Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1906-09-06
CHAPTER VII.

SIlHI EN- VII.
It was late one evening-while Olive
Dumbarton and her daughter were in the
drawing-room, when Valerius Galbraith
was announced. Both started at sound
Of his name. and, looking up, kept their
eyes fixed OF him with something of sur
prise in their expression, 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 a
week before.
The freshness and ~buoyancy which had
been his chief characteristics had given
place to an expression of pain and anx-
iety; his prominent blue eyes, which had
ever sparkled with pleasure, were now
clonded by grief: lines were for the first
time visible in his face, that sedulous
care Of his personal appearance which
formerly gave the impression of elegance
was now conspicuous by its absence, and
he looked every year of his age.
"Olive" he exclaimed, grasping her
extended hand In both his own.
Il knew you would come back, and
am. glad you have" she said.
"Of course returned the moment ]
heard of-of this terrible affair."" no re.
piled.
II sent a telegram to Paris the day
after It happened"
II had left by then. It was in Brin.
disi first read of his death. You car
imagine the shock I received. I have
hardly slept since. Then ! came back a.
soon .: ! could. and only reached towr
4 couple of hours ago."
y suppose you have heard ALI"
AN that the newspapers could tel
about the Coroners Court and tn,
verdict" she said. in a troubled voice.
eyes. yes" he answered, struggling
with his emotion. "It's terrible to think
that you should suffer thus-you who
would not injure any living thing; you
have already endured so much"
Tell me, Valerius," she said in a hest.
tating voice, did you at first, even for
a moment, think was guilty."
"You guilty." he cried out. "Never
I0ever! ! knew you were 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 al
against me"
20 ! gather. But let me hear ALL"
"Thes Is little to tell that O have
not already read" she began by saying
and she went over the details Of til
case which were ever present In hel
mind. dwelling on the narrow compass
which surrounded the case. and seemed
to iasten the guilt upon her.
Then there's no absolute cleWf"
mot that know Of At least Olivs
Dumbarton replied.
Except the knife" sugssstsd Vss.
"The knifei" y.leriu' repeated. turn
Il had forgotten that" Olive remarked
"Mackworth, the detective, hopes II may
help him to discover the owner"
But |: there nothing else to 60 upoaf
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.
"Ah, Olive" he said suddenly and W.
hemently, as If carried away by an If.
resistible impulse, IF you had listened to
mi. long ago. how much pain might you
and ] have been spared; how much hap
piness might we have knownl"
"Valerius," she exclaimed, reproach.
fully.
"Forgive me. I don't know what !
am saying tonight. ! did not mean tc
blame you now, least OF all, when you
suffer most. cannot control myself to.
night. but ! will leave you at once. God
knows l have no desire to add to you,
vexations. Goodnight"
Goodnight" she replied. holding GU,
her hand.
passed through his frame. He turned
from her almost abruptly. but before h.
reached the door Veronica entered and
said:
doctor Quave cannot come tonight
mother"
Every we'll, dear"
"But Quinton is here" Veronica said
somewhat shyly, land says he would like
to see you, mother"
I'm the dining-room."
"Ask him to come here. You remem
Der Quinton Quave," Olive said to hel
cousin uy as Veronica quilted the room.
"He has taken his degrees and give.
great promise of being . very clevel
doctor. He and his parents have beer
most kind to me since-since-that ter
rible night"
Valerius remembered that DR.. Quav'
and his son were among the first who
had come upon the scene of the tragedy
and he felt interested in seeing the youni
man. with whom, on his entering tn,
room, he shook hands.
Ito be continued.)