The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-04-25
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CHAPTER XIX.-(Continued.)

Mr. Bax," said Miss Dalrymple, with
feminine suavity that l could not too
much admire; land she was equally can
did and outspoken with him. Were you
not?"
II were, miss. l do not wish TO sell
myself. though untold gold were offered.
/ am an honest woman, and no one has
ever righteously accused me otherways.
"Surely Mr.. Bax has not been attempt
ing to bride you, ma'am?" | said, in a
tone of Indignation. mo one who knows
you would try to tamper with your IN
tegrity by suggesting payment for lnfor-
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 rule the most to be suspected.
IL told Mr.. Bax why l left DR.. Aw-
drey, as l have told others said Mrs.
Bates land 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
were criminal?"
but l were not going. DR.. Audrey
cannot deny that GAGE him warning"
''And why did you give him warning?'
asked, seeing that the point lay there.
Because he unrighteously accused me
of meddling with his bottles, which l will
take my oath l never touched. The bot
ties of harsenic layed there marked on
the floor. l will not say that Mr.. Bax
is not right in saying that the doctor let
1t 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
over again to stop after l gave warning,
and offered a rise in my celery, sayin' it
must be the cat as knocked the bottle
down. But I see the trap that was laid
for me, and would not stay, which is mer-
cy 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; but
when she had repeated all her facts half
q dozen times, and l saw there was no
more to be got out of her, l rose and
said:
THAT is enough for to-day, ma am !;
but | have no doubt you will repeat all
you have said to-day if you are asked to
do So"
She glorifed her own steadfastness and
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 1
had not persuaded Mrs. Bates from her
adverse opinion.
II am afraid my witness will do us
more harm than good. This broken bot
tie adds to the weight of evidence against
DR.. Awdrey."
MY dear GIRL" said I, taking her hand
between both of mine, that woman's evil
dence is worth kings ransom to us.
You have done us an incalculable benefit
In bringing her here"
CHAPTER Xxx.
l was not astonished the next morning
when my housekeeper brought in Mr..
Bax's card.
Introduce Mr.. Bax at once" said l,
In a voice that he might hear.
Mr.. Bax pulled his way into the Office
like an unsound locomotive, and gave
him my hand with SMILE He winked
significantly, and stretched out his legs
Vuho hn tod
was master of the situation.
SWELL" he said, sis your client willing
to hand over the trust money, or-going
% fight it?"
Il should not advise him to go to law"
NO. he grunted, with a nod. Every
wise, too"
"A lawsuit would drain the estate: at
the same time we have the money, and
possession is nine points of the law"
The greater reason-knock the matter
on at once. You propose compromise, l
suppose, ehP Good job for Awdrey-got
a generous man to deal with. Any one
else but Lynn would have the lot. Awdrey
wants third, or something like that,
eh?"
"Dr. Audrey wants as much as he can
Sot-IcdSOudOly DuC, DefOre / can Sug-
gest any compromise on his part we must
prove his innocence. You understand nv
position. / cannot run the risk of being
accused of COLLISION"
prove his innocence do Won nro-
pose to do that?"
Il suggest that we hold a meeting In
this Office of all the parties concerned.
and invite the attendance of some we'll
known persona justice of the peace.
say-to give the inquiry publicity, and
make thorough examination of the af-
fair from beginning to end. | shall try
to prove my clients innocence to the sat
isfaction of the magistrate. If fail. SO
much the worse for us; if l succeed
snail be very willing to listen to any
<erms you may propose"
And reject EN-" grunted Bax. and
then looking extremely sly, he pursued :
I'm as deep as you, Keene. You don't
catch me in trap. If you get the mag
istrate and public opinion on your side.
you'll be as saucy as you were the other
Day"
Il shan't be fool Mr.. Bax. You can
withhold vour doc;c;op a..