Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-08-24
howard. and he. going to ssren.

mind. 1ndifferently she went on:
The papers say there was quar-
rel about you. that you and Mr.. Un-
derwood We're too friendly. They im-
piled that Howard was Jealous. Is
this true?"
Its all talk cried Annie indig
nantly-" nothing but scandal-lies!
There's not word of truth in it.
Howard never had jealous thought
of me-and as for me-wby-Ive al
ways worshiped 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
| lady of me? My God!-do you sup
pose I'd give n man like that cause
for jealousy? What do the newspa-
pers care? They print cruel state
ments that cut into a womans S heart,
without giving it thought, without
knowing or caring whether it's true
or not. as long as it interests a.aa
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, J don't Relieve NE | dout.
You We're right when you said that at
such tiAe as this one woman shoult
by you. Let me be your friend, let
me help you" Extending her hand.
she said: will you?"
Annie srasped 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 al
| fected, she said:
It's the first kind word that" She
/ stopped and looked closely for mo-
ment at Alicia. Then she went on:
It's the qneerest thing, Mrs. Jeff
ries, but 1t 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-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 was i'll.
It's nothing nothing stam-
mered Alicia, recovering herself
Fearing she had said something to
hurt her feelings, Annie said sympa-
thetically:
u haven't said anythng-anything
out Of the way--have L? If have I'm
sorry-awfUlly sorry I'm afrad-I-
I've been very rude and you've been
so kind."
No, no!' interrupted Alicia quick
ly. you've said nothing-,lone moth
ing-you've had 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 don t
know who She is Confidently she
went on: But Judge Brewster will
find her. We have dozen detectives
searching for her. Capt Clinton ac-
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 world" 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 i. himself. If he had not con
fessed 1t would be different
He Gid not confess" replied tho
other ca,.nly. Mrs. Jeffries-he
never confessed. If he did. he didn1
know what AZ was saying.
Alicia was s1pidly losing her self
possession.
''Did he tell y.,s that?" she gasped
Annie nodded.
"Yes. DR.. Belllssein says the po
, lice forced 1T out o. his tired brain
} made Howard go ovsr every second
; of his life that night srom the tins
he left me to the mom..nt he was ar
rested. There wasn't e harsh WORD
between them" She stopped short
and looked with alarm k Alicia, whe
had turned ashen white. why
what's the matter? YOU'RE pale as
death-you-'
T Alicia could contain h,rself no long
er. Her nerves we're oA the point o
. giving way. She felt that If she coulG
not confide her secret to some one
, she must go mad Pacing the floor
2 she cried:
What am to do? What am ! tc
r do? l believed Howard guilty. Why
shouldn't I? had no reason to doubt
his own confession! Every one be
lieved it-his own father included
r Why should doubt It. But l see II
! all now! Underwood must have shot