her. "You received
my letter at Hereford-you read what l
wrote to your"
YES" she answered. 81 read It. But
how can l believe in you further, after your
unaccountable treatment? You forsook me
without giving any reason. You can't deny
that"
81 don't seek to deny It," I said. ION
the contrary, l accept all the blame that
may attach to me. l only ask your for
giveness," and bending to her in deep
earnestness, 1 pressed the small land that
was within my grasp.
But II you loved me, as you declare
you have always done, why did you desert
me in that manner?' she inquired, her
large dark eyes turned seriously to mine.
l hesitated. Should l tell her the truth
openly and honestly?
Because of a fact which came to my
knowledge" 1 answered. after a long pause.
What fact?" she asked with some anx-
iety.
Il made a discovery" I said ambigu.
ously.
Regarding me?"
YES" regarding yourself" I replied with
! nv nVaq 6Wad full upCp kora 49,. 49,
she started at my words, her countenance
fell, and she caught her breath quickly.
well, tell me what it is" she asked
in a hard tone, a tone which showed me
that she had s,eeled herself for the worst.
Forgive me IL l speak the truth"
exclaimed. You have asked me, and !
will be perfectly frank with you. Well.
discovered among old Mr.. Courtenay's
papers a letter written by you several
years ago which revealed the truth"
The TRUTH" she gasped, her face
blanched in an instant. "The truth OF
what?"
That you were once engaged to be-
c0me his wife"
Her breast heaved quickly, and / saw
that my words had relieved her of some
grave apprehension. When declared that
1 knew the truth she believed that
spoke Of the secret OF Courtenay's mas.
querading. The fact of her previous en-
gagement was, to her, of only secondary
Importance, for she replied:
We'll, and is that the sole cause Of
your displeasure p"
/ felt assured from the feigned fippancy
OF her word that she held knowledge Of the
strange secret.
1T was the main cause" l said. "Yo
concealed fho Ne,,Kh &c.. - IL. -
that mans house after he had married
Mary"
II had a reason for doing So" she ex.
claimed in a quiet voice. 81 did not liv,
there by preference"
you were surely not forced to do SOP
mo. I was not forced. 1t was a duty
Then, after a pause, she covered her fac,
with her hands and suddenly burst int
tears. crying, "Ah, Ralph! If you coult
know all-all that l have suffered, yol
would not think i'll of me! Appearance
have been against me, that I know quit
we'll. The discovery OF that letter mus
have convinced you that I was a scheme
and unworthy, and the fact that l live,
beneath the roof OF the man who had cas-
, me off added color to the theory that ! hal
conceived some deep plot. Probably" sh
went on. speaking between her sobs. prob
ably you even suspected me Of havin
had a hand in the terrible crime. Tell m
I frankly" she asked gripping my arm, an
looking into my face. Did you ever sus
a pect me OF being the ASSASSIN? ?"
I paused. What could / reply? Surel
II was the best to be open and straight
4 forward. So / told her that 7 had not bee
alone in the suspicion, and that Amble
Jevons had shared 1t with me.
aAhH that accounts for hta nnaryaIn1,
ingenuity in watching me. For weeks pas
q he has seemed to be constantly near m,
making inquiries regarding my movement
: wherever / went. You both suspected mi
But is It necessary that l should asset
. my innocence OF such a deed?" she asket
Are you not now convinced that It wa
: not my hand that struck down old M
. COurtenay?"
Forgive me-" I urged. THE suspicio
was based upon Uniformed conclusions an
was heightened by your W peculiar col
duct after the tragedy"
That my conduct was strange was sure
natural. The discovery was quite as al
: palling to me as to you. And, knowing tn
somewhere among the dead mans pape
my letters were preserved, ! dreaded lie
they should fall into the hands Of Il
police and thereby connect me with Il
" crime. It was fear that my final lett,
should be discovered that gave my actiol
a the appearance OF guilt"
- -. - "a - a