The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-08-04

shocks-I viii rest by only vindication
OF myself for thinking az her and speak
ing OF her as my wife. on what | have
just said. II the chance OF forcing a con-
fession from the count. is as believe IL
10 be, the last chance left OF publicly es-
tablishing the fact OF Laura's existence.
the least selfish reason that | can ad-
vance for our marriage IL recognized by
us both But ! may be wrong In my con-
viction: other means OF achieving our
purpose may be in our power. which are
less uncertain and less dangerous. I have
searched enxiously In my own mind for
those means, and have not found them.
Have your
No have thought about IL too, and
thought In vain"
"In all likelihood I continued the
same questions have occurred 10 you. In
considering this difficult subject. which
have occurred 70 me. Ought we 10 return
with her To Limmerfnge. now"that she II
like herself again, and trust to the recog-
milton OF her by the people OF the village.
or by the children at the school, Ought
we 10 appeal 10 the practical test Of her
handwriting Suppose we did so. Suppose
the recognition OF her obtained, and the
identity Of the handwriting established.
would success In both those cases do
more than supply an excellent foundation
for trial In court OF law Would the
recognition and the handwriting prove
her identity TO Mr. Fairlie. and take back
% Iimmerfdge House. against the ev.-
dence OF her aunt. against the evidence
OF the medical certificate, against the fact
OF the funeral and the fact OF the ip-
scription on the tomb? No! We could
only hope 10 succeed in throwing a Sc
rious doubt on the assertion OF her death
"A doubt which nothing short OF legal
inquiry can settle. will assume that
IL.
gop money enough to carry this inquiry
on through all its stages. will assume
that Mr. Fatrlie's prejudices might be
reasoned away; that the false testimony
or the count and hts wife and all the rest
OF the false testimony. might be confuted. !.
that the recognition could not possibly be
s-cribed TO n mistake between Laura and
Anne Cathertck. or the handwriting be
declared by our anemies 10 be n clever
fraud-all these are assumptions which
moro or less. set plain probabilities at
defiance, but let them pass-and let us
ask ourselves what would be the first
consequence OF the first questions put to
Laura herself on the subject OF con.
spiracy. We know only too we'll what
consequence would be. for we know that
she has never recovered her memory Of
what happened TO her in London. Exam
Inc her privately. or examine her public
ly she Is utterly incapable OF assisting
the assertion OF her own case II you
don't see this. Marian, as plainly as see
II, We'll 60 10 Limmerdge and try the
experiment tomorrow"
Il do see H. Walter. Even n we had
the means OF paying all the law expenses
even II we succeeded In the end. the de-
lays would be unendurable; the perpetual
suspense, after what we have suffered al
ready. would he heart-breakng You are
right about the hopelessness OF going TO
Limmeridge. | wish / could feel sure that
you are right also in determining to try
that last chance with the court. Is II a
chance at all7"
Beyond doubt. yes. II Is the chance
or recovering the lost date OF Laura
journey 10 London Without returning TO
the reasons I gave you some time since
I am still as firmly persu ed as ever
that there Is a discrepancy between the
date Of that journey and the date on the
certificate OF death. There lies the weak
point OF the whole conspiracy: Il crumbles
TO pieces IL We attack II in that way. and
the means OF attacking IL are in possess
sion OF the count II succeed IN yrest-
Ing them from him. the object Of your
life and mine is fulfilled. II fail. the
wrong that Laura has suffered will In this
world never be redressed"
do you fear failure yourself Walter"
II dare not anticipate success: and for
that very reason. Marian. speak openly
and plainly. as | have spoken now. In
my heart and my conscience I can say n
-i'aura's hopes for the future are at the
lowest ebb. 7 know that her fortune is
gone; ] know that the last chance OF re-
storing her 10 her place in the world lies
at the mercy OF her worst enemy-of a
man who Is now absolutely unassailable.
and who NAV remain unassailab bic to the
end. With every worldly advantage gone
from her; with all prospect OF recovering
her rank and station more than doubtful:
with no clearer future before her than the
future which her husband can provide
the poor rawing master may harrn'essly
open his heart AT last. In the DAYS OF her
prosperity. Marian, was only the teach
or who guided her hand-T ask for II. In
her adversity. as the hand Of my wife"
Ito he Ctnnfinnnd