Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1911-12-22

a minute. since AdeIaide's death. And
be hasn't-he hasn't-and that makes
IL harder for me to acknowledge the
watch | kept on him and how ! know
he never went through our grounds
for the second time that night. He
went once. about 8. but not later.
am certain of this. for | was looking
out for him till 3 in the morning. II
he came back and then returned aft
erward to town IL was through his
own street, and that takes so long
he would never have been able to get
to the place they said he did at the
time they have agreed upon. ] know
that he needs some one to come out
boldly in his cause. | want TO be
that some one. and 1 will be. too,
whatever happens to me. h-if must"
she family added.
was dumb. but not from lack of in
terest or from unsympathetic feeling
for this brave hearted girl. The sig
nificance of the situation was what
held me speechless. Here was help for
Arthur without my braving all the
horrors of Carmel's downfall by any
fmpulsive act of my own. For a mo-
ment hope In one burning and renew
ing flame scared high in my breast.
was willing TO accept my release In
this way. | was willing to shift the
load from my own back to the delicate
shoulders of this shrinking but ardent
girl Then reason returned If consid-
Grafton halted. and | asked myself:
But is the help she offers of any prac-
teal worth? Would her timid declara-
tions. trembling as she was between
her awe Of her parents and her desire
to serve the man she loved. weigh In
the balance against the evidence ac-
cumulated by the district attorneyT
1t seemed doubtful. She would not
be believed. and | should have to back
up her statement with my own hither-
to suppressed testimony-a woman to
be sacrificed whichever course ! took.
Such native chivalry as remained to
me urged me to spare this little friend
Of mine. Then Carmel's image rose be.
fore ME, glorious, imps.SSiOned, drivel
by the fierce onruSh OF some mighty
inherent force into violent deeds un
dreamed Of by most women, but wher
thus undriven, gentle in manner, ele
waited In thought, refined as only few
rare characters are refined, and my
heart stood still again with doubt anG
could not say: 1T is your duty tt
save him at all hazards. Brave youl
father, brave your mother, brave pub
lie opinion and possibly the wreckins
of your whole future, but tell tht
truth and rid your days of doubt. youl
nights of remorse." l could not say
this. So many things might happen tt
save Arthur. to save Carmel, to save
the little woman before me. l would
trust that future. temporize bit and
give such advice as would relieve us
both from immediate fear without
compromising Arthur's undoubted
rights to justice.
Meanwhile something must be said
at once. AS soon as she looked my
way again spoke:
ELLA, this is no easy problem you
have offered me. / can sympathize
with you. possibly as no one else can,
but I cannot reach Arthur either by
word or by message. Your father is
the man to appeal to in case interfer-
ence becomes necessary and you must
speak. You have not quite the same
fear of him that you have of your
mother. He's just man. You may
shock his fatherly susceptibilities. you
may even lose some of his regard, but
he will do the right thing by you and
Arthur. Will your"
81 will try. could only tell father
on my knees. but will do it tiff l
must. Now l must, 60. You have
been good. only | asked too much"
And with no other farewell she left
me and disappeared up the walk.
fingered till heard the faint click
Of her key In the door she had secret
ly made her own: then I moved on.
AS did so l heard rustic some
where about me on street or lawn. I
never knew whence 1t came. but felt
assured that neither her fears nor mine
had been quite unfounded-that lis
tener had been posted somewhere near
us and that part. If not all. we had
said had been overheard | was
furious for an instant; then the sooth-
ing thought came that possibly Provi-
dence had ordained that the Gordian
knot should be cut in just this way.
But the event bore no ostensible
fruit. The week ended. and the case
Of the people against Arthur Cumber.
land was moved for trial.