Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1907-11-29
CHAPTER XXI.

departure. A fact was borne
- in upon me to which l had
hitherto closed my prejudlced eyes, but
which l could no longer ignore, what.
ever confusion IL brought or however
1t caused me to change my mind on
subject which had formed one of the
strongest bases to the argument by
which I had sought to save Mr.. Du.
rand. Miss Grey cherished no such
distrust of her father as 1 in my ig-
norance of their relations had imputed
to her in the early hours Of my minis.
trations. This you have already seen
In my account of their parting. What
ever his dread, fear or remorse, there
was no Evidence that she felt TOWARD
him anything but love and confidence.
But love and confidence from her to
him were In direct contradiction to the
doubts l had believed her to have ex-
pressed In the half written note handed
to Mrs. Fairbrother in the alcove Had
I been wrong, then, in attrlbuting this
Though forbidden to allow her to
speak on the one tabooed subject, l
had wit enough to know that nothing
would keep her from 1t IL the fate Of
Mrs. Fairbrother occupied any real
place in her thoughts.
Yet when the opportunity was given
me one morning of settling this fact
beyond all doubt l own that my main
feeling was one of dread. / feared to
see this article in my creed destroyed,
lest l should lose confidence in the
whole Yet conscience babe me face
the matter boldly, for had 1 not boast
ed to myself that my one desire was
the truth?
l allude to the disposition which Mis-
Grey showed on the morning Of the
third day to do little surreptitious
writing. You remember that speci.
men of her handwriting had been
asked for by the inspector and once
had been earnestly desired by myself
Now seemed likely to have it. il die
not open my eyes too widely to the
meaning of her seemingly chance re
quests. 4 little pencil danged at the
end of my watch chain. Would l let
her see it, let her hold it in her hand
for a minute? 1t was so like one she
used to have. OF course | took 1t of
of course | let her retain it a little
while in her hand. But the pencil was
not enough. A few minutes later she
asked for a book to look att some
times let her look at pictures. But the
book bothered her-she would look at
1t later; would | give her something TO
mark the place-that postal over there
| gave her the postal. She put it in
the book and |, who understood her
thoroughly. wondered what excuse she
would now find for sending me into
the other ROOM She found one very
soon, and with heavily beating heart
l left her with that pencil and postal
A soft laugh from her lips drew me
back She was holding up the postal
See. l have written line to him
Oh. you good, good nurse, to let me!
You needn't look so alarmed. 1t hasn't
hurt me one bit"
l knew that it had not; knew that
such an eXertion was likely to be more
beneficial than hurtful to her. or l
should have found some excuse for de-
terring her. l endeavored to make my
face more natural. AS she seemed to
want me to take the postal in my hand
| drew near and took it.
1.-THE address looks very shaky," she
laughed. Il think you will have to put
1t in an envelope"
| looked at It'll could not help it
her eye was on me, and l could not
even prepare my mind for the shock
Of seeing it like or totally unlike the
writing of the warming 1t was totally
unlike so distinctly unlike that it was
no longer possible to attribute those
lines to her which, according to Mr..
Durand's story. had caused Mrs. Fair
brother to take off her diamond.
why, whyr she cried You actual
ly look pale Are you afraid the doctor
will scold us? 1t hasn't hurt me near
ly so much as lying here and knowing
what he would give for one word from
me-"
You are right and / am foolish"
answered with all the spirit left in me.
Il should be glad-I am glad that you
have written these words. | will copy
the address on an envelope and send
it out in the first mall
Thank you" she murmured. giving
me back my pencil with a sly smile.
Now can sleep. must have roses
in my cheeks when papa comes home"
And she babe fair to have ruddier
roses than myself for conscience was
working havoc in my breast. The
theory had built up with such care,
the theory had persisted in urging
upon the inspector in spite of his re-
buke. was slowly crumbling to pieces
in my mind with the falling of one of
its main pillars With the warning I'M
accounted for in the manner l have
stated there was a weakness in my
argument which nothing could make
good. How could | tell the inspector,
II ever should be SO happy or so mis-
| ora hla rs IN meet his eve noain Hu.