The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1907-02-01

into my brothers room, but she de-
INJURED unless you accompanied her.
The girl entered first. You followed;
my brother was found lying on the
floor, pistol wound in his head.
know all that, but l know much
more"
| IF you knew more, why did you
not tell it to the coroner when he
was here?" demanded Mrs. Dalrymple.
coldly. Her tone was firm, but her
/ lips lost their rudy hue and mute ter
ror filled her dark eyes
II had good and sufficient reasons
for Withholding what l knew" de-
clared Dalrymple. dryly. II deemed
| 1t wiser to tell you first To be frank
with you, | will say that my brother
came to me yesterday morning and
told me that he had learned certain
facts concerning your conduct before
and since your marriage. He had
made an investigation and was salts
fled of the truth of what he had heard.
From what he told me of his inten-
tons concerning your future, | am
sure he neither laughed or joked with
you when he returned home. |, there
fore. believe you misrepresented mat
ters that far TO the corner"
Even If this be true" retorted Mrs.
Dalrymple, her courage returning with
the hope that this was all her brother
in-law knew, would you have had me
reveal these matters to be banded
about through the papers? ! should
think your family pride would shrink
from such a scandal"
You did not conceal your real con-
versation with my brother out of re-
gard for our family pride" he re-
turned. quietly. 1T was done to save
yourself. yet | thank you for it. To
proceed, the sound OF a pistol shot
on the second floor may sound like
the crash of an unfastened shutter to
those IL the kitchen. but it would
not sound so to any one in a room
not ten feet away. Why did you
not investigate the strange sound In
stead of ringing for a servant"
Il was doing at the time, and
could not determine from whence the
sound proceeded" Mrs. Dalrymple
averred, a note of triumph in her soft
! ~ modulated tones. IF | had been
awake would undoubtedly have
known that the sound came from Ed
wards dressing room"
Perhaps So" returned Dalrymple
in a tone by no means reassuring. Il
have one question TO ask. however
Why did you place my brothers pis-
toll close to his hand as the servant
left the room to summon a physi-
cian?"
81 didn't! II is false!" stammered
Mrs. Dalrymple. but her actions dis
proved her words Her head fell for
ward on her breast, her hands drop
ped nervelessly by her side, and she
trembled visibly under the storm OF
proof that her brotner-in-law had hurl-
ed upon her.
You did," William Dalrymple had
risen and lowered above her shrinking
form like an avenging spirit. His
tones were cold and stern without a
trace of pity. You sent Nora for a
doctor, and as she left the room. you
drew my brothers pearl-handled re-
volver from your bosom, and placed IL
so that the world would think he had
committed self-destruction. You kill
ed HIM"
Mercy Mercy" she walled. fall
ing upon her knees and clutching his
hand in the agony of terror. Have
mercy and will do as you wish.
Only don't send me to a prison cell ="
Dalrymple drew back from her as
If her touch polluted him. II shall not
send you where you would receive
your just punishment" he said. quiet
ly, IF you do what l wish. The pride
of the Dalrymples alone saves you
from the fate you so richly deserve.
The faint OF suicide is hard enough to
endure, but the trial and execution OF
one bearing our name would trail our
pride in the dust. For this reason.
| will not divulge the truth If you
agree to my demands"
But Nora" gasped the guilty wom-
an. TREMENDOUSLY. she will tell, and
IT. will come out"
Il have provided for that" replied
Dalrymple. coldly. Mora is an old
servant of our family, and is dis
Greet. To make sure of her silence.
I have agreed to pension her for the
rest of her life. and. at her death.
give a certain amount to her children,
in the event OF her maintaining per.
petual silence. My brothers prop
erty is devised to you. as you prob
ably know You may take IL without
any objection on my part, II You leave
as soon as the funeral is over and go
to Europe, assuming your maiden
name, and promising never to re-
turn to this country or to use our
name in any way. If you do this and
adhere to it. you may go free, with
only your remorse TO haunt you. II
you fail to do it in any particular
whatever. you shall be prosecuted and
punished"
81 will do what you wish faltered