Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-30

happened. and mentally WINGED at an
examination by servant. but his curios-
ity was only natural. He bowed, and in
few minutes returned with the report
ers--four in number-who asked me If I
wished to make a statement. or II l would
say anything further in regard to the ex-
traordinary event of the day.
In our country it is not easy for a pub
lie man to escape the press, and flight
only makes pursuit more strenuous. Nor
did I know that today l wished to evade
1t. because I had something to say to
the public. When / came to talk. all the
plans and schemes to protect Alicia that
had entered my mind fell to the ground.
Enough of subterfuges. evaaions and inven-
lions: they always recofled upon me.
would tell the exact truth. and I told 1t
to them
/ went over the whole story OF that
night, the state in which was, the man.
ner in which had pushed past Alicia and
entered the house, how we had been
schoolmateS and children together. and
then the sudden entrance of her husband
with all the possibilities to her, not re-
allied by me until then: how on the i'm
pulse of the moment I had claimed to
be a burglar. and afterward the chain of
circumstances Tightening about me. until
1 had almost seemed 10 myself to be one.
I spoke eagerly. quickly and with all the
feeling in me. and 1t was such an easy
thing to tell the truth, it came spon-
tdneOuSIy, freely, naturally. j saw Indt
/ was making an impression upon these
men; they seemed to be convinced, and
as they felt they would write.
''Of course. governor" said the Oldest
OF the men. this is a very extraordinary
event. You appreciate that?"
Undoubtedly" replied.
I'VE have no object but to state the
facts. Maybe the newspaper exaggerates
sometimes, but it is not necessary to do
SO in this case: the facts are enough. We
tried to see Mrs: Grey. but her friends
"They were right said II have told
everything"
He laughed a little.
THAT is true" he said. ''but newspaper
practice compelled US to make the trial.
Then they folded up their notes. bowed
and left, and as they did so 1 watched
they would bear themselves toward me.
whether by familiarity. q light word here
and there, careless gesture. they would
show that they no longer considered me
great. and. now it was savagely sensitive.
I should be quicker than ever to resent a
slight, and God knows I now expected
many of them. But they were grave and
quiet. perhaps a little curious like the
servant. and that was all. II they were
an index to the public mind I was not yet
wholly condemned. or. at least, the de-
cree was held in reserve.
half hour after they had gone Jimmy
Warf1eld came into the room, and his
coming was like shaft of sunlight. He
seemed to be wholly cheerful. hailed me
in hearty tones. and Selling my hand
gave 1t tho grasp Of friend. :.
Harry. he said, 1--WE come to tell
you news"
"Of Alicia-Mrs. Grey"
AYE Of her. The Guthries have her.
and think they'll keep her at their
house for many days. She recovered
quickly from the faint in which she fell
and there has been singular transfer
nation In her-Mrs. Guthrie told me
about it-a weight seems to be lifted
from her. she is placid. even happy. she
thinks that she will now bear all the
blame, and that you will appear clean
and whole before the world
'"That cannot be!' / exclaimed
mo. not In the way she thinks. And
now Harry we must face the facts. It
is of them that have come here to talk
to you
He suddenly dropped his light manner