Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1911-10-20

inquisitor repeated.
looked again. The scrap was small
er than my note had been when II
left my hands. If 1t were the same
then some of the words were gone
Were they the first ones or the last?
1t would make difference in the read
ing or. rather, in the conclusions to
be drawn from what remained If only
the mist would clear from before my
eyes or he would hold the slip of paper
nearer. The room was very dark The
the
"1s it your writingT' Coroner Perry
asked for the third time.
There was no denying It. My writ
ing was peculiar and quite unmistak
able. should gain nothing by saying
no.
at looks like it." admitted reluc.
tantly. but l cannot be sure in this
light. May ask what this bit of pa
per is and where you found it?'
"Its contents think you know. A.
for the last question, think you can
answer that also If you will" Say
ing which he quietly replaced the scrap
of paper in his pocketbook.
followed the action with my eyes.
caught fresh glimpse Of a darkened
edge and realized the cause of the faint
Odor which I had hitherto experienced
without being conscious of 1t. The
scrap had been plucked out Of the
chimney. She had tried to burn it. !
remembered the fire and the smolder.
ing bits Of paper which crumbled at
my touch. And this one-this. the most
important. the only important one Of
them all-had flown, half scorched. up
the chimney and chung there within
easy reach.
The whole incident was plain to me-
and could even fix upon the moment
when Hexford or Clarke discovered
this invaluable bit of evidence 1t was
Just before l burst in upon them from
the ballroom, and it was the undoubt
| ed occasion of the remark l then over
| heard:
This settles It. He cannot escape
us now"
During the momentary silence which
now ensued | tried to remember the
exact words which had composed this
note:
"Tonight-10:30 train-we will be
married at P. Come, come, my dar.
ling. my life. She will forgive when
all is done Hesitation will only undo
us. Tonight at 1920. Do not fail me
I shall never marry any one but you"
Was that all? l had an indistinct
remembrance Of having added some
wild and incoherent words Of passion
ate affection affixed to her name. Her
name! But it may be that in the hur.
ry and furry Of the moment these
terms Of endearment simply passed
through my mind and found no ex-
preston on paper. l could not be sure
any more than l could be positive
from the half glimpse l got Of these
lines which portion had been burned
Off-the top, in which the word train
occurred, or the final words, emphasiz.
ing a time of meeting and my determi.
nation to marry no one but the per
son addressed. The first gone, the lat
| ter might take on any sinister mean
Ing The latter gone, the first might
prove safeguard, corroborating my
statement that an errand had taken
me into town.
1t would be hard to find an alibi fol
Carmel If suspicion once turned hel
way. She had not met me at the
train. The unknown but doubtless
easily to be found man who had hand
ed me her note could swear to tha
fact.
Then the note itself! had destroyed
it, it Is true. but its phrases were pres
ent to my mind. They were these-in
nocent, If she were innocent, but how
suggestive In the light Of her probable
guilt:
II cannot. Wait till tomorrow. Thel
you will see the depth Of my love fol
you-what l owe you, what I ow'
Adelaide"
l was conscious that not a look O
movement of mine had escaped tn
considerate but watchful eye Of tn
man before me.
you do not relish my questions,
he dryly observed. perhaps yo'
would rather tell your story withou
interruption. II so beg you to b
as explicit as possible. The. circum
stances are serious enough for pei
feet candor on your part"
took a quick resolve. would ar
pear to throw discretion to the winds
to confde to him what men usual
hold sacred. to risk my reputation a
a gentleman, rather than incur sus
picion which might involve other
more than 1t did myself.
II will give you an account Of m,
SELF" said l. II did love Adelaide ono
or thought so, but my feelings cham
ed. A great temptation came into m
life. Carmel returned from school an
you know her beauty. her fascini
tion. A week in her presence and ma
riage with Adelaide became impossibl
But how evade 1t? l knew only IL
towards way-to lure this inexper
enced young girl, fresh from schoC
into a runaway match. This evenir
, I had set as the limit Of my enduran'
! Of the intolerable situation. During
minute Of solitude preceding the di
! nar at Miss Cumberland's house on Il