The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-05-02

| I,ensively his eyes fell. as they hat
| sometimes fallen before. 1t was a.
| though, with all his passion for her
! there was a something sinister and dis
| honest underneath, and he felt it wheT
| he looked long enough in her eyes
! Claire did not connect honesty witt
| herself at present, nor did she view
| the question at all from this point, but
she found herself specializing upon the
origin of the quarrel between Daintree
| and his people. and she thought of the
flowers that had come back to him
from his mothers grave.
Later in the evening she worked out
her own position. shuddered at the
passing impulse TO confess. which had
long since passed put Toms life be
fore her self respect and determined
to act better from that hour. So the
play went on before an audience of
one who had been taken behind the
scenes, but who now looked on with
eyes that saw not, so absorbing were
his own affairs. In very truth. how
ever there was an audience of two.
and but little was lost upon the unseen
onlooker.
Daintree meanwhile spent hours ev-
cry day with Mr.. Bassett. the solicitor,
or in waiting for him at his Office. In
the evening he would return to Avenue
Lodge with the latest news OF the pris-
oner Erickson.
One day he had been removed to the
prison inf1rmary. Not that there was
much the matter with him, but the sur
geon was credited with desire to re-
ward Erichsen's humanity toward
fellow prisoner, who was said to have
died in his arms.
But another fellow prisoner he had
fought tooth and nail the night before.
and Mr. Bassett had a shrewd suspi
cion that the real object of the removal
was to isolate a desperate man.
However that might be, he was do
ing pretty well in the inhrmary, was
said to be depressed. but not unable to
eat or sleep. Daintree reminded Claire
that the prisoner was having all his
meals sent in from neighboring chop
house and who it was that had ordered
them. 1t was himself.
Erichsen was inundated with letters.
Most were from religious strangers,
who took bis guilt for granted and in
dicated several only ways to that mer
cy in another world which was neither
to be expected nor desired in this. But
the one that had given him the great
est annoyance was thought to have
come from q near relative, for it was
very long. and he had torn it in many
pieces and then retorted in three lines
and given it to the surgeon to post.
Claire knew who the relative was.
She had gone the length Of calling at
Avenue Lodge on her fight through
town to the continent, and her chief
lament was not that murder had been
presumably by Tom, but
that her name had been disgraced, her
trust abused, her money spent in riot
and her life rendered uncomfortable In
her native land. The lady was Toms
stepmother.
There was another letter which he
seemed TO expect every day and yet
not to expect. and it never came, but
they thought he must be in love. |
Claire considered it unlikely. How
could a lover have done such a thing? |
And had he ever written TO any girl? !
Daintree said he would inquire.
No friends had been to see him, no |
but noble lord, the same |
Who had incumbered the bench at the
Office, brought a party of |
friends and received payment in kind
or his insolent questions. The prison
r was reported to have asked him if i
here were no hospitals where his lord
hip could see the legs and arms cut
IF and listen to the screams; to have
bodily fortunes as likely
o provide better sport than q poor dull
levil like himself. and suggested the
learest slaughter house If all else
allied. His lordship had raised his
t on. as he might not have such a
nance every day; whereupon the par
y retreated. highly amused, all but
heir leader, who was said to have
narched straight across the street to
ook a window for the execution.
When Claire heard this story, she
bowed her feelings in a rather peril
us manner. well done" she cried.
nd clapped her hands. $50 they have
OF taken all the spirit out of him yet!
.et us be thankful. Mr. Daintree." she
dded in an instant. that it is at least
man Of spirit whose cause you have
spoused. Next to an innocent man.
spirited man has the best claim on
mes sympathy. 1t would be dreadful
he were neither the one nor the
ther!"
But you know that 1 believe him to
E BOTH
Il have heard you say so. Yet you
ever so near him yourself"
Daintree admitted his repugnance to
ersonal contact with the prisoner. Il
srtainly prefer TO draw the line at |
lat" said he. especially as it could
0 no good. No. it was bad enough
seinE him at Marylebene. l would
i've something to forget his face"
"And Why" cried Claire. Because
your heart. like all the rest of the
orld, you know him to be guilty.
on may be sensitive. but you wouldn't
: as sensitive as all that II you hon.
lily believed in his innocence You
, not Yet You go on spending your
oney. throwing it away to crafty a
issing impulse of minei It's mad