The Washington herald., 1910-08-01

each other, and a strange thought came
he dead, had he gone away, didn't you
find anything"
The answering look or their faces made
my heart go down ike lead. I'VE found
everything as you told US except the
revolver. There was no revolver there"
/ sat clutching the arms Of the chair.
staring hard at Mr.. Dingley. who seem
ed suddenly to have become a stranger
to me. Then some one must have
picked it up"
But Miss Ellie. you say that the
street was absolutely deserted when this
thing occurred; and when I reached the
spot there was a woman looking out OF
a window, and some laborers running
up from Suffer street. but no one had
yet reached the place Now, how
could"
Father broke In. NO. jim. you'E only
brighten herr" In a lower voice he said
something that sounded like. Not on
the stand yet" Then. leaning toward
me, across the table, resting on his elbow
until his face was level with my own.
Il know you must have been much
frightened at what you saw. child. and
it's possible you may have been a little
hysterical, isn't Il? It's possible you
might have fancied a revolver In his
hand. isn't it, when there was none
there?"
lie said this very slowly and gently.
as If he were trying to soothe me. but
looking straight into his eyes I saw a
sharp anxious light there. and the con-
viction came TO me that he very much
wanted me to have been mistaken. Mr..
Dingiey, from the fireplace. was watch
ing me hard, as IL he were trying. with
that incredulous look OF his. to force It
on me that I must be mistaken. And
then the thought hoated through my
mind that in some way IT would be bet
ter for that handsome, terrible man il
could say l hadn't seen a revolver. I
tried to make myself believe that they
were right; l shut my eyes. The pic
ture came to me as II II were before me
still, and nothing in it was more clear
than that thing OF steel and pearl. Il
wasn't hysterical," 1 said, 7 saw II
plainly"
Gould you take your oath in courtY'
father said in a stern voice.
'Oh. yes"
Father dropped my hand and leaned
back He looked puzzled Mr.. Dinglev
came close TO him and said something
so low that I couldn't catch IL But
father answered in his usual voice as n
he had forgotten l was there. NO. Jim.
If she says 90 then she did-be sure OF
that" He listened again while Mr..
Dingley murmured to him. and the look
Of their faces. the lowered. flushed tones
of their voices, made me feel. more than
words could have done. that they were
| talking about something very serious
All the while Mr. Dingley was speal,ing
father slowly nodded. Il have no doubt
you could. JIM" he said at last. "and
it's very good of you to offer. but we
can't suppress evidence because II han
pens" He dropped his voice and !
lost the last word
Mr. Dingley looked silently down for
moment, and thought he was going
TO say something more. but finally he
only shrugged. Wen, what time do YOU
want to go down. them" he said.
Father looked at his watch. I'VE
might as well get this business over as
soon as possible. Ellie" His voice
sounded so sharply on my name that
jumped UP, all of nervous tremble. &c
upstairs and put on your bonnet want
you to come with me-"
1 felt that my voice was woefully un.
steady.