, 1911-11-23

place where can rest W. p" n'
will ask me questions ~ hi ~ H
for I'm tired Ia death ?" I"# 70 '.
still CATCHING no rrsiuUs Sc IHl.
the immobile face before nan ~ ~"
YOUR belief in me. Anna. thai gav" ~
courage all along.
She looked at him. shuddertn"
But | don't believe IN You li"''"rt
she said Il know
Under the mans prison paIi"I rose +
sort of grayish fright.
know! Know WHAT" he asked
sharply.
~ know that you are not innocent
Robertr"
At those words all the bravado went
out of Granger. as a tiny spark II
denly goes out touched by a block OF
ice.
"Sh-h-h! What do you mean any
how? am innocent: | am. He did
not whisper now: he almost shrieked.
even as he had in court that day when
the Jury pronounced him guilty. And
now, as then. he fancied he saw over
his head the cruel Roman symbol of
vengeance. the faces and the ax-saw.
too. the calm women who spin the
thread of life. crouchinG on the shad
owy frescoed wall of the courtroom, a
naked skull at their feet
Something seemed to grip his throat.
He strangled an instant. then he
coughed and spat. He drew his hands
across his eyes and pulled himself to-
gether.
81 am innocent. innocent!' he In,
sisted.
Don't! Don't. Robertr' cried Anna,
pity at the shameful sight of her per
jured husband rising in her heart. 81
know the whole of 1t. I've read the
letter you wrote to Cornelius Brady.
you see."
He shook as a man seized suddenly
by some deadly disease Then in
stinctively, fenrfully. he looked TO-
ward Mrs. Mason.
"She knows ALL" said Anna quietly
"who has that letter? Where is it?
Has Temple got it? My God. why
don't you tell meT"
There is no letter now, Robert. ]
read It, and | burned It without think
ing"
You destroyed it? Then 1t can't be
used against me! oh, Anna. you're a
trump He seized both her hands n
kissed them in n frenzy of relief. Even
in that pivotal moment, though. when
the weight of months had fallen from
him and left him light. a suspicion
came to him. a jailbird suspicion.
But you said without thinking,
Without thinking what, AnnaT'
"Without thinking that as well as
convicting you that letter was the only
evidence to vindicate Mr.. Temple" an
swered she calmly.
Then Mrs. Mason. with a sneer.
made it plain.
Maybe your wife feels that an inno
cent man mustn't be sent to prison.
Mr.. Granger. or maybe h feels
some stronger motive. l remember that
you were adverse to her sta yinG on
here the day that | saw you Now,
believe. she thinks of giving evidence
about the destruction of that letter"
At the last sentence the ugly. con
demning. vindictive expression which
had come into Changers face at her
discriminating words vanished.
Anna. its o true. 1t couldn't be
true that you would expose me-" he
gasped in a sort of terror. You are
not going to tell about that letter:
Why. | am your husband. \nna-your
husband! did certify that check
Yes. | did. But, good God. why should
you want to ruin mer"
He sank at her feet in pitifu!. alb
ject appeal.
"Anna. as your husband. as a man
who loves yon and whom you once
loved. l say. forgive me. Great heav
ems! I've repcnted. I've paid thrice
over again for my folly, What can
do now? can't undo what's been
done It's Won who must wipe out the
stain: help me TO begin over again
Your forgiveness would be absolution
Aore Won will FORGIVE mo-"