The Washington herald., 1910-08-07
CHAPTER VI.
Thc snnnirh Womnn,s Honre.


ter the DAYS Of tension and expectancy.
abby went Off early to church. and 1
took a book out to the rustic seat by
the helotrope At about half-past ten
Mr.. Dingley came through the conserva-
tory: but he was used 10 coming in and
out Of the house so much that his join
ing me IN the garden was no more of
an invasion than If he had been one of
the family He said father had told him
he was TO be out of town, and he had
come around 10 see how the household
was getting on. We sat there very COM
fortably in the warm sun, aimlessly
talking hearing the sweet notes of
church bells. 1 was just about to re-
sumo my book when Lee put his head
out Of the conservatory door.
Some one to see you. Miss Ellie" he
ANNOUNCED. and disappeared abruptly be-
fore 1 could ask who.
went in. fearing II would prove to
be some girl whom I did not know well,
who had called out of mere curiosity,
I was surprised to find awaiting me in
the hall. a person whom / did not know
at all-whom had never even seen be-
fore. It was a half-grown. shutting Mex
lean. with a blank and stupid face hook
ing as If he might be some ones stable
boy. But as soon as he saw me. he pro-
duced from some pocket and presented
TO ME with remarkable swiftness and
dexterity, small immaculate white note.
II was addressed TO me. and the writing
was not Estrella Mendez's small copper
plate script but a larger. holder. more
dashing hand. scarcely like a woman's.
To the Senorlta Elenora." il began
and I wondered whether il could be from
one Of mothers old friends. for she had
had several among the great Spanish
families of the North. Il am asking II yau
will honor me with your presence for q
short hour this morning" the letter ran.
1T is impossible that ] come TO you for
I am ill., But there is a very great
reason why must see you. 1t Is a
matter touching justice You will not
fail" II was signed "Carlotta Valencia"
I read the signature twice over. and
then the letter. No. my eyes were not
playing tricks. But STILL could it be
some practical joke? I put the en-
velope TO my face. All, It was she. il
was the perfume of that flower, She
had really written; she had summoned
me
The very fact that she had communi-
Gated with me, this being who was not
as I was whose life seemed as ire
vocably separated from mine as IL she
inhabited another planet, was amazing
And as for those expressions in her letter.
"a very great matter" touching JUS
tice. I dared not think what 1 wanted
10 believe.
I carried the note out into the garden.
II don't know how TO answer this"
said. handing it to Mr. Dingley
He read H. and whistled. "Wen," he
said: and then, there's one thing sure;
you will not 80 alone"
why. you don't mean 10 say I'm 10
GO" I cried
He looked inquiringly. why not?'
"Oh, but father doesn't even ike me
10 speak her name"
Mr.. Dinghy coughed quite right.
quite right! That is. Of course. under
ordinary circumstances. But in affairs
Of this sort, where States evidence is
concerned, we are obliged TO lay per-
sonal feeling aside. Now from this let
ter" and Mr. Dingley tapped the little
sheet which he held before him. Il gath
or that the Sonora Valencia may have
some information concerning this case
Of ours now going forward. OF course
If it's discriminating. the state must have
it. On the other hand if it should tend
to eXonerate the defendant. Of course we
shall be very glad"
Nmurmured. ooh. syes," The hope Of
a possible means OF clearing Johnny
Montgomery went flushing through me.
II the Spanish woman had anything
10 say I knew Il would be IN HIS favor
Still. there was something strange about
it, But II she has this information"
I asked. why doesn't she tell II In the
court?"
My dear Miss Ellie, why indeed? We
never know why women do things But
it has been my experience In legal cases.
and especially IN criminal ones. that wo-
men will often give evidence in some
such high-fantastic way as this which
could never be got out Of them through
the proper channeI-that is, by means Of
cross-examinatiOn. in court. Now she's
evidently taken a fancy to tell you some-
thing. and I feel it is our duty TO see
Just how much is in it."
"Oh. yes" l said again but this time
more family. for when / thought Of
whom ! was to face some cowardly
thing In me wavered. But are you sure
it's-safe?"
Mr.. Dingley laughed. My dear Miss
Ellie. we don't live in the dark ages."
He made me feel ashamed OF my hest
80 Z
the Mexican in Spanish. yes. that I
would come quickly. He seemed salts
fed with this verbal message. and 1
watched him shuttle down the steps. in
spite Of his loose-hung gait, with adj
mirable quickness. Then 1 told Lee that
I was going out dinner al half-past two.
all as simply and usually as If I had
been intending merely 10 stroll over 20
the beach But there the usefulness of
things ended
Mr.. Dingley did not at all take the way
I expected. the most direct and open
way by the broad easy streets. where
at this hour Of Sunday the church-goers
were promenadng: but we went round
about. through unexpected short cuts
and then across the empty stretches Of
the sand-lots toward where the long,
gray facade OF the convent stretched:
and close beside 1t the high fence with
the latticed top, which surrounded the
Spanish woman's house. Above the fence
the roof and the small windows beneath
the caves were just visible. As we grew
near my heart beat quickly. and still 1
felt that. as when I was a child, I was
only going 20 pass It. But we turned