Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-11-16

ue Win all the skill ana aO1llLy my
desperate situation demanded. l was
conscious of a great leap of heart as
the set expression Of his features re-
Taxed and he responded almost warm
ly:
II will take your case. Ranelagh.
God help me to make 1t good against
all Odds"
I was conscious Of few hopes. but
some Of the oppression under which
I labored lifted at those words. I had
assured one man of my innocence! he
was ready to speak before I was.
"Then you had not been long on the
scene of crime when the police arriv-
ed?"
Il had been in the room but a few
minutes. l do not know how long l
was searching the house."
1.-THE police say that fully twenty
minutes elapsed between the time they
received Miss Cumberland's appeal for
help and their arrival at the clubhouse.
If you were there chat long,
II cannot say. Moments are hours
at such a crisis. u
10y S"SI4O4o HClC LUZ nuSu 1Ol' "c
and 1 confusedly stopped. He was
surveying me with the old distrust.
In a moment I saw why.
You are not open with me-" he
protested. "NVhy should moments be
hours to you previous to the instant
when you stripped those pillows from
the couch?"
. This woo a nNCAr 7 ho6 1oi1 INV
self open to suspicion by one thought
less admission. and, what was worse,
it was but the beginning in all prob
ability of many other possible mis-
takes. l had never taken the trouble
to measure my words. and. the whole
truth being impossible. l necessarily
must make a slip nov and then. He
had better be warned of this. 1 did
not wish him to undertake my cause
blindfolded. He NUS understand it's
difficulties while believing in my limo
cence. Then if he chose to draw back
well and good. 1 should have to face
the situation alone.
perfectly control my speech, "you are
quite just in your remark. I am not
and cannot be perfectly open with
you. l shall tell you no lies. but be-
yond that I cannot promise. 1 am
caught in a net not altogether Of my
own weaving. So far I will be frank
with you. A common question may
trip me up. Others find me free and
ready with my defense. You have
CHANGED upon one of the former. 1
was in a turmoil of mind from the
moment Of my entrance into that ia
tai house. but I can give no reason
for it."
"You say you cannot be open with
me. That means you have certain
memories connected with that night
which you cannot divulge."
Fright, Charles. but not memories
of guilt-of active guilt, 1 mean. 1
am perfectly innocent so far as AIDE
ladies death is concerned. You may
proceed on that basis without fear
that is. if you continue to take an in
terest in my case"
II have accepted the case. and 1
shall continue to interest myself in
it." he assured me. with a logged
rather than genial persistence. But
I should like to know what I am to
work upon if it cannot be shown that
her call for help came before you en-
tered the building"
"That would be the best defense
possible. Of course" l replied. but
neither from your standpoint nor mine
is it a feasible one. l have no proof
of my assertion. All I know and can
swear to about the length Of time I
was in that building prior to the ar
rival of the police is that it could not
have been very long. since she was
not only dead and buried under those
accumulated cushions. but in q room
some little distance from the tele-
phone"
"That will do for me-" said he, ..but
scarcely for those who are prejudiced
against you. Everything points so
indisputably to your guilt. The note
which you say you wrote to Carmel to
meet you at the station looks very
much more like one to Miss Cumber-
land to meet You at the clubhouse"
~ was illus ! uCSL ledrQ6u winch
part Of this letter had been burned of.
1t was the top portion. leaving the rest
to read:
Come. come. my darling, my life! She
will forgive when all is done. Hesitation
will only undo us. Tonight at 1880. I
shall never marry any but you.
1t was also evident that i had fail.
ed to add those expressions Of affec-
ton linked to Carmel's name which
had been in my mind and awakened
my keenest apprehension.
Otherwise" pursued Clifton. what
could have taken her there? These
lines said Gomez and she went, for
reasons which may be clear to you,
who were acquainted with her weak
as well as strong points. Went how?
No n knows. BY chance or by In
tendon on her part or yours, every
servant was out OF the house by 8
O'Clock. and her brother too. Only the
sister remained. the sister whom you
profess TO have urged to leave the
Il SAuw.~ ~,Akt - A.