The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-01-26
copyrieht 1901 BY
T. fitzgerald fialioy

AS he ~quickened his pace he almost
overlook the servan as She opened
the drawing room door: Their he stood
quite still and almost breathless, gaz-
Ing before him. The apartment. which
was family lighted by a single lamp,
showed him the figure of the woman he
sought. seated at a table on which she
had thrust out her arms, between
which her head was buried. There
was something so pitiful and despair
IN the abandonment Of her attitude,
that all. the misery he had felt that day
became suddenly a~ccentuated, and he
recognized that here lay the cause.
With intuitive delicacy he stepped
back until the servants entry having
disturbed her mistress. the latter rose
and turning her back to the light, pre-
pared TO receive aim. Dimly seen as
it was. her pallid face, drawn and bag
gard. with its eyes dull and swollen;
its mouth quivering inc above all its
expression of utter misery, startled
him.
The hand he held in his trembled and
felt cold as death.
What has h~appene3?" he asked
while dreading 70 hear her renir.
You have not heard@" she said, in a
low broker voice.
II have heard nothing new. Tell me
what it is?"
'.All hope of saving me is lost"
No, no, not that" he cried out fierce
ly, as il in defiance of the statement.
All. That mantle Italian
Has escaped?'
Has been raced to his grave"
"Well?"
H died in a hospital a few hours
before my husband was killed. she
| said, striving to steady her voice.
In a second he realized what the con-
sequences of this discovery might
prove to the woman before him. The
| hope that she had entertained Of being
quickly freed from a horrible charge
the only hope which had been held out
to her. bad been destroyed and she
was once more face to face with the
accusation of murder, aud with the dire
consequences that must ensue.
All the great owe and pity he felt
for her swelled within him, but all
words We're for the moment frozen on
his lips. She sank back into her chair,
! and for some seconds the silence was
unbroken between them. Meanwhile he
was searching his mind to find some
consolation which he might hold out
to her even While he felt there was
non he could reasonably or t~ruthfully
offer.
When did you hear this news??" he
asked presently.
This morning; the inspector canle
to tell me-
"And you have been alone ver since
with your trouble?" he said looking at
her.
Il sent for my cousin, but I suppose
! he was not in his rooms when my mes
sage reached him" she replied.
.For your cousin?" he repeated in a
tone of reproach, regretting the mo-
ment they We're spoken, not only the
words, but the ton in which uninten-
tionally he had uttered them.
Il felt sure you would come later,
when you heard it; | knew you would"
said said quickly, conscious that she
amends.
Blu tell me about Mackworth; has
he no other clew?"
Not that I know of, at least" she
answered YEARLY.
H may have, though he withholds
1t from you," he remarked.
Why do you think he would keep
1t back from meg"
II might not wish to speak until
he was able to prove his case
L see" she answered, a grateful look
In her eyes, you are striving to give
me hope, but I cannot blind myself
to the fact that circumstances seem
dea against me-"
Though her voice was calm there was
an undertone of %pitifulness in it that
appealed to her nearer more directly,
more keenly than she would have be-
lieved possible.
No matter; it's my belief one of two
things must happen" he said, his
ner growing more seriou If possible.
And that?" she said eagerly.
Either the man who killed your
husband will be found
"Or?"
"or he will confess"
She shook her head sadly, saying, II
fear the murderer will never be dis
covered; you see all these weeks gone
by and no definite clew has been OBJ
tanned; as for confession-that 1 dare
not hope for"
Why not?" he asked.
Il cannot imagine Il man who would
be guilty OF murder sacrificing himself
to ave the innocent"
But | a conceive circumstances"
with emphasis, under which a confess
sion was not only possible, but prob
able,
What are they?" she asked.
He withdrew his chair beyond the
focus Of the lamplight before replying
in a clear decisive Voice, that indicated
his words had been well considered
"A mar may commit murder through
q feeling. o. hatred or nge,2
yet shrink from inficting a terrible
blow on n who had never wrongee
him" he said.
lIs.sYnn think SO q,
Is 1t not a reasonable surmise? He
may through moral cowardice, and ii
the hope that vol may be acquitted q,
this charge without the necessity q
his Intervention, wait till the last mo.
ment, and then if there are no otllel
means of freeing you, he may speak,
She shook her head saying, Il can.
not agree with you; a man who com.
Inits murder is not one to make sucl
a sacrifice,
l@.NNhn an-feM2
blindly hurried him to take a man,
life having been satisfied, he nigh
come to regard his deed in the sam
light as other men,
In speaking he leaned forward, an,
as his face came within the circle q
light cast by the shaded lamp sh.
could see the pallor which had sprea,
from his hollow cheeks to his bar
polished temples.
You think that possible?', Size askee
4 impressed by his words.
certainly"
Then you judge Others by youi'sel
my friend"
He gave no@answer. he made n
moYement. She could no Longer so