The Washington herald., 1907-06-09
CHAPTER XVI (COntinued).

Godfrey sat quite still
He said that? He believed in me?
You believed in me? Oh, if had only
known"
She put out her hands 70 him.
You ought to have known" she cried.
I'VE waited, hoping TO hear from you.
We could not understand your disap-
pearance without a word even though
the earl explained. And then-then-"
Then what?"
She fell back with her hands before her
face
4 can't tell you any more she cried
wildly. Don't ask me any more. Ny
father-died. and l." She started up
again suddenly. "Oh, you must let me
go" she added. 4 can't bear to remem-
ber-to think-of that time after you had
gone. Sometimes I thought if you had
only been there things would have been
different. Sometimes I felt if I had
known where you were 1 should have
gone to you. But l knew nothing, and
besides"
She stopped her eyes. grown dark and
strained. looking wildly about the room
as though she feared that there might be
something hidden behind the heavy fur
niture-as though. in spite Of the bright
electric lights, there were ghosts in the
room.
Don't ask me any more" she added
abruptly, ''for I can't tell you"
He hesitated a moment. He got up.
and turning. paced across the floor. and
then came back 10 her
''Hetty," he said. Il know all about it
everything. 1 know al that happened
all the history Of that ugly year when I
went away-the story Of your fathers
death and your disappearance-every-
thing"
Everything" she asked, hoarsely.
She lay back for an instant. staring at
him. and something in her face held him
silent Then, suddenly, she broke into
wild, harsh laugh.
oh YOU don't know everything" she
cried. "You wouldn't be here now if you
did. You wouldn't be looking at me like
Misunderstanding me-if you knew every
thing"
"Why not2'
Their eyes met. and somethin2she saw
in his-a look that she had seen there
once before. long ago. brought a sudden.
strange, broken cry to her lips.
He fell suddenly on his knees beside
the couch.
"Hetty, was I a fool years ago? If I
en- UP my h0nor-if l had waited. might
have won you from him-from Fan
shawe-after all? Oh. Hetty. have I lost
everything through-through that?"
He caught at her thin arm lying against
her side. and held It in a hungry grip.
She shook her head. and again the cold
swept back upon him.
'No-but it might-oh, it might have
saved-my fathers life" she cried, un-
steadily.
How" he cried, harshly. tell me how
it could have done that? How could I
have saved your fathers life eight years
ago?"
Hetty drew back from him. Her face
had grown CHASTITY under the electric
lights. It seemed to grow quite suddenly
more pinched and worn and sad, and his
heart throbbed unsteadily.
"Oh. I can't tell you. Godfrey" she
said at last II can't explain. Only you
knOw-you know they called it murder
and thought me guilty? Perhaps you
thought me guilty. tOo?'
'T?' the blood rushed TO his face
Though all the world said so, I wouldn't
believe tn he cried. "Hetty I know ali
about it-I have heard everything; but |
don't believe it."
\ faint flush crept into her cheeks He
did not realize just then how her heart
jumped at his words.
you have only heard what they say
what outside people say" she faitered |
but you haven't heard the truth. No
one has told you the TRUTH
Because no one knows it, he answer |
ed bitterly. "Hetty, for heavens sake |
tell me what it all means. I came from 1
India believing that l should find you /
Lord Fanshawes wife When I left Old |
castle he swore that he would marry you /
he gave me his oath: and never dream |
ed that he would not keep it, until l got |
back and found that instead Of being |
Lady Faushawe you had disappeared |
suspected Of a foul crime-gone without a |
word in your own defense. l went to |
Oldcastle determined 70 find you, to bring
Fanshawe to book, 10 prove your inno- /
cence and find the real murderer"
Toto find the-Teal-murderer? she |
cried, wildly.
Yes. Do you think I can let things /
rest as they are? You had no one to de-
fend or help you, but you will have me
now. and am going to sift things to the
very bottom, to find out the truth and /
prove you innocent. Hetty"
She had fallen back again with the
look Of shrinking fear and anxiety back
on her face
You can't she said, unsteadily. You
cant. It is no use. YOu-you mustn't
try Godfrey. 1 am not worth it. Oh.
you must let me go and forget all about
me. l am not worth a minutes thought,
Geoffrey.''
He gave a sudden sharp cry
THAT 1 can never do he cried "Het-
", you know I can never forget YOU. I
have carried the memory Of you in my
heart all these years, and I shall carry
It till | die, and now that I have found
you l shan't easily let you go again. If
Fanshawe has played you false he shall
be made to suffer for it"
She threw out one hand as if 10 stop
him, and then suddenly put up the other