The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1910-12-23
CHAPTER xxvluL-co0ttnued.

CHAPTER xxvlIL-co0tfnued.
-Married'' she said finally. in a
small voice. .Way. ! don't think II is
possible. is it, II was on my way
20 Baltimore 10 marry him myself,
when the wreck came"
But you said you don't care for
him l protested, my heavy mascu-
line mind unable TO jump the gaps in
her story. And then, without the
slightest warning, I realized that she
was crying. She shook off my hand
and fumbled for her handkerchief,
and failing to find it, she accepted the
One thrust into her wet fingers.
Then, little by little. she told me
from the handkerchief, a sOrdid story
Of a motor trip in the mountains with
out Mrs. Curtis, of a lost road and a
broken car, and a rainy night when
they-she and Sullivan, tramped eter-
naliy and did not get home. And of
Mrs. Curtis. when they got home at
dawn, suddenly grown conventional
and deeply shocked. OF her own
proud. half-disdainful g consent to
make possible the hackneyed com
promising situation by marrying the
rascal, and then-Of his disappearance
from the train. 1t was so terrible TO
her, such a HeaVen-sent relief to me,
in spite of my rage against Sullivan,
that | laughed aloud. At which she
looked at me yer the handkerchief.
I know it's funny" she said, with
q catch In her breath. When think
that l nearly married a murderer
and didn't cry for sheer joy" Then
she buried her face and cried again.
Please don't" l protested INSTEAD
lily. II won't be responsible if you
keep on crying like that. may for
get that have a capital charge hang
ing over my head, and that | may be
arrested at any moment"
That brought her out of the hand
kerchief at once. Il mean to be so
helpful" she said, "and I've thought
Of nothing but myself! There we're
some things / meant to tell you. If
Jennie was-what you say, then ] un-
derstand why she came to me just be-
fore / left. She had been packing
my things and she must have seen
what condition | was in, for she came
over to me when | was getting my
wraps on. to leave, and said, Don't
do 1t. Miss West, | beg you won't do
Il; you'll be sorry ever after And
Just then Mrs. Curtis came in and
Jennie slipped out"
That was all?"
No. AS we went through the sta
ton the telegraph operator gave Har
Mr. Sullivan. a message. He read IL
on the platform. and it excited him
terribly. He took his sister aside and
they talked together. He was white
with either fear or anger don't
know which. Then. when We boarded
the train. a M in black. with
beautiful hair. who was standing on
the car platform. touched him OF the
arm and then drew back. He looked
at her and glanced away again. but
she reeled as if he had struck her"
Then what?" The situation was
growing clearer.
Mrs. Curtis and ! had the drawing
room. I had a dreadful night, just
sleeping a little now and then. I
saw his cigarette case in your hand.
! had given 1t 10 him. You wore his
clothes. The murder was discovered
and you we're accused Of it, What
could | do? And then, ~afterward.
when ! saw him asleep at the farm
house. I'll was panic.stricken. /
locked him in and ran. | didn't know
Why he did il. but4rhe had killed a
man
Some one was calling Alison
through q ~megaphone, from the verah-
"a u sounded like Sam. Alice
he called rAil-eel I'm going to have
some ~anchoVies on toastt All-eet"
Neither Of us heard.
wonder. ! reflected. III Won
vonid be willing to repeat a part Of
2 a. skcry-just from the telegram on
Y . couple Of detectives. saw op
Mondsx Il % would tell tia and
how tue end II your necklace cot ,utf
me seaIskin bag
Nv necklAcsss she repeated .a.,
N ~ mins- 1 picked ii up In IS.
~Ailee'r Sam asain. Il .ee y,
XXX thefe' Tn making : 1ulspi-