The Washington herald., 1907-07-07

you can't understand. | know you know
now that II was Claude and not l who
murdered my poor father, and you know
that, being his wife. / could not speak
OH Godfrey, II nearly killed me- l had
believed in him so. even almost
thought II was true when he said that
you had committed forgery. and had to
run out Of the country. / almost thought
| it, but not quite l thought Claude had
made a mistake | never dreamed then
Of the truth. | did not know OF that un-
I'll now, until Bessie told me, and it's
that that is the last straw. l can't for
give him for that"
Hetty, don't you know l did it for
yOu? he cried. 4 signed the COnfes-
| sion and shielded him because you loved
him so, and ] thought 1t was only a slip
"A mistake. l thought he would be diff
ferent after that. and l gave him a
chance. l went for your sake, Hetty.'
Her eyes were full Of tears.
"Oh, Godfrey, / never knew that till
/ Bessie told me-" she cried. But father
| believed in you, and said So after you
| had gone. and II was that that made
| the quarrel between US. He said that
! like as not you were shielding Fanshawe.
and that was why ! ran away He de-
] clared that Fanshawe should never come
/ to the house again; that ne was scOun-
| dreL l refused to believe him / shut
/ my ears 10 what he said, and I ran away.
l left him. my poor father' Her voice
| faltered
God punished me-" she went on in
Ha 5
/ again. l went to Claude and told him.
and he took me to Bottom. He had had a
special license for weeks past and had
/ been trying TO pc -suade me 20 marry him.
/ Now, half mad with anger, ] yielded
/ We drove 70 BotCP and there he married
[ me.
He had 20 come back TO OldCastle be-
cause there were people staying q { the
castle so he left me at the church door,
and-and-I did not see him again until
after the night Of my fathers murder
''Then-you know what happened. Bes-
sic told you how / went back and what
I saw. Can YOU understand what it
meant 10 me. Geoffrey? ! had believed
in him so. I had believed him against
my father and then when ! saw him
putting something I'm his glass-I thought
I should have gone mad
oh, Gcoffrey. / think I was really
mad that night and for many weeks af-
terward. and when l began 10 realize
the truth, my only thought was 10 get
away and hide myself
80 ] went to London. intending never
10 be heard of again. thought I could
set my living somehow. bat ] couldn't
Fer nearly eight years I struggled on.
Oh, ] can't know how I have lived 1
tried shops at first but there was always
something. and-aud-somehow or other
they always distrusted me. ] think the
girls found out that I had diamonds AZ
my neck. and they told tales OF me-Oh.
know they did. for twice I was threat
ened with arrest unless I accounted for
the miniature, and so l had 10 run
away"
"But why did You keep it," Godfrey
cried. "Why didn't YOU get rid Of it2'
Hotty laughed helplessly.
AT first kept il 20 remind me how
much I had 70 repay" she said. bitterly.
"and / thought ! should somehow bring
the murder home 20 him. and that some
day it could help 20 prove whist ] saw
was true. for Claude gave II 10 me on oar
wedding day-he gave it 10 me iust as we
parted In the church porch-8nd ne had
written on the back OF H. From Claude
FaHshawe TO Hetty Lancaster. on the
morning Of their marriage. and the date
That was why | did not destroy it. And
! could not self f. once or twice my
real name and identity leaked out. and
Oh. Godfrey. people have hated me So
they have been so bitter against me
1t has nearly killed me sometimes
She broke off, shUdderiug, and Ge0ffrey
bent over her.
My poor little girl"' he whispered:
but why did YOU run away from me? ]
would have taken care Of you. Why did
YOU run away from London
II dared not stay she cried, un-
steadily
Dared not?'
She turned away her head
Godfrey. you were all ] had I'm the
world she said. breathleSsly. "snd I am
Lord Fanshawes wife Oh. can't YOU
see why / ran away2 | came 70 Bessie /
10 hide me- II vas the only place /
thought | could be safe. Oh. Geoffrey, |
don't ask me why"
He looked into her eyes. Something ne 1
saw IN them set his heart humping un- /
steadily. The confession Barker had |
made seemed 10 lie like a weight in the /
pocket against his breast He put up
his hand and drew back "A little She /
wanted him at last, Thank God. she /
loved him al last, and how his arms /
ached for her
But Fanshawe?
lie Clenched his hands over the arms /
Of his char and turned away his face a 4
little.
"But there was one thing he said.
suddenly, as he remembered the scene I'm /
the Hotel Cecil You said that If L
had stayed eight years ago I might have /
saved your fathers life. What did YOU /
mean?'
Why If YOU had stayed if YOU had |
not shielded Claude, the. truth would have