Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-07-14

! resisting OIucefS OF tue law. oueuGeS
against officialdom. had paid the
penalty in full. believe. But this
other matter-that was different II
weighed on me through those years
on the island and afterward. Jury
had convicted me wrongfully. But
/ had to prove 1t. to satisfy myself. to
find out beyond any shadow Of a
doubt, and
ale did" For the first time Captain
Forsythe spoke. "steele has in his
possession full proofs OF his innocence,
and / have seen them. They go to
show that he suffered through the cow
ardlce of a miserable cad, titled
scoundrel who struck his hand from
the gunwale OF the boat when the
Lord Nelson went down. Yes, you
told that story in your fevered ram
blings. Steele"
"Forsythe'-the others voice rang
out didn't tell you the
part he played was to be forgotten un-
less'-
"All right; have your way" grudg.
ingly.
"a titled scoundrel! There was only
one person of rank on the Lord Nelson
besides myself. and Forsythe"-the
old nobleman's voice called out sharp
ly-"you haze said too much or too lit
! tle"
John Steele made gesture. 81 have
given my word not to-
"But / haven'tp said Captain For
sythe. "The confession | procured
and what subsequently learned led
me directly to- Here is the tale, Sir
Charles"
1t was over at last They were gone,
Sir Charles and Captain Forsythe.
Their hand clasps still fingered in his
For few moments now John Steele
remained motionless, listening to their
departing footsteps, then turned and
gazed around him.
Never had his rooms appeared more
cheerless, more barren, more empty
No; not empty. They were filed with
memories. The man squared his shoul-
de-s and looked out again from the |
window toward that small bit of the
river he could just discern. Once he
had gazed at it when its song seemed |.
to be of the green banks and flowers
1t had passed by. but that had been on
a fairer occasion-at the close of joy- |
Gus spring day. How it came back to !
him, the solemn court of justice. the |
beautiful face. an open doorway, with |
the sunshine golden without and a
figure that. ere passing into it. had |
turned to look back! 1t was but for
an instant yet again his gaze seemed |
to leap to that Turing light, the pass
ing CLEAN of her eyes, that had lin
gered-
That he saw now. or was it a dream?
At the threshold near by some one
looked out-some one as fair-fairer.
II that could be-whose cheeks. wore
the tint of the wild rose.
Pardon me. / came up to see If
my uncle
He stared at her.
Your
"Yes" She raised a small. gloved
hand and swept back a disordered
tress.
"Your-your uncle has just gone"
he said.
II know"
"You do?"
81 was in the library when they
went out, had come up to see
was with my uncle in the cab and
wondered why he"-
She stopped. He took a quick step
toward her You were in there. that
room. when"-
"Yes." she said and threw. back her
head as If to contradict a sudden misti-
ness that seemed stupidly sweeping
over her gaze. why did you not tell
me-you did not-that you were inno-
cent?"
"You were in there?'' He did not
seem to catch her words Heard
beard
A moment they stood looking at each
other. Suddenly she reached out her
hands to him. With a quick exelama.
tion he caught and held them
But in a moment he let them fall
What had he been about to say. to
do. with the fair face the golden head.
so near? He stepped back quickly.
Madness!
You are going awayF' She was the
first to speak. Her voice was in the
least uncertain.
"Tomorrow"-wi looking at her
Ito America"
at is very large" irrelevantly. ~
remember-of course, you are an
American. IL have hardly realized
It, We've Australians are not so un-
ike you. But your friends here?"
Her lips half yelled a tremulOus little
smile.
MY friends" Something flashed In ,
his voice--went. leaving him very quiet.
II am afraid | have not made many ,
while in London" Her eyes lifted
slightly. fell Call It the homing in
stinctg" ne went on with laugh.
''The desire once more to become part l
and parcel Of ones native land. 10 be- ]
come a factor. however small, in its |
activities" j
II don't think yOu-wtll be-a small
factor" said the girl In a low tone
She stole glance at his face. He was
looking down. The silence heightened.
He waited. She seemed TO hnd moth