Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1904-11-24
| IN THE SHADOW OF SHAME |
Ce,r,sh 1901 h, q heesf Die
- Destiny An Excel
=. thkssre;d hesoy
ceoyrish. 1901 BY
7. Fisss.r>!d Mailoy

George Goris, was man of ability and
resource; that her counsel, Sir Charles
/ failing and Justice Twixley, stood at
/ the head and front of their profession;
that Mackworth the detective was a
man who, in the course of years of eX-
perience, had trained his natural gifts
TO rare point of perfection, and she
strove to inspire herself with hope at
the thought that they We're working
| for her With might and will. Nor was
she wanting friends. No day passed
that George Bostock did not visit her,
| bringing words of cheer and counsel.
And many of those who in the past
prcfessed to esteem her, now called
upon her, though to none of them was
1 she visible; while her cousin Victorious
had teiegraphed to her from Brindfsi
that, having just heard the terrible
news, he was ON his way back to Eng
lnad.
1t was late one evening-while Olive
Duinbarton and her daughter We're In
| the drawing room, tire former seated In
Il high backed easy chair gazing alb
sently into the fire, her thoughts full
of the future-that dreaded unknown
| future which might hold untold terrors
! for her, the girl striving to read, but
being unable to ccntine her mind to
| her subject, her eyes raising themselves
continually, anXiously, pitifully toward
! her mothers pale face when Valerius
| Galbraitl was announced. Both started
at the sound of his name, and lookinS
up, kept their eyes fixed on him with
something of surprise in their express
sion; for even in that first glance they
saw how changed was the man before
them from him who had parted from
| them little more than week before.
The freshness and buoyancy which
had been his chief characteristics had
given place to an expression of pain
and anxiety; his prominent blue eyes,
which had ever Sparkled with pleasure,
We're now clouded by grief; lines We're
for the first time visible in his face;
that sedulous care of his personal APP
pearance, which formerly gave the inn
preston OF elegance, was now conspicu-
GUS by its absence, and he looked every
| year of his age.
"Oive," he exclaimed, grasping her
! extended hand in both his own, and If
the woman he addressed had not all
ready recognized in his altered aspect
the deep concern he felt for her, she
would have heard it in the tremulous
! tones of his voice, and understood.
Her heart was touched with graft
tude because Of the grief he felt for
her, and she remembered with sad
satisfaction the affection he had ever
shown her since the days when they
We're young together, and life that
seemed unclouded then lay bright be-
fore them.
| Il knew you would come back, and l
ain glad you have" she said.
"Of course, returned the moment
heard of-of this terrible affair."" he
| replied, hesitating, perhaps out of deli
cacy to her feelings to use the stronger
word which described David Dunbar
toms end
II sent q telegram to Paris the day
after it happened"
u had left by then. 1t was in Brin-
dist ! first read of his death. You can
imagine the shock l received. have
hardly slept since. Then 1 came back
as soon as l could, and only reached
town a couple of hours ago.
II suppose you have heard all?"
All that the newspapers could tell
me-"
About the coroner's court and the
| verdict" She said in troubled voice.
Yes. yes" he answered. struggling
With his emotion. It's terrible to think
that you should suffer this-you who
would not injure any living thing. you
who have already endured so much.''
Tell me. Nalerius," she said in a
hesitating voice, did you at first, even
for moment, think was guilty?"
You guilty" he cried out. Never,
| never. | knew you We're innocent
1T makes me almost happy to hear
You say so; to know that my friends
don't believe me guilty. You are aware,
of course, that circumstances are all
against me?"
so i gather. But let me hear ALL"
There is little to tell that you have
not already read" she began by saying,
10 he 1at ne 1,o
| case which We're ever present in her
mind. dwelling on the narrow compass
which surrounded the case and seemed
to fasten The guilt upon her.
Then there's no absolute clew?"
Not that / know Of, at least" Olive
Dumbarton replied
Except the Knife" suggested Vero-
| MICA.
THE knife?" Nalerius repeated, turn
ing toward the girl.
Il had forgotten that" Olive re-
marked. "Mackworth. the detective
hopes it may be help him to discover
the owner
but there is nothing else to GO
upon?" he asked
Nothing at present." Olive answered
and something in the sound of her voice
and in the expression of her face be-
trayed the depths of that despair to
| which at moments she was driven.
TIC WHO WIS SENSITIVE 10 every a1fllc-
ton in her tones to every change in
her expression, heard and saw, and
now understood clearer than before the
keeness of the pain she secretly sur
fered beneath the bravery of her man.
her. His heart was wrung, and over
come by sudden wave of feeling, he
buried his head in his arms. which We're
folded on the table before him, They
who watched him with dim eyes and
troubled minds saw this strong mans
shoulders rise and fall as he struggled
With himself for mastery of his emo
lions, and Veronica, unable to bear the
sight, left the room abruptly, that she
| might cry more freely when alone.
Olive Dumbarton, deeply touched by
what she saw. with much difficulty re-
Trained from breaking down completely.
| She had known her cousin loved her.
though she had not returned his love,
but had not previously suspected the
fulness of it's strength which he now,
though by no word OF his revealed to
her. Before she had regarded him as
merely man of the world, who per-
sistently sought pleasure and avoided
pain; one of Il kindly and gentle dispo-
sition, pleasant and sympathetic, whose
| feelings lying on the surface, had no
deep roots stretching down and taking
firm grip in the heart. Now, in one
| of these unexpected moments of emo
| ton. when the soul is suddenly re-
vealed. she saw how wrong was her
supposition, and she recognized how
little she had understood him.
"Valerius," she said gently placing
one hand on his shoulder.
He quickly raised his face which
/ was quiVering from excitement and
pale from suffering. He rose and faced
her, looking into her eyes until she
lowered hers, for she feared he was
about to speak words she would not
| WILLINGLY hear b,,t IF c,,nb 1,or1 l,aa,, h;e