Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-02-13

the man who was I'm the cabln-who
rode my horse2 II ne Is guilty. why
DO you help him OF and so make your.
self parity guilty? The whole town
believes you are guilty see u IN all
their faces They are sorry. many 81
them. for they don't hate sou as they
did. hut they think you did it-even
Mr. Fielder. though I have told him
what ] suspect and though he is work
Ing now TO defend YOU"
"Jessica." he urged. you must trust
me and have faith In me know Il f.
/. hard. but { can't explain to YOU. Z
can't tell yOu-yet-why I do as am
doing. but sou must believe that am
right"
You speak as n you were sorry FOR
me-" she said. land not for yourself
Is Il because you know YOU are not in
real dauger-that you know the truth
must come out. only you can't tell II
yourself or tell me eitherT Is that itY'
1T IS not that Jessica." he said
gra lively. yet you must not fear for me
for nv life. Try % believe me when
I say that some time you viii under
stand and know that : did only what
must"
"Wil that be soon2" she asked
Il think Il may be soon" be an
swcred
Her face lighted. The puzzle aud
dread lifted. "Oh. then" she said
"oh. then. I shall not boz afraid { can
not share your thoughts nor your So
cree. and I must rebel at That You
mustn't blame mel wouldn't be
woman if did not-but love Won
more than all the world. and shall b,,-
lleve that you know best Hugh" she
added softly do Won know that-you
haven't kissed meT"
Before her upturucd. pleading eyes
and trembling lips the iron OF his pur
pose bent 10 the man IN him. and be
took her into his arms
\ frosty gloom was over the city OF
Aniston. moon and stars hidden by n
cloudy sky. from which lighi snow
the FIRST OF the season. was sitting down
The streets were asleep Only occaSloaai
belated pedestrians were 90 be seen I'm
the chilly air. These saw man. his
face mudIied from the snowfakes pass
hurriedly toward the fountained squire
from whose steeple , o'clock was Just
striking. The wayfarer skirted the
square, keeping In cover OF the build.
ings as though avoiding chance obser.
walton, till be stood Oh the pavement
OF a Gothic chapel fronting the open
space.
on the night OF bis flight from
Smoky Mountain. Hugh had ridden
hard till dawn. abandoning the horse
70 find its way back as best il might.
He had slept through the next day. For
two days after his arrival he hal hung
about outside the town In a fever OF
Impotence, FOR. though he had readily
ascertained that the premises were IN
occupied. the first night he had been
frightened away by the TOO Jealous
scrutiny OF a policeman. and on the
next he had been unable 10 force the
door. That morning he had secured a
skeleton key. and now the weather was
propitious for his purpose.
After moments accommodating he
scaled the frost fretted iron palings
and gained the shelter OF the porch.
He tried the key anxiously. To his re-
lief, II fitted Another minute and he
stood in the study, the door locked be-
hind him. his veins beating with ex-
element
Crouching down before the safe. he
took from his pocket the paper upon
which was written the combination
The match scorched his fingers, ana
he lighted another and began to turn