The Washington herald., 1907-06-23
CHAPTER XXI Continued


Godfrey nodded. It seemed to him
that he knew every tree and bush, every
shrub and flower that had grown about
that drive that led up TO the house.
well" Bessie said. she disappeared
immediate. swallowed up like in the
night. and I stood listening 10 the sound
O. her footsteps on the gravel. They
died away, and almost at .once-afore 1
had time to turn-I saw a shadow movin'
in the bushes. I waited. fallin' back out
O. sight. and then 1 saw It was Fred
Barker as had been hidin' there. He
came creepin' out, nervous Ike. and then
hurried out o. the gate and down the
road.
I looked arter i'm, thinkin he was a
queer 'un somehow, and then. sudden
like there came a cry from the house.
It were Hetty, 1 thought an to this day
dunno what made me go aTter 'er But
I did. l slipped in through the gate and
onto the grass that edged the gravel drive
and ran up toward the house. Afore l
got many yards l card footsteps agen,
and then I saw some one comm. and
lodged back in the bushes and waited.
It was a man as went by; but the night
was dark and his face was muffied up
somehow, and I couldn't see who it was,
but it looked Ike Molly Byrne's husband.
that she was separated from. and she
give evidence at the inquest as he had
been there about that time. and 1 never
thought as it might be somebody else
never until tonight
"Weug" said GeoTrey, harshly. Go
on"
I waited TO hear the gate shut arter
him." said Bessie. 1T shut soft-like.
and 7 couldn't hear it, and afore I knew
# there was the rattle o. wheels and
harness. and a carriage drew up outside.
I stood while it turned up the drive-a
brougham. as everybody knew now was
Sir Arthur Walters. with Miss Evelyn
inside It went past me, and then l
turned and ran across the grass. Some
how 1 couldn't get it out of my head as
Hettv would be in trouble. and 7 sCram-
bled round to the library window. where
1 guessed she had gone 70 look into
see her father sittin there as he always
did. She used to sit with him, but he
had been alone those two nights-alone
and in sorrow-aud 1 knew it would be
mighty painful To- her, an especially if
she was uncertain and couldn't make
up her mind TO 90 in after all, and so
I waited for her.
seemed a long time. but all suddent-like
Hetty come hyin' round the corner o.
' the house cryin' out. queer-like and fun
nv-oh. but # drove me cold to hear
her, il did. Her hands were out, like
this. and she come on, stumblin' and
rockin' on her feet Ike as if she were
blind. And when ! caught her and held
her in my hands she looked round same
as If she were scared Of her life An
when she saw me and knew me she just
clung TO me and hung on TO me. shiverin'
and tremblin' and cryin' TO me like as
IL her heart was breakn'. And it was
what she said-and what she was Cryin'
out for days afterward-as made me
afraid to speak O. that night or give
evidence O. what I had seem
Godfrey lifted his head as her voice
ceased.
What was it she said?" he cried.
'TeH me everything, Bessie"
She faced him slowly.
TT was one thing over and over and
over again" she said. I can hear her
stiIl-oh I think I shall never stop hear
ing her cry-Tve killed my father, I've
killed my fatherr