The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-06-03
Whispering
 Pines
CHAPTER XVI.

your own officer who Swore he | saw Ranelagh's hands upon my | sisters throat, then this world is all a | tumble and it makes very little differ ence to me whether Pm alive or dead" When these words of Arthur Cum l berland were repeated to me I echoed
 them in my inmost soul. l, too. cared
 very little whether lived or died. The grand jury reeled off it's cases | and finally took up ours. To the last ! hoped-sincerely, think-that should
 be the man to suffer indictment. But | I hoped in vain. A true bill was
 brought against Arthur. and his trial was set for Jan. 1S
 i The first use I made of my liberty
 was to visit Adelaide's grave. In that sacred place I could best review my past and gather strength for the fu- ture. The future. Was 1t under my control? Did Arthur's fate hang upon my word? l believed so But had strength to speak that word? I had expected to; had seen my duty clear ly enough before the sitting of the grand jury. But now that Arthur was indicted. DOW that it was an accepted fact that he would have to stand trial instead of myself. I was conscious of such recoil from my contemplated ac tien that I lost all confidence in myself and my stoical adherence to what I considered the claims of justice. I trusted Arthur: distrusted Car mel. But she had claims to considera- ton which he lacked. She was woman. Her fall would mean inf nitely more to her than any disgrace to him. Even he had seemed to recognize this. Miserable and half hearted as his life had been, he had shown him. self man enough not to duplicate his young sister in the crime laid to his | charge. What, then, was I that I should presume to disregard his lead
 h the difficult maze in which we were both lost? Yet because of the self re- straint he manifested he had my sym pathy. and I resolved to stand his friend if I saw the case really going against him. Till then would con- slider the helpless girl, tongue tied by her condition and injured enough al-
 
 direful consequences.
 The only change I now allowed my self was an occasional midnight stroll up Huested street. This was as near as dared approach Carmel's windows. feared some watchful police spy. Perhaps I feared my own hardly to be restrained longtngs!
 This was before Carmel left with her nurse for Lakewood After that event I turned my head no more in taking my midnight stroll. was not told the day or hour of her departure, happily, perhaps, for US both, for I could never have kept away from the station. 1 heard later that she was deliberately driven past the Whisper ing Pines, though the other road was more direct and less free, if anything, from possible spectators. They thought, no doubt. that sight of the place might reawaken whatever memories remained of the last desperate scene preceding her brother and sisters de parture for this out of the way spot. They little knew how cfuel was the test or what a storm of realization might have overwhelmed her mind as her eye fell on those accursed walls, peering from their bower of snow laden pines. But I did, and I never rested till I learned how she had borne herself in her slow drive by the two guarded gateways-merrily, it seems, and with no sign of the remembrances' I feared.
 One sentence, and one only, reached my ears of all she said before she dis appeared from town
 "If Adelaide swere only going too! But suppose shall meet her and MT. Rarelagh somewhere before my re- turn. She must be very happy, but not so peaceful as I am. She will see that when we meet. can hardly wait for the day"
 One incident more before I enter upon the serious business of the trial. I started one night for my walk at 10 o'clock instead of 12 I went the old way, and. the old longing recur- ring at the one charmed spot on the road, I cast a quick look at the deso- lated house which, short as it was reused feelings which kept my head lowered for the remainder of my walk north and to the very moment when, on my return, the same chimneys and overhanging roofs came again into view through the wintry branches. Then habit lifted my head and I paus- ed to look again, when the low sound Of human voice. suppressed into a moan or sob. caused me to glance about for the woman or child who had uttered this note of sorrow. No one was in sight. but as l started to move on l heard my name uttered in choked tones from behind the hedge separat ing the Fulton grounds from the city sidewalk
 Had the voice issued from this iso- lated point of darkness? I went back to see. A pitiful figure was crouching there. frail. agitated little being.
 ''Eila Fultonr I exclaimed. "YOu wish to speak to me-"
 Eh" she prayed. with frighten- ed gesture toward the house. "No one knows 1 am here. Mamma thinks me in bed. and papa, who is out. may come home any minute. Oh, MT. Ranelagh. I'm in such misery. and no one but you can give me any help. l have watched you go by night after night. and l have wanted to call out and beg you to come in and see me or let me 0O and meet VOu some here.