Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-08-30
60 \I'II.!, VIII.

CHAPTER VIII
"A NE /! ti:pING drove home In
/" 4 ii i fury and WAS met by
a Claire upon the steps. Her
heart sank at his face. He
passed her without Il word. She fol-
lowed him into his library and there
besoucht him t. tell her what had lap
pe1rd now.
"Ch. nothing. wash my hands Of
q young demon. that's ALL"
"Tom Erichsen:"
"Tes"
"y0u have changed your mindi"
81 have"
And he told her how the prisoner
had treated the attorney he had sent
him that worry afternoon. committing a
brutal AMI unprovOkcd assault upon
the very man who was there to save
his life. if that had been possible. 1t
was not. The villain would hang, and
rightly too. But there was gratitude!
There was young tiger in human
shape.
Claire kept her head, and gradually
MIR. Harding cooled down. Then she
asked questions and discovered that 1t
was not the family lawyer who had
been SD grossly handled, but one whose
name was new to her.
"iIattersley never touches criminal
work. said her father; "besides,
should have been ashamed to ask him.
No: l went to the very man for the
job. and this Is all the thanks get!'
Did he know it was yOu!'
NO; l sent word l would give any
money. but not my name"
THAT message was delivered"
ut was
Something more must have been
said"
Hardly word. My man was pro-
ceeding to business when this maniac
sprang upon him and flung him out Of
the cell"
Claire shook her head.
Il cannot think that's all that pass
ed" said she.
1T was, though; you ask the ward
ers. There were three Of them outside
the open door. and they've put him In
q straight waistcOat for 1t, ut any rate!
So you see how he has made use of
the chance l gave him. Don't ask me
to give him another. that's all"
mo, no." said Claire sadly; ut was
only too noble Of you to give him one
at all, and l shall never. never, never
forget all this-yOur forgiveness-ev
erything! Papa, dear, you may not
have me with you very long; how can
one go on living after such thing? l
loved him. and long to die. But until
l do l promise one thing-I may de-
Ceive others. but never again will de-
ccive or disObcy my own dear fathery'
She spoke with the sad fOrtitude Of
sheer despair. and she left Nicholas
Harding IN an icy exhalation, with one
tingling spot where she had stopped
and kissed his face.
Claire had hardly reached her room
when there was q knock ut the door,
and In came Hannah with q neat, seal
ed packet.
'Oh. please. miss, Mr.. Daintree said
Twas to give you this"
"Mr. Daintree!"
She had seen him during the day;
then what could he have to say to her
which would not bear plain verbal ut
terance? Claire opened the packet
when the maid was gone and found u
smaller packet and letter inside. The
letter ran:
Dear Miss Harding - Think what you
will of me for slandcring the dead
can bear 1t better than to see you mourn
Ing one who was never worthy to touch
the hem OF your garment The Enclosed
will give you true insight into the char
acter Of the late Captain Blaydes. but
make separate packet of 1t so that you
may destroy 1t unread II you prefer not
to know and to think me the liar.
You may remember telling me that
Captain Blaydes had the room that l
have now when he was here and was
not. That was the week before last. The
weather has been 30 warm the fire has
not been alight since my return. and to-
day quite by chance 1 discovered torn up
In the crate the fragments which 1 have
put together and now inciose l will not
tell you the word that caught my eye
and irresistibly impelled me to put the
letter together and read 1t through. nor
Will l seek to defend an action that will
no doubt condemn me in your eyes for
ever. It was dishonorable. admit It,
But l am a believer in instinct. My in
stinct always told me that that man was
bad man. and my instinct told me then
that l was within reach OF proving its
own unerring truth and the measure of
villains villainy. I have done both, as
you will soon see II you can nerve your
SELF to know the truth. II not, condemn
ME with glance or with words as bitter
az you please. and leave this house
tonight and forever. shall never regret
what have done. You mourn a traitor
and 1 had rather forfeit your respect
nay, and my own honor to boot-than let
one so divine waste another sigh on one
80 deviish.
But IL you forgive me. oh. let me hear
1t from your own sweet lips. and I will
move heaven and earth to atone for
Chat present misery this may inflict!
one DAY you will thank me. Meanwhile
II you do not spurn. command me. and
your highest word shall be my law. II
only could do something for you! NV
one remaining chance Of happiness is in
serving her l may not love. Humbly and
sincerely always.
JAMES E. w. DA1NrREE
Claire arrived at the last paragraph
WIN mind made up. She perceived
Win amazement the writer's theory
regarding the wretched Blaydes and
nerseif. 1t had never struck her tbat
ner every agitation might be thus mis-.
construed. and her first impulse was to
SET Dalntree right upon the point. She
would then return the discriminating
Enclosure unopened. That would be q
sufhcient rebuke for an action, as II
were, so honestly dishonorable. And
ut these decisions her nimble mind had