The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1911-07-07
Howard, and he's going 20 dereno

Alicia looked at her anxiously as If
trying to read what might be in her
mind. Indifferently she went on:
The papers say there was a quar-
rel about you, that you and Mr.. Tn
derwood were too friendly They i'm
piled that Howard was Jealous. Is
this true?"
It's all talk" cried Annie indig-
manipulating but scandal-lies.
There's not a word of truth in 1t.
Howard never had a jealous thought
Of me-and as for m~e-why-IVe al
ways w~orshiped the ground he walked
on. Didn't he sacrifice everything for
my sake? Didn't he quarrel with his
father for me? Didn't he marry me?
Didn't he try to educate and make a
lady of me? My God,-do you sup
pose I'd give a man like that cause
for jealousy? What do the newspa-
pers care? They print cruel state
ments that cut into a woman's heart,
without giving it. a thought, without
knowing or caring whether it's true
or not, as long as it interests and
amuses their readers. You-you don't
really believe I'm the cause Of his
misfOrtunes, do you?"
Alicia shook her head as she an
swered kindly:
NO, | don't. Believe me, | don't.
You were right when you said that at
such a int as this one should
stand by another. I'm going TO stand
hy Won at mo ho vn,y friend Ipt
me help you" Extending her hand,
she said: will you?'
Annie grasped the proffered hand.
1t was the first that had been held
out to her in her present trouble. A
lump rose in her throat. Much at
fected, she said:
Its the first kind word that" She
stopped and looked closely for a mo-
ment at Alicia. Then she went on:
ITS the queerest thing, Mrs. Jeff
ries, but it keeps coming into my
mind. Howard told me that while he
was at Underwood's hat dreadful
night he thought he heard your voice.
yet he thought he was sure of it.
Your voice-thats queer. isn't it
Why-what's the matter?'
Alicia had grown deathly pale and
staggered against a chair. Annie ran
to her aid, thinking she vas i'll.
It's nothing - nothing" STAN.
mered Alicia, recovering herself.
Fearing she had said something to
hurt her feelings, Annie said sympa-
thetically:
Il haven't said anything-anything
out OF the Way-have l? Ii | have I'm
sorry-awfully sorry. I'm afraid-I-
I've been very rude and you've been
SO kind"
NO, no." interrupted Alicia quick
ly. You've said nothing-done moth
ing-you've had a great deal to bear
"a great deal to bear. | understand
; that perfectly Taking her compan
ions hand in hers. she went on:
Tell me, what do they say about the
woman who went to see Robert I'm
derwood the night of the tragedy"
The police can't find her-we dom
know who she is" Confidently she
went on: But Judge Brewster will
find her. We have a dozen detectives
searching for her. Capt. Clinton &C
cused me of being the woman-you
know he doesn't like me-"
The bankers wife was far too busy
thinking of the number OF detectives
employed to find the missing witness
to pay attention to the concluding
sentence. AnXiously she demanded:
%'Supposing the woman is found,
what can she prove? What difference
will it make?'
"All the difference in the word" re-
piled Annie. She is a most i'm
portant witness" Firmly she went on:
She must be found. If she didn't
shoot Robert Underwood, she knows
who did"
But how can she know" argued
Alicia. Howard confessed that he
did it himself. If he had not con
fessed it would be different"
He did not confess replied the
other calmly. Mrs. Jeffries-he
never confessed. If he did, he didn't
know what he was saying"
Alicia was rapidly losing her self
possession.
Did he tell you that she gasped.
Annie nodded.
Yes. DR.. Bernstein says the po-
lice forced 1t out of his tired brain.
made Howard go over every second
of his life that night from the time
he left me to the N he was ar
rested. There wasn't a harsh word
between them" She stopped short
and looked with alarm at Alicia, who
had turned ashen white. Why,
what's the matter? You're pale as
death-you-"
Alicia could contain herself no long
er. Her nerves were on he poilt OF
giving way. She felt that If she could
not confide her secret to some one
she must go mad. Pacing he floor.
she cried:
What am | to do? What am | to
do? | believed Howard guilty. Why
shouldn't - had no reason 70 GOl1ht