The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1911-06-15


nv sake? Didn'c he quarrel with his
father for met 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 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 1t interests and
amuses their readers. You-you don't
really believe I'm the cause OF his
misfortunes, do your
Alicia shook her head as she an
swered kindly:
mo. | don't. Believe me, I don't.
You were right when you said that at
such a time as this one woman should
stand by another. I'm going TO stand
by you. Let me be your friend, let
me help you" Extending her hand,
she said Twill your"
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 af-
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 that dreadful
night he thought he heard your voice.
1t must have been dream, of course,
yet he thought he was sure of it..
Your voice-that's queer, isn't it?
Why-what's the matters?
Alicia had grown deathly pale and
staggered against chair, Annie ran
to her aid. thinking she was ill.,,
ITS nothing nothing!" STAN
mered Alicia, recovering herself.
Fearing she had said something to
hurt her feelings, Annie said sympa-
thetically:
Il haven't said nything-anything
out of the way-have /? If have I'm
sorry--awfully sorry. I'm afraid
I've been very rude and you've been
so kind!"
mo, mol" interrupted Alicia quick
ly. You've said nothing-done moth
ing-you've had a great deal to bear
Ia 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 don't
know who she Isl Confidently she
went on: but Judge Brewster will
find her. We have a dozen detectives
searching for her. Capt. Clinton ac-
cused me of being the woman-you
know he doesn't lile 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 world re-
piled Annie. "She Is 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 known" 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.
Eyes. DR.. Bernstein says the po-
lice forced 1t out of his tired brain.
made Howard go over every second
of his life that right from the time
he left me to the moment he was ar
rested. There wasn't 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
err Her nerves were on the point of
giving way. She felt that If she could
not confide her secret to some one
she must go mad. Pacing the floor,
she cried: ~
what am l to do? What am to
do? l believed Howard guilty. Why
shouldn't /? | had no reason to doubt
his own confession! Every one be-
lieved this own father included.
Why should | doubt it. But see 1t
all now! Underwood must have shot
himself as he said he would"
Annie started. What did Mrs. JEFF.
fries mean? Did she realize the tre-
mendous significance of the words she
was uttering?
"As he said he would?" she repeat
ed slowly. D
eyes," said Alicia weakly.
Annie bounded forward and grasped
her companions arm. Her face
flushed. almost unable to speak from
suppressed emotion, she cried:
CTO BE CONTINUED)r
TN