Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1905-03-23
CHAPTER xxx111.

troubles, dwelling on the present Win
Its seemingly impenetrable mystery
showing the future with its dread pos
sibilities. But when at last sleep
came 1t was profound. nor did she
wake until late in the morning. The
fog which had hung mournfully over
the city the previous evening had not
yet quite lifted, and at first thought
the dull gray atmosphere was the light
of early dawn. A glance at her watch
showed her it was past 10 o'clock. and
she touched her bell.
AS IL awaiting the signal, Veronica
Immediately entered, hastily yet noise
lessly crossed the room, and tiinging
one arm around her mothers Shout
ders kissed her.
"Oh, mother, mother" the girl muir
INJURED, with sob In her throat
The terror dominant in Veronicas
voice struck its nearer, in whose mind
Immediately arose a 70 shadowing of
pain. a foreboding Of horror.
What is 1t, child?" she asked
scarcely able to frame her sentence.
Something has happened"
All, l know; he Is dead" Olive
Dunbarton replied in tone of de-
spair.
Not Mr. Bostock." said Veronica
quickly.
NO. Who them" her mother asked
hurriedly, Il load lifted from her heart
her eyes fixed questioningly upon her
daughters.
'Nalerius."
'Nalenus?" repeated Olive Dunbar
ton incredulously, the truth not yet
reaching her mind.
He was found dead this morning on
couch in his study His man came
hare to tell us, but would not disturb
you. 1t is terrible, terrible. mother
dear"
low moan was the only reply Olive
Dumbarton gave. But no sooner had
she realized the sudden death of one
whom she had seen in health and
strength few days previously than
her active mind began to form sur
misses, her vivid Imagination to shape
fears. After q long pause she said.
This is pitiful. Poor Valerius. Tell
me all, Veronica.
ut is thought-it is feared-but
nothing is yet known letter lay
on his desk directed to George Coris
and on the table a bottle which had
contained chloroform."
chill struck Olive Dumbarton to
the heart. then, even while her grief
was keen, her anxiety began to take
definite form, her suspicious to
strengthen, though her loyalty to the
dead strove to reject the terrible sur
mise which seized upon her, sinking
her heart, bewidering her b.ain, and
filling her with agony.
Presently she asked in voice that
was almost a whisper:
rs there no letter for me?'
II don't know, mother | have been
so scared, but III go and see"
Left alone in the semi darkened
room, her grief and pity for Nalerius
together with the fear which lay be-
hind them, overcane her, and she be-
to cob. NJ, Ia
ing this, Veronica on her return. could
not keep back her tears, and they both
wept bitterly for some time When
eventually the girl was able to control
herself and had partially succeeded in
soothing her mother, she produced an
envelope directed by Valerius and
sealed with red wax bearing his mono-
gram. And the curtains having been
drawn and the blinds raised, Olive
Dumbarton with trembling hands
opened the letter and read there the
confession she had dreaded and antici-
paled.
Often she paused, for her eyes be-
came blinded by tears. While there
was horror in her mind for the terrible
crime he had committed there was no
resentment in her heart for the shame
he had made her suffer, no bitterness
because OF the cowardice that would
have seen the blame of his deeds borne
by others, no censure for the hypocrisy
he had practiced. For she remembered
shadow Of crime had fallen upon him,
bllghted his better nature and ruined
his manlineSS: remembered his kind
ness to and thought for her: his hand
some presence; the charm of his gra-
ciouS manner and cultured mind; his
buoyancy ana the soothing. cheering
influence he had exercised over others
And the pity of his death and the
necessity he had felt for effacing him
self appealed to her. wringing her heart
and filling it with more tenderness for
him now he WAS dead than she had
ever felt toward him while he was liv-
Ing In part, she realized the misery
he must have felt before bracing him
self to quit the world whose joys he
fully appreciated. Never to see his
face again. never to hear his voice. ever
to remember him with sacred feeling
that must surmount her sorrow, was a
thought that made her feel sick at
heart.
If only he had never met her hus
band that fatal night, or, meeting him,
had not taken his Ne; if o~sly the past
could be undone. If only he had battled
against and overcome the fate which
had brought shame and death In it's
train. There was no need for him to
ask her forgiveness. for she gave it
without reserve and With it all her
pity. SO for long she cried bitter tears,
her heart torn by grief
And her mind having been stunned
by fright and pain, it was not until
she had thought for some time over
NaleriuS that the result of his confess
sion dawned upon her Not only would
she now be freed from the imputat don
of terrible crime, but the man who
for her sake had falsely accused him
self would likewise be exempt from
blame. The da~Nness would be lifted
from her life and his; the mystery
would be made plain. And even at
such time thrill of satisfaction
passed through her as she remembered
he. refusal to believe in George Bos-
tocll's guilt and her declaration that
inere.y' lree ,lil..seif bcciuse he be-
lieNed 1t otherwise impossible to es-
tablish her innocence.
Therefore her relief and gratitude
We're great that SORROW and shame
would be lifted from her life. and his
good name restored to the man who
would have sacrificed it for her sake,
even While she regretted the cause by
which this good would be affected.
Meanwhile all Was confusion in the
house where the body of Nalerius CAL
braith lay; servants passing from room
to room with bewildered air. police
men going to and fro; the chilling
stagnating atmosphere of death weigh
ing upon all. And among those who
came and went was Mackworth, who,
not without disappointment. realized
that the case which had puzzled him
had been brought to AN end without
his aid or intervention.
But the previous night the inspector
had returned from Paris, whittier he
had gone TO acertain for himself if
Nalerius had been there on the night of
hte HlNton road tragedy. Without
much difficulty Mackworth had learned
of Ciabr;tiths absence from his hotel
on that date, and armed with this fact