Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1907-08-23

suppression was a curious one. 1 De-
gan to wonder if the whole event had
not been d chimera of my disturbed
brain-a nightmare which had visited
me, and me alone. and not fact to be
reckoned with. But moments fur
Their thought served to clear my mind
of all such doubts. and perceived that
the police had exercised only common
prudence in Withholding Mr.. Grey's
sensational opinion of the stone till 1t
could be verified by experts.
The two columns of gossip devoted
to the family differences which had
led to the separa 4on of Mr.. and Mrs.
Fairbro.hcr | shall compress into
few lines. They had been married
three years before in the city of Balti-
more. He was n rich man then. but
not the multimillionairc he is today.
Plain featured and without manner, he
was no mate for this sparkling co
quette, whose charm was of the kind
which grows with exercise Though
no actual scandal was ever associated
with her name, he grew tired of her
| caprces and the conquests which she
made no endeavor to hide either from
him or from the world at large, and at
| some time during the previous yeai
they had come to friendly under
standing which led to their living
apart, each in grand style and with
certain Difference to the proprieties
which retained them their friends and
an enviable place in society.
He was not often invited where she
was. and she never appeared in any
assemblage where he was expected
but with this exception little feeling
was shown. Matters progressed smooth
ly and to their credit let it be said. no
one ever heard either Of them speak
otherwise than considerably Of the
other. He was at present out of town
having started some three weeks be
fore for the southwest. but would prob.
ably return on receipt of the telegram
which had been sent him.
The comments made on the murder
were necessarily hurried. 1t was called
a mystery. but it was evident enough
that Mr.. Durapd's detention was looked
on as the almost certain prelude to his
arrest on the charge of murder.
l had had some discipline in life.
| Although a favorte of my wealthy
( uncle, had given up very early the
prospects he held out to me of con-
tinued enjoyment of his bounty and
| entered on duties which required self
denial and hard work. did this be-
cause l enjoy having both my mind
and heart occupied. To be necessary
to some one, as nurse is to patient,
seemed to Inc an enviable fate till !
came under the influence of Arson Du-
| rand. Then the craving Of all women
| for the common lot of their sex became
my craving also: Il craving, however.
to which | failed at first to yield, for
l felt that it was unshared and thus
token of weakness. Fighting my bat
tie. | succeeded in winning it, as
thought, just as the nurses diploma
was put in my hands. Then came the
great surprise Of my life. Arson Du
rand expressed his love for me, and
awoke to the fact that all my prepare
ton had been for home joys and a
womans true existence. One hour Of
| ecSltSN III lut llSHl VI tlio new bopt'
then tragedy and something approach
ing chaos. Truly l had been through
a schooling But was it one to make
me useful in the only way l could be
useful now? | did not know l did not
care / was determined on my course
fit or unfit and in the relief brought by
this appeal to my energy | rose and
dressed and went about the duties Of
the day.
One of these was to determine
whether Mr. Grey, on his return TO his
hotel, had found his daughter as i'll
as his fears had foreboded. A tele-
phone message or two satisfied me on
this point Miss Grey was very Ill,
but not considered dangerously so; in
deed if anything. her condition was
improved, and if nothing happened in
the way of fresh complications the
prospects were that she would be out
In fortnight.
l was not surprised. 1t was more
than had expected. The cry Of the
banshee in an American house was
past belief, even In an atmosphere sur
charged with fear and all the horror
surrounding a great crime, and In the
secret reckoning l wds making against
a person l will not even name at this
juncture l added 1t as another sus-
nipious circumstance