Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1912-03-29

Ceuieu my own. enough OF the trtit1
might be furnished to divide public
opinion and start fresh inquiry.
That woman's form had sought
concealment under these masculine
habiliments would not. could not
strike anybody's mind. Nothing in the
crime had suggested a woman's pres
ence, much less woman's active agen
cy.
The suspicion which had naturally
fallen on myself as the one and only
person implicated would in shifting
PASS straight to another man and. II
he could not be found. return to me
or be lost in a maze of speculation.
| was ready with my confession when
Mr. Clifton next came. ! had even
forestalled 1t In short interview
forced upon me by the assistant dis
trict attorney and Chief Hudson. That
1t seemed to have made more favor
able impression upon the latter than
had expected gave me additional cour-
age when | came to discuss this new
line of defense with the young lawyer.
II have heard Of no new discovery"
he said. III another cutter besides
yours passed through the clubhouse
grounds at the time you mention 1t
left tracks which all the fury of the
storm would not have entirely obliter-
ated in the fifteen minutes elapsing
between that time and the arrival Of
the police"
But a witness can certainly be
found who encountered that cutter
and its occupants somewhere on the
long stretch Of open road between
the Whispering Pines and the resi-
dence district" said
Possibly. It would help. You have
not asked for news from the HILL"
"Carmeli'' I cried. ''She II worse-
deadv'
! mo. She's not worse and she's not
dead. But the doctors say It will be
weeks before they can allow Z ques-
ton Of any importance to be put to
her. You can see what that win do
for us. Her testimony Is too impor-
tant to the case to be ignored. A de-
lay will follow. which may or may not
be favorable to you. I am inclined to
think now that It win rebound to your
interests. You are ready to swear to
the sleigh you speak of-that you saw
It leave the clubhouse grounds and
turn northr
"Quite ready. but you must not ask
me to describe or IN any way to iden.
tify its occupants I saw nothing but
the hat and coat I have told you
about. It was just before the moon
went under a cloud or I could not
have seen that much"
suppose my voice fell. for his
glance became suddenly penetrating
and his voice slightly sarcastic a. he
remarked:
'Those clouds obscured more than
the moon. I fancy. I only wish that
they had not risen between you and
me. This is the blindest case that has
ever been put in my hands"
Tell me-" broke in. of Carmel's
condition. Of the sort of nurse who
cares for her and how Arthur con.
ducts himself under this double At.
6iction."
II was there last night. Miss Chit.
ford was In the house and received
me. She told me that Arthurs state
Of mind was pitiful. He was never q
very affectionate brother. you know,
but now they cannot get him away
from Carmers door. He sits or stands
all day just outside the threshold and
casts jealous and beseeching looks at
those who are allowed to enter"
Doesn't he grieve for Adelaidef I
always thought that Of the two she
had the greater influence over him"
Eyes, but they cannot get him to en-
ter the place where she lies. His duty
II to the living. be says. At least his
anxiety n there. he starts 1t every
cry Carmel utters Of 'Lila-Lilar Moth.
ing morev'
docs he-Arthur-mention me at
anr'
arthur feels very hard toward you
and insists upon your guilt"
Does the doctor-Dr. Carpentse. I
presume-venturs to say how long Cae.
mel's present delirium VIII holdr
HE cannot not knowing IT. raj
cause. Carmel fell III before the news
Of her sisters death arrived at the
house, you remember. Some frightful
scene must have occurred between the
two previous to Adelaide's departure
for the Whispering Pines. What that
scene was can only be told by Carmel.
and for her account we must wait.
Happily you have an alibi which will
serve you In this instance. You were
1t the station during the time We are
speaking Of"
HAS that been provedr
YES: several men saw you there"
"And the gentleman who brought
me the-her letter. It was more than
dimcult for me to speak Carmers
name He has not come forwardr'
mot yet: not to my knowisdes. at
least"
"And the ringf"
"No news"
'The nurss-you have told me- moth.
ing about her." I now urged. reverting
to the topic Of gravest interest to me.
"Is she any one We know or an impoe.
tation Of the doctor'sr'
II did not busy myself with that.
She's q competent woman. Of course.
! suppose that IL what you mean"
Could I tell him that this was not
what I meant at all-that It was hss
| qualities AZ woman rather than hes
| qualifications as nurse which were i'm
portant In this casel II she were Of Q
suspicious, prying disposition what
might we not fear from her circum-
spection when Carmel's memory A.
serted itself and she grew more pre-
else In the frenzy which now exhaust
ed itself in unintelligible cries or the
ceaseless repetition Of her sisters
name? passed the matter over with
| the final remark:
/ sSWofrh hop watch than aM euA