The Washington herald., 1910-08-05
Der that Of all those enemies he had I
was the very worst.
CHAPTER V.


the Spanish woman are truc?' I asked.
He looked at me quickly What
stories?'
why. heard them talking in court
to-day: and last night-Ididn't mean to-
/ overheard you and Mr.. Dingley as you
came out Of the study"
Father looked grim. II is With those
stories they will try 70 convict him"
He took a few more strides before he
added, If they can prove that Mont
gomery wanted to cut cut Rood they'll
have a bad case against him" He didn't
speak again until he put me in the car
riage. Then he said. Il hope that you
viii get this mater out Of your mind
/ hate 10 have you think about II"
said / would try. Indeed. after that
last remark OF Fathers about Mont
gomery wanting 70 cut out Rood it
seemed TO me that. if 7 didn't quickly
get something else into nv mind.
should 80 crazy. So while the carriage
/ bounded over the cobblestones. I was
busy planning-the menu for dinner to
morrow, where 20 leave my earrings 10
/ be mended. how 10 do over my blue silk
gown. and where had been the error
In the ortcher's BILL Ny thoughts rush
ed form one little thing 70 another. afraid
/ fOrJan instant 10 let go
| Upon arriving home Abby hanging
over the banisters. wanted 10 hear about
the court proceedings; but called out
/ 10 her that my testimony hadn't been
| reqUired-and would she please get out
the apricots. and after luncheon I would
| make that sauce she had been after me
/ 20 % for the last week.
/ She seemed astonished, but gratifed.
/ at my invented energy. I had been an
| absolutely useless creature about the
| house for so long. Now I hurried
/ through luncheon. and attacked the ap-
ricots as II my life were staked on get
ting them halved. stoned. and boiling.
/ Good Heavens, child, how you rush."
/ Abby protested. There's no such great
/ haste" But she did not know that
was trying TO run away from an idea.
In the intervals of preserving I dived
into the cellar and brought up my rose
and lilac plants; and the afternoon was
/ spent in running hot-cheeked from the
/ stove 10 the garden. digging. carefully
/ sprinkling. while Abby lowered the roots:
! then packing the earth and patting with
all my might; darling back 10 the kitch-
en- again 10 ladle out the steaming stuff
into Jars and strenU0usly 10 screw on
! their covers
I But for all my wearing Of myself out.
through the steam of the cooking pots.
between the leaves Of the rose-bushes. .
the pursuing idea would lift its head
The picture OF the Spanish woman as
she stood in the witness room, the golden
! glimmer Of her hair. her wonderful white
waNy face. and the way her eyes had
/ sparkled at me through her lashes, re-
1 turned TO my memory, powerful as the
/ odor OF her flower-luxurious and perfect
! looking. as II she had grown in hot
/ house: and with that strange overwhelm-
/ ing characteristic which drew, in spite
/ Of all disliking II was useless 10 cry.
! I 10 not Ike you and viii not believe
I in you" There were two things I had
70 acknowledged VIII. and her power
OF seduction Hadn't ! felt the light OF
/ it as she had stood locking at me?
Finally. when worried out, lay in
/ bed that light, the idea had been fec
ing overlook me: and gave up and look
( ed il in the face. well. yes. and sup
pose he does love her? Should that
/ surprise ne so much? How should he
I help Il? She is so beautiful
Still that admission had been forced
out of me in a moment Of weakness.
between my pillow and the dark; and
I was determined il should not get hold
Of me with its swarm of attendant tor
menting thoughts. / was resolved TO go
into court, thinking OF nothing but just
that small measure OF evidence which
was mine 10 give. and 10 come away
again. turning my back upon the whole
matter, and taking up again the round
Of my daily employments-
This heroic resolution was knocked on
the head the next morning by fathers
announcing that was not summoned for
the opening Of the court-and, he added
parentheticaIly Lord knew when,-but
might be called for any time that at
ternoon. so I was 10 hold myself in readi-
ness. This left me in a miserable state
Of uncertainty. which was not improved
by seeing my name in the Alta. as wit
ness. just above an exhortation 10 the
people Of San Francisco to see that
justice was done, even if the law failed
in its work
The best course seemed to be the i'm
mollation Of myself in the long neglected
homework A vigorous sweeping of my
room. the preparation Of. an elaborate
luncheon salad. and the total rearrange-
ment of the parlor furniture might help
to get rid of that heart-beating expec-
tation-soothing. and bulwar1ing me
around with domesticity. But tn excite
ment Of the city kept invading my re-
treat. as II it were so full Of that great
matter that it had 10 spill over even
into houses where II wasn't wanted The
first ripple had been the sight Of my
name in the paper that morning; but
the wave went quite over me when, just
before luncheon, Halle rushed in. She
had been at the trial all the morning.
and had only just seen the Alta with
my name
She Rugged me a number Of times. with
ordinations Of how awful but fascinat-
ing it must be to be a witness. and what
was II I knew-why hadn't I told her
she would never have divulged one word
Of it-though, OF course, if I was under
oath, Still couldn't I tell her all about
it now?
believe that Hallie's respect for me
had taken leap with the news Of my
position, and. when explained that I
was still under OATH and couldn't tell
anybody anything until 1 told il from
the witness-stand. she looked at me with
positive awe
She staid to luncheon. and it was
irving hut most exciting meal Alas for