The champion. (Arcadia, Fla.) 1895-1911, 1908-12-24

She snatched up the paper again.
"Who has been for some months on a
prolonged vacation"-the phrase stared
sardonically at her. That might carry
far back-she said II under her breath
fearfuily-beyond the murder OF Dr.
Moreau. Her face burned, and her
breath came sharp and fast Why
when she brought her warning TO the
cabin bad Hugh been so anxious TO get
her away unless to prevent her sight
OF the man who was there. to whom he
had taken her horse? Who was there
In Smoky Mountain whom he would
protect at hazard of his own life?
Jessicas veins were all afire. A rec
tor murderer? A double career? Was
It beyond possibility !. 1t came to her
like an impinging ray Of light, the old
curious likeness that had sometimes
been made Jest of at the white
house in the aspens Moreau and Prem
dergast had believed II to be Hugh.
SO had the town, for the body had
been found on his ground. But on the
night when the real murderer came
again to the cabin perhaps it was his
coming that had brought back the lost
memory. Hugh had known the truth.
In the light Of this superstition. his
strained manner then, his present de.
termination not to speak, all stood
plain.
What had he meant by q debt Of his
past that he had never paid? He could
owe no debt to Harry Sanderson. II
he owed any debt 1t was to his dead
father, a thousand times more than the
draft he had repaid. Could he be
thinking in his remorse that his father
had cast him off, counting himself
nothing, remembering only that Harry
Sanderson had been David Stires' IA
vorlte and st. James. which must be-
smirched by the odium Of its rector,
the apple OF his eye?
Jessica had snatched at straw, be-
cause 1t was the only buoyant thing
afioat in the dragging tide Now with
blind fatuousness she Rugged Il
tighter to her bosom. One purpose
possessed her-to confront Harry San
derson. What matter though she
| missed the remainder Of the trial?
| She could do nothing. Her hands were
tied. II the truth lay at Aniston she
would find IL She thought no farther
| than this. Once In Harry Sanderson's
presence. what she should say or do
she scarcely imagined The horrify.
ing question filed her thought to the
exclusion Of all that must follow Its
answer. 1t was surety and self con
viction she craved, only to read In bis
eyes the truth about the murder OF
Moreau
She suddenly began to tremble-
Would the doctors let her see him?
what excuse could she give? II he
was the man who had been In Hugh's
cabin that night he had heard her
speak, had known she was there. He
must not know beforehand OF her com,
ing lest he have suspicion Of her err
rand. Bishop Ludlow. he could gain
her access to him Injured. dying
perhaps. maybe be did not guess that
Hugh was In jeopardy for his crime
Guilty and dying. II he knew this. he
would surely tell the truth. But II be
died before she could reach him. The
paper was some days old. He might
be dead already. She took heart, how
ever from the statement OF his i'm
proved condition.
She sprang to her feet and looked at
her chateIaine watch The eastbound
express was overdue There was no
time to lose. Minutes might count,
she examined her purse. She had
money enough with her.
Five minutes later she was at the
station. scrubbed note was on its
way to Mrs. Halloran, and before q
swinging red lantern the long neon,
ing train was shuddering to stop