Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1912-03-22

The House of the
Whispering
Pines

Of these RACES. had even seen her IN
one When they passed she was her
lovable self once more and very peni-
tent and very downcast- If all l fear
ed were true she was suffering acute
ly now.
Turning to the officer next to me.
put the question which had been burn
ing In my mind for hours:
Tell me how you came to know
there was trouble here. What brought
you to this house? There can be moth
ing wrong in telling me that"
"Well. If you don't know he began.
II do not" broke in.
II guess you'd better wait till the
chief has had word with you"
Where was Carmel, and how was she
enduring these awful hours? Had re-
pentance come and with it desire to
own her guilt? Did she think of me
and the effect this unlocked for death
would have upon my feelings? That
I should suffer arrest for her crime
could not have entered her mind. I
had seen her, but she had not seen
me in the dark hall. No intimation OF
my dubious position or its inevitable
consequences had reached her yet
When It did what would she do? did
not know her well enough to tell.
The attraction she had felt for me had
not been strong enough to lead her to
accommodate herself to my wishes and
mary me ofhand, but 1t had been
strong enough to nerve her arm in
whatever alteration she may have
had with her jealous minded sister. 1t
was the temper and not the strength
Of the love which would tell in a strait
like this. Would it prove of a gener-
Gus kind? Should l have to combat
her desire to take upon herself the
full blame Of her deed. with all It's
shames and penalties. or should have
the still deeper misery of finding her
callous to my position and welcoming
any chance which diverted suspicion
from herself? All communication be-
tween US. in spite Of our ardent and I'M
governable passion. had been so casual
and so slight Looks. whispered
word or so. one furtive clasp in which
our hands seemed to grow together.
were all I had to 60 upon as tests OF
her feeling toward me. Her character
/ had judged from her face. which was
lovely.
What would relieve my doubts? As
Hexford drew near me again on our
way to the head of the staircase I
summoned up courage to ask:
Have you heard anything from the
hill? Has the news of this tragedy
been communicated to Miss Cumber-
lands family, and. il so. how are they
bearing this affection"
His lip curled. and for a minute he
hesitated: then something in my as
pect or the straightforward look I
gave him softened him..and he answer.
ed frankly. II coldly:
"Word has gone there. of course. but
only the servants are affected by 1t SO
far. Miss Cumberland, the younger.
Is very Ill. and the boy-l don't know
his name-has not shown up since last
evening. He's very dissipated. they
say. and may be in any one of the
joints in the lower part OF the town"
/ stopped In dismay. clutching wildly
at the railing Of the stairs we were
descending. l had hardly heard the
latter words. All my mind was ON
what be had said first
Miss Carmel Cumberland ILL.,"
stammered. too i'll to be toldT'
l was sufficiently master Of myself
to put 1t this way.
"Yes." he rejoined kindly as he urg.
ed me down the very stairs had seen
her descend in such q state Of mind q
fov hn,,rq hpforp "a servant who