The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-03-06
CHAPTER xxIV.-contInued.
EthelWynn Is Silent.

answered. after a long
pause.
What fact?' she asked with some
anxiety. =. E...E.-.
IT made a discovery" said ambig-t
uously. . s,, --, - ]
Regarding me?' .#. -. ,Sa.,:-
. Eyes, regarding yourself" I replied
with my eyes fixed full upon hers. saw
that she started at my words, her coun-
tenance 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 steeled herself for the worst.
Forgive me if Speak the TRUTH I
exclaimed. You have asked me, and 1
will be perfectly frank with you. Well,
discovered among old Mr.. Courtenays
papers a letter written by you several
years ago which revealed the truth" ]
1.-The TRUTH she gasped. her face
what?' .-s ~ g.. .
THAT you were once engaged to be-
come his wife,
Her breast heaved quickly, and saw
that my words had relieved her Of some
grave apprehension. When I declared that
knew 1.-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:
well, and is that the sole cause of
your displeasure?'
I felt assured, from the feigned flip
pancy of her words that she held knowl
edge Of the strange secret.
1T was the main cause said you
concealed the truth from me, and lived
in that mans house after he had married
Mary" ....-
Il had a reason for doing So" she ex-
claimed in a quiet voice. Il did not live
there by preference
You were surely not forced to do sop
mo. I was not forced. 1t was duty
Then after pause, she covered her face
with her hands and suddenly burst into
tears, crying, "Ah, Ralph! If you could
know all-all that I have suffered, you
would not think i'll of me! Appearances
have been against me, that know quite
we'll. The discovery of that letter must
have convinced you that 1 was a schem-
er and unworthy, and the fact that I
lived beneath the roof of the man who
had cast me off added color to the theory
! that l had conceived some deep plot.
Probably she went on, speaking between
| her sobs, probably you even suspected
| me OF having had a hand in the terrible
crime. Tell me frankly" she asked, grip
ping my arm, and looking up into my
! face. Did you ever suspect me Of being
| the assassin?'
| l paused. What could I reply? Surely
| 1T was best to be open and straightfor-
ward. So I told her that had not been
alone In the suspicion, and that Amber
Jevons had shared it with me.
| "Ah. that accounts for his marvellous
| ingenuity in watching me. For weeks
past he has seemed to be constantly neal
me, making inquiries regarding my move.
ments wherever I went. You both sus
pected me. But is it necessary that
oh 01t11 nj
deed?' she asked. Are you not nov
convinced that it was not my hand tina
struck down old Mr.. Courtenay?''
Forgive me- I urged. 1.-THE suspi
cion was based upon Informed conclu.
sions and was heightened by your owr
peculiar conduct after the tragedy"
THAT my conduct was strange was
surely natural The discovery was quite
as appalling to me as to you. And know
ing that somewhere among the dead man:
| papers my letters were preserved
dreaded lest they should fall into the
hands of the police and thereby connec
me with the crime. 1t was fear that m,
final letter should be discovered tina
gave my actions the appearance of guilt
took both her hands in mine, and fix
ing my gaze straight into those dear eve
wherein the love-look shone-that lool
by which man is able to read a woman
heart-l asked her a question.
"Ethelwynn," I said, calmly and seri
ously, I'VE love each other. know w
been suspicious without cause and crue
| in my neglect, nevertheless the separa
ton has quickened my affection and ha
shown that to me life without you is I'M
possible. You, darling, are the only won
an who has entered my life. I hav
champloned no woman save yourself; b
no ties have I been bound to any woma.
in this world. This would have you be
l1eVe. for it is the truth-God is my wit
ness"
She made me no answer. Her tin
hands rembled in my grasp, and sh
bowed her head so that I could not Sc
her face.
, ''Win you not forgive, dearest?" urget
the great longing to speak out my min
had overcome me. and having eased my
self OF my burden I stood awaiting he
q response. "Will you not be mine AGA i,
: as in the old days before this chain {
: tragedy fell upon your house?"
: Again she hesitated for several minute
o Then, of sudden she lifted her teal
: stained face towards me, all rosy wit
Y bushes and wearing that sweet e loo
which I had known SO well in the hapr
n days bygone.
IF you wish it, Ralph she fa1tere
I'VE will forget that any breach betwee
= us has ever existed I desire nothir
w,
r, else but yourself. I have been foolish
: know. I ought to have explained the cir
a ish romantic affection I once enterta I'M
Y for that man who afterwards MARI,
6 Mary. In those days he was my ides
II Why, l cannot tell. Girls in their tee1
n nave strange caprices, and that was min
y Just as schoolboys fall violently in 10,
e with married women, so are schoolgir
If sometimes attracted toward aged me
1t People wonder when they hear Of May al
lie December marriages, but they are not a
d ways from mercenary motives, as is DO
ularly supposed. Nevertheless I act,
wrongly in not telling you the truth fro
the hrst 1t is myself who is to blame'
!. So much she said, though with many
IS pause and with so keen a self-reproach
d her tone that l could hardly bear to he
r her, when interrupted:
:. There Is blame on both sides. Let
~ forget it all and I bent until NV Ii
" met hers and we sealed our compact wi
3 a long clinging caress.
E Yes, dear heart. Let us forget it." 81
e whispered ''We have both suffered-bo
!, of u.s." and felt her arms tighten abo
p. my neck. "Oh, how you must have hat
- mel"
lie No I declared II never hated yo
1 was mystified and suspicious, becau
= l felt assured that you knew the truth r
r garding the tragedy at Kew and remain
Silent
She looked into my eyes as though s.
would read my soul.