The Elbert County tribune., 1911-07-14

him"
Alicia looked at her anxiously as II
trying to read what might be IL her
mind. Indifferently she went on:
The papers say there was a 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 indig-
nantly-"nothing but scandal--liesl
There's not word of truth in IT,
Howard never had Jealous thought
OF me-and as for me-why-rve al
ways worshiped the ground he walked
on Didn't he sacrifice everything for
my sake? Didn't he quarrel with his
father for met Didn't he marry me?
Didn't he try to educate and make a
lady of me? My God,-do you sup
pose I'd give man like that cause
for jealousy7 What do the newspa-
pers care? They print cruel state
ments that cut into woman's heart,
without giving it thought, without
knowing or caring whether It's true
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 your"
Alicia shook her head as she an
swered kindly:
mo. don't Believe me. don't.
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:
It's the queerest thing, Mrs. Jefr-
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 a dream, of course.
yet he thought he was sure OF it
Your voice-that's queer, isn't t.?
Why-what's the matter?"
Alicia had grown deathly pale and
staggered against chair. Annie ran
to her aid. thinking she was ILL.,
It's nothing - nothingl" 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 L? If have I'm
| sorry-awfully sorry. I'm afraid-I-
I've been very rude and you've been
so kindl"
mo. mol" interrupted Alicia quick
| ly. You've said nothing-done moth
| ing-you've had great deal to bear
"a great deal to bear. l 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 a 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 maker"
"All the difference in the world" re-
piled Annie. She Is 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 1t himself. If he had not con-
fessed 1t would be different"
HE did not confess" replied the
other calmly. MRS. Jeffries-he
never confessed. II 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.
les. LIT. BERNSTEIN says tne pO-
lice forced 1t 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 II she could
not confide her secret to some one
she must go mad. Pacing the floor.
she cried: