Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1908-09-18
CHAPTER x1x.-tContinued.l

much admire land she was equally can
did and outspoken with him. Were you
not?
AZ were, miss l do not wish to sell
myself, though untold gold were offered.
] am an honest woman, and no one mas
ever righteously accused me otherways."
"Surely Mr.. Bax has not been attempt
ing to bride you, ma'amW l said, in a
tone Of indignation. mo one who knows
you would try to tamper with your IN
tegrity by suggesting payment for intor-
nation. To offer a recompense-a sulta-
BILE recompense-for services rendered
would be a different thing, but before
tut, tut, tut "
!. l knew the woman. She was one OF
those who are continually fancying them
selves suspected; if they find lost half
penny or a stray stick of sealing wax they
will think it is laid out to tempt them"
and l will add that women of this kind
are as a rule the most to be suspected.
II told Mr.. Bax why l left DIR. Aw-
drey, as 1 have told others" said Mrs.
Bates; "and am not ashamed of owning
to it before the Queen herself. And moth
ing shall make me leave Coneyford, where
/ am not ashamed to show my face any
day in the week"
'Of course he would have been very
glad to get you out of the way, as if you
we're a criminalp
"But were not going. DR.. Awdrey
cannot deny that / GAGE him warning"
"And why did you give him warningr'
asked, seeing that the point lay there.
Because he unrighteously accused me
Of meddling with his bottles, which l will
take my oath / never touched. The bot
ties of harsenic layed there marked on
the floor I will not say that Mr.. Bax
is not right in saying that the doctor let
It slip from his guilty hand himself, and
wished to put it on to me in case of in
Quiries. / know that he asst me over and
ever again to stop after l gave warning
and offered rise in my celery, sayin' IL
must be the cat as knocked the bottle
down. But / see the trap that was laid
for me, and would not stay, which is mer'
CT I'm sure or l might now be in the
condemned cell"
She rambled on a long while to the
same purpose, while l made notes OF Ger
tain facts and from time to time exas
perated her to further rambling; bu
when she had repeated all her facts hal
q dozen times, and saw there was M
more to be got out Of her, rose anC
said:
.'That is enough for to-day, ma'am
but have no doubt you will repeat al
you have said to-day If you are asked tt
do So"
She glorihed her own steadfastness ant
sense Of rectitude, and so went away
Miss Dalrymple had sunk into a chair
and met my gaze with look Of detection
She was evidently disappointed that
had not persuaded Mrs. Bates from he
adverse opinion.
II am afraid my witness will do u
more harm than good. This broken bot
tie adds to the weight Of evidence agains
DR.. Awdrey."
my dear girl" said 1, taking her han
between both OF mine, shat woman's ev
dence Is worth a kings ransom to III
You have done us an iAcalculable benef
N bringing her here"
CHAPTER Xxx.
l was not astonished the next mornin
when my housekeeper brought In M
Bax's card.
Introduce Mr.. Bax at once" said
In voice that he might hear.
Mr.. Bax pulled his way into the ofiC
like an unsound locomotive, and l CAV
him my hand with smile. He winke
significantly, and stretched out his lea
when he seated himself, feeling that
was master of the situation.
'Well," he said, "is your client willin
to hand over the trust money, Or-gOin
70 fight it?"
II should not advise him to go to law
NO" he grunted, with a nod. "Ver
wise, too"
"A lawsuit would drain the estate; I
the same time we have the money, an
possession is nine points of the law"
1.-THE greater reason-knock the matte
of at once. You propose compromise,
suppose, Ell? Good job for Awdrey-g,
a generous man to deal with. Any OF
else but Lynn would have the lot Awdrt
wants a third, or something like tina
ehT
"Dr. Awdrey wants as much as he ca
Ret-reasonably. But, before l can su
Gest any compromise on his part we mu
prove his innocence. You understand n
position. l cannot run the risk of beiI
accused Of COLLISION"
"Prove his innocence-how do you DR.
pose to do that?"
al suggest that we hold a meeting
this Office Of all the parties coneerne
and invite the attendance Of some we
known person. justice of the peac
say-to give the inquiry publicity, Al
make a thorough examination Of the 9
fair from beginning to end. shall t
to prove my clients innocence to the 81
isfaction of the magistrate. II fail,
much the worse for us; II succeed
shall be very willing to listen to a
>erms you may propose"
"And reject EN-" grunted Bax; a,
then looking extremely sly, he pursue
"I'm as deep as you, Keene. You dol
catch me in trap. If you get the ms
istrate and public opinion on your 81,
you'll be as saucy as you were the ott
day."
81 shan't be fool, Mr. Bax. You C
withhold your decision as to the coul
you shall take, until you have made ter
with me; it is always open to you af
this examination-which,a as 1 have sho
you, is but a proper safeguard of my o
reputation-to contest the will, and Is
public proceedings. All I demand is
full examination, and some public rec
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