The Washington herald., 1910-08-09
CHAPTER VII.-Continued.

considered. i couldn't contradict a thing
The incidents were there. but somehow
they all sounded perfectly harmless. III
felt bewildered Beside these mud-Iooking
facts my actions seemed those Of a mad
woman
Furthermore, father went on. MT Ding
ley had said that when he went through
the sala afterward, searching for me, the
windows had been closed and locked fast
and the police had declared there was
no hole in the convent wall. and that the
wall itself would have been a difficult
drop even for a man.
I bounced upon this as a tangible fact.
Then some one in the house must have
closed and locked the window again; and
there was hole in the walt or how
could have gone through it? The drop
was very bad indeed for my hat was
crushed out Of shape"
Poor father looked very much puzzled.
But about the wine-I don't understand.
Why did You DO that?"
The answer was ready al my amazed
lips. but 1 stopped il. for now at last I
began TO see. I began TO see how, with
out that peculiar intent look with which
the Spanish woman had handed me the
wineglass, nor the menacing gesture
with which she had thrust It upon me.
the episode Of the wine that had seemed
TO me SO threatening became mere
empty courtesy: and indeed, separated
from the sinister appearance Of the mo-
ment not one episode that had taken
place In that extraordinary house which
could not be explained away I knew
past any doubling that the Spanish
woman had tried 20 bride me. had tried
10 poison me. and falling that would
have detained me by force. if 1 had not
got out OF the window. And. II I should
tell him the whole adventure now while
it was SO burning fresh in my own mind.
with all it's suggestive atmosphere. its
eloquent details. couldn't I make him
see il as I saw IL No. The Spanish
woman had blown the magic breath Of
her plausibility. her ingenuity. upon the
poor little substance OF my true story.
and had scattered II like ash. It
was too much Of an undertaking. even
supposing il 10 be possible. 20 bring
together the pieces again. And
wagner but even more nsisteut voice
prompted. Then suppose he does be-
lieve me? What viii it mean 10 Johnny
Montgomery II seemed % me that 7
had been enough Of Spartan as Tar as
that man was concerned.
looked UP az father and said. "She
frightened me the Spanish woman
frightened me. and so I ran away
How readily he took this up. showed f.
noe il was the explanation he expected /
Yes, I Know. 1t would be quite nat +
Ural." he said soothingIy. You have
been much overwroughL and this infer
nal performance has thrown YOU into
mysteries. But that wall. child-an awful
drop He laughed a little but 7 could
see how much moved he was. Il hope
70 see that courage displayed in
worthier cause some time"
] did not tell him how worthy the cause
this time had been. how were Il not for
that bold leap of mine there would have
been no star witness for the people to-
morrow.
Something in my noncommittaI air
seemed TO touch father and make him
still look anxiously at me- "Of course.
Dingley is going 10 have the matter in
vesugated further The woman viii
probably be arrested, if only on sus-
picion"
But that evening he told me that Mr.. /
Dingley had said nothing had been elicit /
ed from her that would warrant such
thing; and though father seemed vexed
and dissatisfied. he argued what could
one DO II there was no evidence 10 fasten /
upon?
old not answer; knew it would be OF I
no use. Mr.. Dingley's explanations were
so reasonable But since I had talked /
with father that morning a piece OF news
had come to me which had only sue /
ceeded in strengthening my belief in the Z
meaning Of the Spanish woman's actions. /
This was brought me by Halle. my en- I
voy extraordinary, who had wormed Il I
out Of her mother, who had got it from /
Mr.. Ferguson.
II seemed that on Saturday. just after F.,
Halle had left the court. the Spanish I
woman had taken the witness stand and I
testified that she had been Foods wife /
Mr.. Ferguson said this was ridiculous to /
suppose. yet no one. not even Mr. Ding /
ley. had challenged her statement. She /
denied there had ever been any trouble F.
between the two men. She said she had
been interested in Mr.. Montgomery as a 1
woman might be who was old enough to I
be his mother. but that Rood had been /
her husband. and that she had loved and /
been faithful 20 him. She was wonder
fully calm and convincing. Mr. Ferguson
had said. and it looked at first as if her
fac
much. but when NIr Dingley's associate
began cross-examining her. he seemed TO
turn her testimony inside out, and then
fl appeared that her evidence had been
the worst thing possible for the prisoner.
For If Rood had stood so firmly in Mont
gomery's way. the lawyer argued. that
would give the very strongest motive for
the shooting
Wasn't II dreadful" Halle exclaimed.
when she wanted so much 70 help him.
TO find she had only made things worse.
Father said that when she realized how
the evidence had been turned against him
she grew as white as death"
From this 1 was able to understand bet
ter why the Spanish woman had been
willing 10 take the terrible chance in
volved in sending for me to come to her
house She must have been desperate.
But. what I could not understand was.
why had not Mr.. Dingley challenged any
OF her testimony in the court? Why was
II always his associate?
had a sense Of things going on under
the surface which even my father did not
suspect There was plenty of news fly.
ing about in plain hearing and sight
news Of mob law preached from the
custom-house steps; news OF the dou-
bic guard at the jail so there would be I