The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1908-01-30
CHAPTER SKIN

~ ~ sYelash This world s~eip 10 lsc
hia eggsorgnity far copfessing Ne ~.
esQgion yet u0w be was elsrckei w
tbs pars ibc two Yvaug ladies lad
played o. the previous niKht 70 make
. elsxn breast ~ II would l.e 70 Involve
thea also. EBd even though 4 seBld
esear hsE personally he could not 60,
isrisla she thought for > single Instant
10, shea scrgesh, FlinL The dei~c
i've pui forth hla hand the hlacd Of
tho TaaAn scetled into action. There
VAS ~ cFidenne ~ singer. no move
msnt 10 resist ihe isw. bot ia his cold
ggst eye lhcr came warning CLINT
uhlch VAS further backed by cain,
dlspaaipssle igue.
-ponr 30 liist sonny be ssid 10
words that carried conviction ~fheril
l~ 90 trualle llu' hands oar once
norr be turned quietly 10 bis host
"XoW. Mr. Iienwyek. kindly explain
toar charge
~ IA scarcely necessary" answered
that gentleman 10 undlsgulsed COZ,
tempt. Dot II you wish to be further
uhmAsked bcforc this company have
30 objection. assure you. You en.
tered my house under false preienses
and with an assumed name ny your
own confession you have abused our
trust and hospitality nnd you IN
ny library a, 3 O'Clock In the morn
ing. fully dressed, while the window
Is vide open and the burglar alarm
switched oT CHn you account for this
extraordinary proceeding on the part
~ gucsi 10 gcntlcman's hnusef
u can" be answered calmly Har.
riet made M Involuntary movement NJ
this. bot Richard. whose eyes never
ios, sight o. Der. 10 spite Of all that oc'
CURED. checked her with a motion Of
his hand AS told you, ! had come
downstairs Tor book The night was
warm. and through the window came
q yery grateful breeze II ! wished 10
opcn window. why should | alarm
tie entire household with furious
elatter from a big brass gongr'
There were murmurs Of approval
from several persons among the cont
papy, especially the ladies'. but this
only made Mr.. Renwyck more firm IN
bis just convictions.
Nonsense" he cried. utter bosh!
DO you mean 10 tell me that you viii
swear In cOurt--ns you certainly VIII
have t0-that sou opened tina, library
window merely 10 let IN fresh alri"
There was no other reason" the
Texan answered imperiurbably-
Mr. Renwyck tried another tack,
was there any other man With you
In the library last nightr'
There was"
Imogcne gasped, and Harriet put an
arm around her soothingls.
liar cried the financier triumphant
~. Perhaps you win turn states evil
deuoe Wen, who was this other
mAnT"
you" smiled Richard. Il remem'
her you perfectly on account Of your
costume. which was-er- quaint 10 the
extreme"
Uncle Michael broke Into joylal
roar, while q Singer Of amusement
rippicd among the other listeners. The
eulprlt had scored a point, but II only
served to put Mr. Rcnwyck in warm
or rage.
"ofiiccn." he cried, do your dntyl
I accuse this man-he's THEIR
Miss Harriet stepped forward. a
crimson spot glowing on either cheek.
but Imogene held tightly 10 her arm
and dragged her back. Mr. Van der
Awe was IN state which bordercd on
despair. lie also had been watching
lmogenc aud Harriet, and be saw that
they were far more interested IN the
OF the case than their ST.
lenle warranted. Three times Miss
Harriet had started forward, but her
whlmpefing friend had always detaln-
cd Der. once going 80 far as TO stop an
exclamation with pretty hand across
pretticr mouth. What was II Miss
Renwyck seemed so eager 10 tell which
Miss Chiticndon seemed equally de
terIDincd 10 withhold
AZ Mr. ilenwyck's order to the de.
teciiyes great excitement Oiled the
room Sergeant Flint and bis snbor-
dlnate closed upon the Texan. and for
moment II seemed that trouble was
Inevitable.
stop said Richard The tone was
incisiyc. and somehow the wondering
company gave obedience. Mr.. Rem
wyck.r be went on quietly. "you have
called the thief before many Wit
ueSsos. You Will he required to an'
swer TOT this 10 me- As 10 the manner
o. that answer you know enough OF
incn from Texas to-
This time Harriet broke away from
Miss lnogenc. whitening TO the lips
ard stretching ont her hand 10 the
group beneath her.
'-Icsasfr she cried. Then You
are
Il am smiled Richard. "and dcn't
Jon say single word Wen get cu'
of this milf too"
Miss Rcnwyck sank back against the
bsinssradc. trembling from bead to
foot. while her color came and went,
MS slse stared In silence vi the cowboy
Of her dreams to her heart she had
known il FROM The iirsi. yet now she
recognized the fact that she loved the
pseudo Engilshman even u be had not
isrnesi out 10 be her hero Of the plains.
How splendid be looked as be faced
the company, striving TO shield two
helpless girls by taking the blame Of
the roblcry upon himself For her
sake he was h~ing branded as thief,
bar this ihing should not he,
''ImogeDe." she whispered. u must
tell must ] mnsiG"
Bot Imogene eiung 10 Der appeal
lngiy.
.'uh. aoa't!- she pleaded "corne-
lius viii he 20 angry at me Leok ai
him siowesiag n0si Just walt ~
tie shlle shall die % shame Please,
rlezss.~
Harrie, M her lip. I, was too late
DOW. snywsy. FOR her hover was speak.
lng sssin. and slaedid BOT Wish 10 miss
= word
-,scnflcmen." be was saying. mir