Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1912-01-19
OoPVFTVUV. TNFT " " " ~ -TTTE TTI Nv
Continued from last week.

Annie bounded forward and grasped
her companions arm. Her face
flushed. almost unable to speak from
suppressed emotion, she cried
"Ah! | begin to understand You
knew Robert Underwood? Howard
knows your voice-he heard you-talk-
ing to him Oh, Mrs. Jeffries! Are
you the woman who visited his apart
ments that night?"
The bankers wife bowed her head
and collapsed on chair.
yes" she murmured in low tone.
Annie looked at her in amazement.
why didn't you come forward at
once?" she cried Think of the pain
which you might have spared u.s."
Alicia covered her face with her
handkerchief. She was crying now.
"The disgrace-the disgrace!" she
moaned
Disgrace echoed Annie stupe-
fed. Indignantly. she went on: Dis
grace--to you? But what of me and
Howard?"
Cant you realize what it means to
be associated with such a crime?" she
walled
"Disgrace!" cried Annie contemptu-
ously. What is disgrace when a hui
man life is at stake"
ut seemed so useless" moaned AL
icia-"a useless sacrifice in the face
of Towards confession OF course
If I'd known-if I'd suspected what
you tell me-I'd have come forward
oil
what cost" Tearfully she added
Surely you realize the position it
puts me in?'
A new light shone in Annies eyes.
What was this woman's misery to
her? Her duty was to the poor fell
low who was counting the hours until
she could set him free His stepmoth-
er deserved no mercy. Utterly self
ish, devoid of spark of humanity,
she would have left them both to
perish in order to protect herself from
shame and ridicule. Her face was set
and determined as she said calmly:
ut must be done now"
YES" murmured Alicia in a low
tone that sounded like a sob. cit must
be done now! Oh, if I'd only done it
before-if I'd only told Mr. Ieffries
the whole truth! You speak of How
ards sufferings. If he didn't do it,
he has at least the consciousness of
his own innocence, but I-the con-
slant fear of being found out is worse
than any hell the imagination can con-
Jure up. l dreaded i'll dread ii now
1t means disgraCe-social ostracism
my husband must know-the whole
world will know"
Annie was not listening Still be-
wildered, she gazed with the utmost
establishment at her companion To
think that this mysterious woman
they had been seeking was Howard's
stepmother.
$50 you're the missing witness we
have all been hunting for," she said
Il can't believe it even now. How
did it happen?"
He and l were once engaged. |
broke it off when I found him out.
After married Mr. Jeffries | met I'm
derwood again. Foolishly, | allowed
the old intimacy to be renewed He
look advantage and preyed on my
friends. | forbade him my house.
He wrote me letter in which he
threatened to kill himself l was
AFRAID he meant it. / wanted to pre-
vent him. I went to his rooms that
night. didn't tell Mr.. Jeffries.
When the truth is known and | ac-
knowledge that I visited this man
can you see what it means what a
russ theren be. Everybody will nut
the worst construction on it"
Trust them for that" said Annie
grimly. She was sorry for the won.
ans distress, yet, being only human,
she felt a certain sense of satisfaction
In seeing her suffer little of what
she had been made to suffer
They'll say that God knows
"nat they'll say!' went on Alicia dis
tractedly. MY husband will he
dragged through the mire of another
public scandal-his social prestige will
oh, dare not think of it know
my duty is to that unfortunate how I
mustn't think OF myself"
have you the letter that Mr. Tn.
Norwood wrote your" demanded her
companion.
fes-lVe never been able to de.
stroy IT, l don't know why I kept it,
out thank God I have it," Moaning
she went on: o.
The disgracei-the disgrace,--,t,s
fuln-degradation! It's the end NJ
everything end of eyervthinef"
annie regarded with contempt this
poor weak, wailing creature who
lacked the moral courage to do what
was merely right. Her voice was not
nkind as she said:
don't want to disgrace you-or
ruin you. But what am I to do-te1l
ne, what am l to do?"
i don't know" moaned her com.
eanion helplessly.
howard must be saved"
"Yea"