The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1912-10-11

Ii | expected him to Vindicate my sec
rotary; but l am not going to be gov
erned by anyone to that extent.
am going to see Elinor to-day l am
going straight to that terrible place
and assure her that even though
permit her to be kept there, refuse
to entertain for a moment the idea
that she has broken any law of God
or mani"
Are you sure this is wise, Doris p
inquired Sands gravely. AS he stood
beside her, it was difficult to control
the impulse to pour out before her the
alteration he felt at sight of her new
loneliness. She had never seemed
more beautiful than when she was
moved by sympathy for the girl who
at that moment, doubtless, was won
dering if she had forsaken her.
Wise or not" returned the widow,
Il shall do it. Something tells me
she Is in need of sympathy this very
| cay. Why, Bruxton, how do we know
what effect this dreadful incarcera-
| ton might have upon her? 1t may
warp her entire nature; 1t may wreck
her health. Please do not try to dis
| suade me. l have made up my mind
to see her, and l shall go there at
once"
1t was a short dash for the auto up
Broadway, UP Centre Street to the
Tombs, and it was with little difficulty
that Sands obtained for Mrs. Mission
er permission to see the prisoner.
Eiinor came around the corner OF
the corridor with more animation in
her step than 1t had shown in many
a day. She had hardly been able to
believe her eyes on reading Mrs. Mis-
1ioner's name on the card thrust
through the grating of her cell. Long
ago she had made up her mind that
the chain of circumstances, or perhaps
an enemy, had sown in her kind
friends mind suspicion that she was
guilty. AS the days rolled on and she re-
ceived no word from Mrs Missioner,
the conviction grew upon her Even
this very day she had give up the
hope of rehabilitating herself in the
eyes of her employer. Not that it was
an employer she mourned in loss of
Mrs. Missioners confidence. The
rich widow was her friend; had been
her family's friend, and had been the
first to offer her a refuge in the ter
rible days following discovery of the
fact that her kindly, gentle father, aft.
er lifetime of high endeavor, had left
her without the provision she knew
he always intended to make.
Dear Mrs. Missioner" cried Elinor,
Fastening toward the widow as she
read affection and complete belief in
her countenance. You have done
many lovely things for me, but this Is
quite the dearest! 1t seems hard even
to picture you in such a place, and
the reality"
you poor child" exclaimed Mrs.
Missioner, hardly controlling her
voice. What about yourself? II II
is distressing to me to come here, II
is terrible for you to be here. How
can you stand it?"
"One learns to stand many things
she answered, when fate commands;
yet If anyone had told me few weeks
ago that / could so much as retain my
reason in a place like this! Now that
you are here, 1t seems far easier oh,
but II Is good OF you to GOMEZ"
The widow took the girls hands in
her own and patted them softly as
she whispered words of encourage
ment. She could not trust her voice
to speak for the first few mo
ments. AS she looked at Elinor's slen.
der grace and the deathless honesty
In her soft, gray eyes, the horror OF
the girls situation came home to her
with redoubled force. 1t was by a |
mighty effort, and by that alone, that |
she prevented herself from sweeping |
the girl into her arms and making a
dash with her for the freedom be |
yond the great steel door For an in |
slant that impulse almost got the up
per hand of her common sense. Had |
not Sands been there, she might have |
done something so foolish as to com |
plicate her young friends position |
still further in the eyes of all the |
city's newspapers and their readers |
AS it was, she increased the tender |
ness of her caresses. and sought tc |
soothe Elinor's agitation with little
love words such as had long been |
common in their daily intercourse. But
this tenderness only recalled to Ell
nor all the affection, safety, and shell
ter she had left behind her in Mrs
Missioner's home, and at the thought
she broke into uncomfortable sobs.
The millionaire's discomfort was
augmented a thousandfold by this
scene between the women. He shift
ed his weight from one foot to the
other, crumpled the rim Of his derby
hat until il bent like the brim of an
Alpine, and at length. unable to view
the girls distress with anything like
equanimity, he walked to the other
end Of the reception-room and stood
looking through the giant latuceworh
at the tide of traffic in Centre Street
II was not until the widow had re
stored Elinor's calmness, not until she
had assured the trembling prisoner OF
her love, confidence, and full belief in
her innocence a hundred times. not
until their emotion had affected even