Charlevoix county herald., 1911-07-15
/ Howard. and he's going to defend

Howard. and he's going to defend
him"
Alicia looked at her anxiously as
trying to read what might be In her
mind. Indifferently she went on
"The papers say there was quar-
rel about you. that you and Mr.. Un-
derwood were too friendly. They i'm
piled that Howard was jealous. Is
this true?"
ITS all talk" cried Annie indig7
nantly-"nothing but scandal-lies!
There's not a word of truth in 1t.
Howard never had jealous thought
of me-and as for me-why-I've 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 a man like that cause
for jealousy? What do the newspa-
pers care? They print cruel state
ments that cut into woman's heart,
without giving 1t thought, without
| or not, as long as 1t interests and
amuses their readers. You-you don't
really believe I'm the cause Of his
misfortunes, do you?"
Alicia shook her head as shc an
| swered kindly:
| mo, l don't. Believe me, / don't.
You were right when you said that at
such time as this one woman should
stand by another. I'm going TO stand
| by you. Let me be your friend. let
me help YOU" Extending her hand,
she said: will your"
Annie grasped 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 af-
fected. she said:
Its the first kind word that" She
stopped and looked closely for mo-
ment at Alicia. Then she went on:
Its the queerest thing, Mrs. JEFF
ries, but it 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 a dream, of course,
yet he thought he was sure Of 1t.
Your voice-that's queer, isn't it?
| Why-whats the matter?"
Alicia had grown deathly pale and
staggered against chair. Annie ran
to her aid, thinking she was i'll.
Its nothing - nothing!" STAN
mered Alicia, recovering herself.
Fearing she had said something to
hurt her feelings, Annie said sympa-
thetically:
Il haven't said anything-anything
out Of the way-have /? If have I'm
I've been very rude and you've been
so kind"
"No, MOI" interrupted Alicia quick
ly. you've said nothing-done moth
ing-you've had a great deal to bear
"a great deal to bear. l understand
that perfectly" Taking her compap-
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 a dozen detectives
searching for her. Capt. Clinton &C.
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 maker"
"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 it himself. If he had not con-
fessed 1t would be different"
HE did not confess" replied the
other calmly. Mrs. Jeffries-he
never confessed If he did, he didn't
know what he was saying"
Alicia was rapidly losing her self
possession.
Did he tell you that?" she gasped.
Annie nodded.
Eyes. DR.. Bernstein says the po-
lice forced it out of his tired brain.
l made Howard go over every second
of his life that night from the time
he left me to the moment he was ar
rested. There wasn't harsh word
between them" She stopped short
and looked with alarm at Alicia, who
had TURNED ashen white. why,
what's the matter? You're pale as
death-you-"
Alicia could contain herself no long
er Her nerves were on the point OF
giving way. She felt that If she could
not confide her secret to some one
she must go mad. Pacing the floor,