Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-04

mics up to the time Of the tragedy"
Then you do not know Of Jim Arms?'
The start I gave rocked the boat.
Il do know Arms. That is. I've spoken
with him twice. but / have found no evil
dence that he was Mr. Milbraths
enemy"
He was" said Dolly. with conviction.
and her cheeks became very pink. land
he Is. At the coroner's inquest he swore
to the most damaging evidence. and there
was only little Of it-such a very little
Of it-true. You know what Tennyson
says about a lie that is all lie; it can
be met and fought with outright. But a
lie that Is part a truth Is harder mat
ter to fight That was the case with the
testimony of Jim Arms; only the truthful
part was so exceedingly small. Now that
he has convicted Harry to a living death
he is not content. He dares to sheer at
him and to say that he sees him sneak
ing around here at times"
And in that he lies?" / asked, eagerly.
Dolly did not look at me. Her eyes
were upon her wet hand, magnified in the
water And she did not answer.
1T Is a lie?" l asked again. and felt
my heart chilling.
'It is not all the truth. Harry never
was or could be q sneak: But yet: he
has been in Winton and at Red Gables
between trains a few times this summer
Mr.. Bliss, I should not have told you
this! 1t cannot help you. and Grand
father knows, OF course. but the village
must not. must not. l hope you under
stand?"
/ thought that I understood. At that
moment there was no question in my
mind as to the story those scarlet cheeks
and lowered eyelids and sweet, tremulous
lips betrayed. / only wondered that
had not thought of 1t before; the most
natural story in the world-a boy and
girl love that had not died with the pass
Ing Of time, with trouble. or with dis
grace that had come to one OF them. And
suddenly / knew whose boyish face 1t was
In the little heart-shaped locket that had
found, and which was Dolly's constant
companion.
That moment also brought to me an
other revelation-a glimpse OF my own
heart and a recognition OF the trust that
1t had just received.
The oars swung in their locks beneath
my yielding hands. and with the falling
tide the boat drifted into the channel. My
fingers felt suddenly parched and trail
ed them in the water. Just before me
was Dolly's hand, slender, pink. ex-
quisite. l longed to seize 1t in my own
and pour out to her the words Of passion
that came from my heart and were sti-
fling me. But the shades OF my Scotch
summer madness: and presently l found
that the hot blood had gone from my
head, the sharp pain from my heart.
After all, since 1 could not claim the
prize. why should / not rejoice that 1t
had gone to one so needy at that time.
and doubtless SO worthy as Harrison Mil
brath?
NV thoughts passed from personalities
to the broader matters that i had in
hand, I wanted to ask when II was that
Milbrath had been in Winton: the thought
of those warnings haunted me. But
could not bring myself to put question
that would perhaps involve an explana-
ton. Instead 1 said:
would Jim Arms feeling against Mr..
Milbrath carry him to such a length as
to kill his own benefactor!
Dolly nodded emphatically
'He knew about the legacy. you see.
He boosted about it in town. Five thou
sand dollars at one time seemed like such
a lot of money to him. Besides. he was
in danger Of losing his place and quite
likely the legacy. you know"
"Ah! l did not know"
Didn't Harry tell you-of what hap
pened a few days before the murder. l
mean?"
II don't recall that he did I said.
Dolly looked disturbed and unhappy.
"Then cannot she said, briefly. "Oh!
Why will Harry stand in his own light
SO persistently! Write and tell him what
/ have said and ask him to tell you all. !"
IF he will not. for his sake think that
you should"
How can 1 since he has asked me to
YOU should know-perhaps grandfather
will. But please write to Harry"
Il will, tonight. But now tell me what
set Arms against Mr.. Milbrath?
Dolly pondered the matter for mo-
ment.
THE beginning suppose. was when
he took Harry to a saloon In Clintonville