Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1912-07-06

Howard. and he's going to defend
him"
Alicia looked at her anxiously as l.
trying to read what might be In her
mind. Indifferently she went on:
"The papers say there was quar-
rel about you, that you and Mr.. Un-
derwood were too friendly. They i'm
piled that Howard was Jealous. Is
this true?"
TITS all talk" cried Annie indig'
nantly-"nothing but scandal-lies!
There's not a word of truth in It.
Howard never had a jealous thought
of me-and as for me-why-Pye al
ways worshiped the ground he walked
on. Didn't he sacrifice everything for
my sake? Didn't he quarrel with his
father for me? Didn't he marry me?
Didn't he try to educate and make
lady of me? My God!-do you sup
pose I'd give a man like that cause
for jealousy? What do the newspa-
pers care? They print cruel state
ments that cut into a woman's heart,
without giving 1t thought, without
knowing or caring whether it's true
or not, as long as it interests and
amuses their readers. You-you don't
really believe I'm the cause of his
misfortunes, do your"
Alicia shook her head as she an
swered kindly:
mo, l don't. Believe me, l don't.
You were right when you said that at
such time as this one woman should
stand by another. I'm going TO stand
by you. Let me be your friend, let
me help you" Extending her hand,
she said: will your"
Annie grasped the proffered hand
1t was the first that had been held
out to her in her present trouble. A
lump rose in her throat. Much af-
fected. she said:
Its the first kind word that" She
stopped and looked closely for mo-
ment at Alicia. Then she went on:
ITS the queerest thing, Mrs. Jeff-
ries, but 1t keeps coming into my
mind. Howard told me that while he
was at Underwood's that dreadful
night he thought he heard your voice.
1t must have been a dream, of course,
yet he thought he was sure Of it.
Your voice-that's queer, isn't It?
Why-whats the matter?"
Alicia had grown deathly pale and
staggered against chair. Annie ran
to her aid, thinking she was i'll.
ITS nothing - nothing!" STAN
mered Alicia, recovering herself.
Fearing she had said something to
hurt her feelings. Annie said sympa
thetically:
II haven't said anything-anythine
out of the way-have 1? If have I'm
sorry-awfully sorry. I'm afraid-I-
I've been very rude and you've beer
so kind"
mo, mol" interrupted Alicia quick
ly. you've said nothing-done moth
ing-youve had a great deal to beal
"a great deal to bear. / understand
that perfectly" Taking her compan
ions hand in hers, she went on
Tell me, what do they say about the
woman who went to see Robert I'm
derwood the night of the tragedy"
1.-THE police can't find her-we dom
know who she is" Confidently sh,
went on: But Judge Brewster will
: find her. We have a dozen detectives
searching for her. Capt Clinton &C
: cused me of being the woman-yol
know he doesn't like me-"
The bankers wife was far too bus.
thinking of the number of detectives
: employed to find the missing witness
< to pay attention to the concluding
sentence. Anxiously she demanded
"Supposing the woman is found
: what can she prove? What difference
I Will it maker"
"All the difference In the world" re
piled Annie. "She is a most i'm
portant witness" Firmly she went on
t "She must be found. If she didn'
j shoot Robert Underwood, she know
I who did"
!. But how can she known" argues
+ Alicia Howard confessed that h
S did 1t himself If he had not con
fessed 1t would be different"
+ He did not confess" replied tn
: other calmly. Mrs. Jeffries-h
s never confessed. If he did. he didn'
; know what ne was saying.
D Alicia was rapidly lo~' her sell
possession.
+ did he tell you that?" she gaspeC
+ Annie nodded.
Eyes. Dr. Bernstein says the pc
o lice forced 1t out of his tired brain
o l made Howard go over every secon,
-? Of his life that night from the tim
2. he left me to the moment he was al
a rested. There wasn't a harsh wor'
between them" She stopped shor
/, and looked with alarm at Alicia, VIII
had turned ashen white. why
+" what's the matter7 You're pale a
death-you-"
4 Alicia could contain herself no long
er. Her nerves were on the point O
s giving way. She felt that If she coul
not confide her secret to some on
9 she must go mad. Pacing the fool
@ she cried:
what am I to dor What am l t
r do? l believed Howard guilty. VIII
shouldn't /? | had no reason to douh