The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1910-10-28
CHAPTER XIV.
Who Was Guilty?

CHAPTER XIV.
Who Was Guilty?
Enid put down the glass and waited
till Dorothy should speak. She was
too much agitated to be surprised at
the ease with which her cousin i'm
bibed the fiery stimulant.
In few moments that fictitious
strength came to Dorothy's aid, and
her quick, scheming brain saw in one
second that Ends advice was wise,
but she was too much unhinged to
depend on herself now, and she clung
to this girl, whom she despised and
hated for possessing the very powers
which might prove her salvation now.
Enid. how good you are" she
murmured, sinking back in the chair;
"and you are right, too, dear; I will
do all you tell me-all."
at will be wise, I think" Enid re-
turned, coldly. u
She was no coward, and could not
help the contempt that sprung up SO
easily.
But you must let me explain, 4"
continued Dorothy, restlessly. "You
must listen! I did stab a man last
night; but you could never under
stand-pray Heaven you never may!
how sorely, how horribly I was
tried. He has tortured my life ever
since I have been married. He
was"
Dorothy, I would rather not listen
to this; only tell me this; and I be-
seech you, tell me the truth; if the
body that has been found dead in the
grounds should prove to be the man
whom you stabbed. are you guilty of
his death?"
Enid spoke in low, hurried tones,
fraught with eager anxiety.
Dorothy stretched out her hands
to her cousin.
AS Heaven is my witness-no!
she said, firmly. Il struck him in
the left arm; it could not have been
a deep wound, but it made him faint
at first, and then 1 suffered torture,
for my passion had gone. and l
thought he was dead indeed; but he
tSslfOus duu gave
and tied up his arm. and when 1 came
away he was standing upright, and
seemed almost as strong as ever. If
he is dead it was not I who killed
him. swear it,"
"Then," said Enid, after mo-
ment's thought. "there is one great
danger before us, Dorothy. Some
third person must have been near
and perhaps overheard your voices
a tramp, or a confederate who owed
him a grudge. Did you give him
any money. or was he rich?"
II gave him neee last night, but he
was rich, and at M. expense" Dor
othy said in bitter tones: then sud-
denly reading the pain and shrinking
on Ends face, she burst out, hGr-
riedly: Enid, you must listen to
me; I must explain. All! know you
think hardly of me, but PERHAPS when
you"have heard all, you will not judge
me so hardly nor blame me as you
must do now"
While she said this she was think
ing swiftly: Il must tell her some
story-for / must hold her fast; I
shall need her-but not the truth!
No, no; if George Laxon is dead, the
past shall die with him.
She paused for an instant in agita-
ton, as Enid thought, but in reality
to gain time.
"If it distresses you, Dorothy, do
not speak; I am not curious, and"
But Dorothy put up her hand.
81 owe it to you to speak, Enid,
for fear, dear, you must have been
tempted to doubt me. 1 must be
brief, for Gervais may be here at any
moment. Stop down. will not let
even the walls hear my secret"
Enid bent her head obediently, and
her heart thrilled with some inde-
Enable fear.
"The han I saw last night was
one who held Gervais in his power
He-he-ah. Enid, it goes to my
heart to say 1.-THE possessed the
secret of some youthful, boyish wrong
nay, crime!-of what nature 1 will
not tell you. You remember the day
of the garden party. when my poor
father died?"
yes" said Enid. family. wonder
ing what new pain this was that was
stealing into her heart. Gervais the
culprit. Gervais a criminal! The
thought was torture.
That was the beginning of my
misery" Dorothy said, impressively;
she saw that Enid believed every
word she said, and she could have
laughed even in her anxiety at her
easy success. This man found out
that l was going to marry Gervais. and
he came to me and told me this awful
secret, thinking to destroy my
darling's happiness: but | did what
you would have done, Enid. l re-
fused to believe it and threatened the
man with a stronger power if he did
not go Immediately. To this, dear,
came a fearful answer; if | did not
give him a certain sum of money
| without delay, he would give informa-
ton to the police and have Gervais
| dragged from his home and thrown
into prison. What would you have
done, Enid?"
Dorothy was acting snlendidlV snd