Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1912-03-15

man before me.
you do not relish my questions"
he dryly observed. perhaps you
would rather tell your story without
interruption. II SO l beg you to be
as explicit as possible. The circum-
stances are serious enough for per-
feet candor on your part"
l took a quick resolve. would ap-
pear to throw discretion to the winds.
to confde to him what men usually
hold sacred. to risk my reputation as
q gentleman, rather than incur q sus-
picion which might involve others
more than it did myself.
Il will give you an account Of my
SELF" said l. II did love Adelaide once.
or thought so. but my feelings chang:
ed. A great temptation came into my
life. Carmel returned from school and
you know her beauty. her fascina-
ton. A week in her presence and mar
rage with Adelaide became impossible.
But how evade it? I knew only the
towards way-to lure this inexperi.
enced young girl. fresh from school.
into q runaway match. This evening
I had set as the limit of my endurance
of the intolerable situation. During
minute Of solitude preceding the din
ner at Miss Cumberland's house on the
hill I wrote q few lines to her sister,
urging her to trust me with her fate
and meet me at the station In time for
n,On tn tn knn
at once to p, where had friend in
the ministry who would at once unite
US in marriage. l was very peremp-
tory. for my nerves were giving way
under the secret strain to which they
bad been subjected for so long. and she
herself was looking worn with her own
silent and uncommunicated conflict
ITO write this note was easy. but to
deliver 1t involved difficulties. Miss
Cumberland's eyes seemed to be more
upon me than usual. Mine were oblig-
ed to respond, and Carmel. seeing this.
kept hers on her plate or on the one
other person seated at the table, her
brother Arthur. But the opportunity
came as we all rose and passed togeth-
er into the drawing room. Carmel fell
into place at my side. and slipped the
note into her hand. She had not ex.
pected II, and l fear that the action
was observed. for when I took my
leave Of Miss Cumberland shortly aft.
er was struck by her expression. l
had never seen such look on her face
before. nor can conceive of one pre-
senting a more extraordinary contrast
to the few and commonplace words
with which she babe me good evening.
II neither knew Adelaide nor did
know the girl whose love had 80
overestimated. She failed me. DR..
Perry. l was met at the station not
by herself, but by q letter-a few hur-
ried lines given me by an unknown
man-in which she stated that l had
asked too much of her-that she could
not 30 wrong her sister who had
brought her up and done everything
for her since her mother died. ! have
not that letter now or would show
1t to you. In my rigging disappoint-
WCut WV ~ VI Ou tuC ptitCc uCs0 !
received 1t and threw the pieces away.
I had staked my whole, future on one
desperate throw, and had lost. II
had had pistol I stopped. warned
by an easy movement on the part of
the man ! addressed that ] had better
not dilate too much upon my feelings.
pulled myself together aud proceed
ed to finish my story with greater d.
rcctness.
II did not leave the station till the
1890 train had gone. II was from
sheer preoccupation of mind that ]
drove this way instead Of straight out
by Marshall avenue. As reached the
bend in the road where you get your
first sight Of the buildings I saw q
thin streak Of smoke rising from one
Of its chimneys. and. anxious az to its
meaning. drove in
swat. Mr.. Ranelagh. am sorry to
interrupt you. but BY which gate did
you enterr'
by the lower one"
"Was II showing at this timer
mot set 1t was Just before the
clouds rushed upon the moon. could
see everything quite plainly"
Ny companion nodded. and I went
breathlessly on. Any question Of his
staggered me. ] was ignorant Of the
facts at his command. was not able
to conjecture BY what chance or at
whose suggestion the police had raid
ed the place and discovered the trag.
edy which had given point to that
raid continued. but ! omitted all
mention Of the most serious part Of
my adventure-said nothing Of my vi.
sion Of Carmel or the terrible copclu.
sions which her presence there had
awakened.
There Is no more to say" conclud-
ed. II know nothing. 1t II all a
phantasmagoria to me-with no more
meaning than a nightmare. She Il
dead-I know that-but beyond that
all IS doubt-confusion. I can neither
understand nor explain"