Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-05-19

- - 0HS hN'1 NAAN obe
moments. This could not be my note
to her-that fatal note which would
make all denial of our mutual passion
~unavailing.
SIS it your writing?" my watchful
inquisitor repeated.
/ looked again. The scrap was small
er than my note had been when 1t
left my hands. II 1t were the same
then come of the words were gone.
Were they the first ones or the last2
Il would make q difference in the read
ing or, rather, In the conclusions to
be drawn from what remained. If only
the mist would clear from before my
eyes or he would hold the slip of paper
nearer. The room was very dark. The
the
SIS 1t your writingT" Coroner Perry
asked for the third time.
There was no denying It. My writ
ing was peculiar and quite unmistak.
able. / should gain nothing by saying
no.
ut looks like It," I admitted reluc-
family, "but I cannot be sure In this
liSul may i hEh " udL ILLS UtL VI IA
per is and where you found itf"
'Its contents I think you know. A
for the last question, 1 think you can
answer that also If you will" Say
ing which be quietly replaced the scrap
of paper In his pocketbook.
! followed the action with my eyes.
I caught a fresh glimpse of a darkened
ol,o - -o,JI-,1 4b1 oa,1n1.nA 4ln <ntnk
odor which I had hitherto experienced
without being conscious of It The
scrap had been plucked out of the
chimney. She had tried to burn it. l
remembered the fire and the smolder-
ing bits of paper which crumbled at
my touch. And this one-this, the most
important, the only important one of
them all-had flown, half scorched. up
the chimney and chung there within
easy reach.
The whole incident was plain to me,
and I could even fix upon the moment
when Hexford or Clarke discovered
this invaluable bit of evidence. 1t was
Just before l burst In upon them from
the ballroom, and 1t was the undoubt-
ed occasion Of the remark 1 then over
heard:
'eThis settles it He cannot escape
US now"
During the momentary silence which
now ensued I tried to remember the
exact words which had composed this
note!
"Tonight-10:30 train-we will be
married at P. Come, come, my dar-
ling, my life. She will forgive when
all Is done. Hesitation will only undo
US. Tonight at 1890. Do not fail me.
I shall EVE marry any q but you"
Was that an7 I had an indistnct
remembrance Of having added some
wild and incoherent words of passion
ate affection affixed to her lame. Her
namel But 1t may be that in the bur-
ry and furry of the moment these
terms of endearment simply passed
through nay mind and found no ex-
preston on paper. / could not be sure
any more than / could be positive
from the half glimpse / got Of these
lines which portion had been burned
or-the top, In which the word train"
occurred, or the final words, emphasiz-
ing a time Of meeting and my determi-
nation to marry no one but the per-
son addressed. The first gone, the lat
ter might take on any sinister mean
ing. The latter gone, the first might
prove a safeguard, corroborating my
statement that an errand had taken
me into town.
1t would be hard to find an alibi for
Carmel II suspicion nce turned her
way. She had not met me at the
train. The unknown but doubtless
easily to be found man who had hand
ed me her note could swear to that
fact
Then the note itself! I had destroyed
It, 1t is true, but its phrases were pres
ent to my mind. They were these-in-
suggestive In the light OF her probable
guilt:
81 cannot Wait till tomorrow. Then
you will see the depth of my love for
you-what / owe you. what I W
Adelaide"
1 WAS CuuSSlOuS tudt hoL a AOoh u
movement of mine had escaped the
c~onsiderata but watchful eye Of the
man before me.
you do not relish my questions"
be dryly observed. Perhaps you
would rather tell your story without
interruption. If so l beg you to be
as explicit as possible. The circum-
stances are serious enough for per-
feet candor on your part"
l TOOK a quick resolve. l would ap-
pear to throw discretion to the winds,
to confde to him what men usually
hold sacred, to risk my reputation as
a gentleman, rather than incur a sus-
picion which might involve others
more than 1t did myself.
II will give you an account Of my
SELF" said I. II did love Adelaide once,
or thought so, but my feelings chang
ed. A great temptation came into my
life. Carmel returned from school and
you know her bea uty. her fascina-
ton. A week In her presence and mar
rage with Adelaide became impossible.
But how evade it7 I knew only the
towards way-to lure this inexperi-
enced young girl. fresh from school.
into a runaway match. This evening
/ had set as the limit Of my endurance
of the intolerable situation. During a
minute Of solitude preceding the din
-.r - Nfioc CryV ~ rIo pd'o hny1cn an th0