Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1911-06-07

Of me-and as for twenty-five 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 met
Didn't he try to educate and make q
lady of me? My God!-do you sup
pose I'd give man like that cause
for jealousy? What do the newspa-
pers care? They print cruel state
ments that cut into q woman's heart.
without giving 1t 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 you?"
Alicia shook her head as she an.
swered kindly:
mo. 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 you!"
Annie grasped the proffered hand.
It 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:
TITS the first kind word that" SIZE
stopped and looked closely for mo-
ment at Alicia. Then she went on:
| TITS the queerest thing. Mrs. Jetf-
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 dream, of course.
yet he thought he was sure of 1t.
Your voice-that's queer. isn't it!
Why-what's the matter?"
Alicia had grown deathly pale and
staggered against chair. Annie ran
to her aid. thinking she was i'll.
TITS nothing nothing!" STAN
mered Alicia. recovering herself.
Fearing she had said something to
hurt her feelings. Annie said sympa.
thetically:
II haven't said anything-anything
out of the way-have I? III have I'm
sorry-awfully sorry. I'm afraid-I-
I've been very rude and you've been
SO kind!"
mo. mol" 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 compan.
IONS hand in hers. she went on:
Tell me. what do they say about the
woman who went to see Robert Un.
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 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 1t maker"
1 All the difference in the world" re.
piled Annie. "She is most i'm.
portant witness" Firmly she went on
"She must be found. II she didn't
shoot Robert Underwood. she knows
who did,
1 But how can she know" argued
Al{oia ri onrfapuaA khok nc
did 1t himself. II he had not con
fessed 1t would be different"
"He did not confess" replied the
other calmly. Mrs. Jenries-he
never confessed. II he did, he didn't
know what he was saying"
Alicia was rapidly losing her self
possession.
ibid he tell you that?" she gasped
Annie nodded.
Yes. DR.. Bernstein says the po-
lice forced 1t out of his tired brain.
made Howard go over every second
of his life that night from the tins
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.
err. Her nerves were on the point Of
\ giving way. She felt that II she could
not Sconfide her secret to some one
she must go mad. Pacing the floor.
she cried:
4 what am l to do? What am to
do? I believed Howard guilty. Why
shouldn't 1? had no reason to doubt
his own confession! Every one be-
lieved this own father included.
Why should doubt 1t. But see II
all now! Underwood must have shot
himself as he said he would"
Annie started. What did Mrs. JET
fries mean? Did she realize the tire.
mendous significance OF the words she
was u.tering?
"As he said he would?" she repeat.
ed slowly.
"Yes," said Alicia weakly.
Annie bounded forward and grasped
her companions arm. Her face
flushed, almost unable to speak from
suppressed emotion. she cried:
i (To BE CONTINUED.)
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