The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1907-07-26
CHAPTER XXXII

! IA ~ was DIOateu WITH MOIST bank
notes, besides which Lady
Starkie positively refused to have him
about the hotel that evening. 1t was
against the rules for bridegrooms as
laid down by her ladyship, who dined
very solemnly with her niece alone
: and got to bed at reasonable hour for
! the first time that week. Claire then
had their sitting room to herself, and
she drew out the oiled silk packet
! which had fallen into her hands tlat
I afternoon. 1t was sthin and oblOng,
like the letter 1t plainly contained. Tn
der the lamp Claire's name ana the
address of her old home were still
legible beneath the silk. though they
, no longer stood out as when the skin
was wet. And on the reverse side was
written very small, For PHYS sake.
! forward this"
When? After his death? Fate had
forwarded it before. Should she read
or destroy or return this letter to its
writer-to the criminal who had con
fessed to her his crime? Some miu-
utes after Claire Harding asked her-
self this question she turned up the
lamp and cut the oiled silk open with
pair of scissors she now saw that
the letter had been written some time,
yet it was with strange thrill. Won
derment beginning Mt the heart. that
she read the heading within. 1t was
| Newgate and the date May 60 1887,
the blacklist day of ell her life the eve
OF that on which they would have
hanged him
Agitated as she was. however, by
these dreadful memories and touched
by the mere fact Of his having written
to her on that awful Monday, 1t was
the first sentence Of his letter that ran
into her heart like molten lead. He
called himself an innocent mani From
the brink Of the grave came that lie.
that blasphemy. which he had lived TO
confess to her with his crime, She
read on mechanically. and all at once
her pain ceased She was lost and
absorbed In the plain straightforward.
circumstantial story into which lie
plunged without preliminary. He told
her everything from the moment they
parted at the garden gate. Nothing
was left Gut. nothing extenuated. moth.
ing enlarged or even commented upon
by the writer. Her heart was beating
wildly long before she reached the end
Of this plain statement. She had for
gotten all about bis confession. This
rang true: ibis rang true.
Sweetheart" be went on-"for /
must call you so once nore-I cannot
tell you how feel. for l vary from
hour to hour Now and then feel the
murderer they say am. now and then
an AFFECT coward without the pluck
to show IT., now and then sort Of
Christian martyr But with Gods
help | hope to finish up a man. Dc
not grieve for the ugly way Of It
There's no disgrace in that. since it's q
mistake. and If there is God never
fear but he will make ii up to me one
day. oh. but II is sweet to talk to you
again! used TO tell you everything
! and so I must until the end.
1.-THE turkeys are looking through
my grating now. They are telling each
other what ] am at and coming back
and back again to have a peep. My
Christianity isn't proof against that.
say nothing. but | could do the thing
I am going to die forced help me.
may do 1t yet! You see how change
, There is only one thing in which can
never change-my grateful love and
reverence for the great girl soul that
forgave me and would have given me
another chance IL this had not hap
pened Sweetheart. my love for you
has grown in prison: II has been my
only comfort in this vile place. and Il
will go with me where I go tomorrow
1T will stay with my poor SOU
through all eternity. Only do moi
grieve for me. Claire. for never was
, worthy Of your sweet love. would
not leave this behind for YOU. would
not have you reminded Of me for d
single day. but for one selfish thing
Sweetheart, II Is TO make you believe
in me. You have not done so yet
Why should you? Nobody knows what
you know and have so nobly hidden
but. for all said TO you. am limo
cent lie was alive when left him
I did give him the receipt. and we
shook hands at the end. That is Gods
truth. tell II you with the last words
my hand will ever write. meant &c
write to the kind fanatic who paid fol
my defense and Is working still (they
tell me, for a reprieve. but now can
not II you could find him out and
thank him for me. should be CRATE
full. but my last words In this life
must be TO you. God bless you. dear
and give you somebody much better
than ever could have been. Only dc
know that never did this thing. and
when you realize that think no more
of me. my dear love. but pray tomor
row for the soul Of your unwOrth!
boy
Ills signature followed better va:
ten than the rest. touching effort 4
finish up a man." All the last pages
were blurred with the condemme,