Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-04-17

will atone but death. Paul Ernsclife was
" like one IN pain
her eyes, large and dark, were cleaning with
the fire Of fever and delirium. I felt great
In throwing away her own life when she
could have saved 1t.
Yet feeling Of admiration for her heroism
thrilled me and made me bow SS, before her, :.
cruel sacrlaee," j said; Miss wardour, You
% 4o s sn ywScs in uH sS Ss s9. usS
some a@eIioration for the oifense'" ~
from prsSn from ny he Sd f ano
cent Good God Doctor Dorrance, cannot
you understand and believe me? stephen
forced to suffer for crime one has not com.
mitted is horrible l tell you, 1t must not
shall not be! Take me to prison. l insist
She fell upon her knees before me, clasp
ing her hands imploringly, her eyes, full Of
tears, uplifted to my face. 80,
place, and besides, Miss Wardour, do not
believe that you are guilty. Go back to your
Ssher room g0e up 1ns mao S saHsd h Sns
other way"
Z, The words died upon my lips into silence.
opened softly, and Esme Lyel stood in the
dim light of the lamp which burned all night
In the corridor. She looked like an angel, In
flowing robe of white cashmere, her golden
hair falling loosely over her shoulders. /
thought Of the shining coil which had taken
from the dead man, and an awful shudder
was safe, locked away in my desk among my
private papers. No one should ever know.
R fns as s aSen c sdsGee in voice full of
digniaesdi, alarm. my dear. what is the
She. glided swiftly to Ruby's side. and
wound her white arms in their flowing
lace-trimmed sleeves about the girls neck:
she brings yeo here # fns aou yo
from your room and SO came to look for
spoke her name) you know this girl?
VIII you please tell me all you know
II will, Doctor Dorrance, certainly
Esme's head was held erect. and steely
fire kindled in the depths Of her eyes
dosed hsr A ndr surely surely sss had
And, looking upon her as she stood there
was the sort of woman who would stand
by one she loved through everything
AS i gazed upon her there was strange
construction in my throat. She seemed
all that pure and n true and trans
how came that golden curl in Paul Ems
cliffe's dead hand. as though 1t had been
clutched frantically from the graceful head?
/ tried to steady my voice, as / re-
peated in brief the story of Ruby War
dours self-accusation. and ended with
concerning the girl. The dark eyes met
mine frankly.
~ win; Ruby Wardour came to me at
Paul Ernscliffe had deceived her and had
broken her heart; and she wished to leave
home and go away to earn her own living:
My heart went out in sympathy toward
her. needed a maid. ! asked my mother
to let me retain Ruby. She consented. She
of her whereabouts, but it seems he never
received the message Tonight l mad.
her father had been arrested for Mr.. Ems
cliffe's murder. and as soon as she thought
me asleep she came to you. believing you
friends death, to give herself up, a volun-
tary sacrifice. She is innocent. Doctor Dor
range surely: ely, you believe believe, it, o. .,.ra
was in Esme's dark eyes! I had never
observed it before. They held me spell
and d" Shook OH yt the SPELL i.'l WIN Gu '
II trust she is Innocent" made answer:
and strange cloud passed over Esme's
Il know She ISL she cried. eagerly.
Now, Ruby. come back to your room and
ing can ca be done tonight Come, dear.
G .3;t,' d.night; Roctor Dorrance. hope you
And Esme Lyell drew the white faced
shivering girl back to her own room, and
! Heard its door close, and the key turn in
back to my own chamber and locked my
self in.
She had hoped would sleep well. An
me! Ah-me! Would ever sleep again?
MY nerves were. all unstrung with the
exciting and terrible events and was
meyer, more, wide awake in my life.
ing taken It,, threw myself all dressed
upon the bed. and was soon in oblivion
When awoke 1t was ten in the morning
Bathing and dressing myself. rang for
coffee.
The waiter ever garrulous.. was burst
ing with Importance; a gossip-loving negro,
he could hardly wait to fire the news at
me- 1t came upon me like blow. Ruby
Wardour had given herself up to the au-
thorities early that morning, self-accused
been taken to the jail. from whence she
would soon be removed to more secure
quarters. The story told by the gossiping
waiter who never dreamed that was
then he handed me letter.
"Dis jes come for you, sab; a boy
brought 1t, sah:" he announced, showing
all his worries in a broad grin.
Mechanically ] opened the envelope, not
ing as did SO that the handwriting was
unfamiliar. This is what the letter said;
doctor Dorrance: One man has been
accused Of the murder of Paul Ernscliffe,
and one woman has accused herself, to