The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-01-03
CHAPTER xvI.-contlnued.

All begin to UNDERSTAND. iou
knew Robert Underwood? Howard
knows your yoice-he heard you-talk'
ing to him Oh, Mrs. Jefries! Are
you the woman who visited his apart
ments that night"
The bankers wife bowed her head
and collapsed on a chair. r.
YES" she murmured in a 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 n dis
grace..to you? But what Of me and
Howard?"
Cant you realize what 1t means TO
be associated with such a crime?" she
walled.
"Disgrace!" cried Annie contemptu.
ously. what is disgrace when a hui
mar life Is at stake?"" 4
'Tt 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-Id have come forward
and told everything-no matter at
what cost" TearfuIly she added:
Surely you realize the position 1t
puts me in?"
A new light shone in Annie's eyes.
What was this woman's misery to
herr Her duty was to the poor fel-
low who was counting the hours until
she could set him free. His. stepmoth-
er deserved no mercy. Utterly self
ish. devoid OF a 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:
1T must be done now" ~
Yes" murmured Alicia In a low
tome that sounded like a sob, ut must
he done now! Oh, If I'd only done it
before-if I'd only told Mr.. Jeffries
the whole truth! You speak Of How.
ards sufferings. If he didn't do 1t,
he has at least the consciousness of
his w innocence, but 1.-The con
slant fear of being found out is worse
than n hell the Imagination can con-
jure up. l dreaded It'll dread 1t 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 Towards
- stepmother. n-. . ... .,
$50 you're the missing witness we
have all been hunting fort" she said;
81 can't believe 1t even now. How
did it happen"
HE and I were onc engaged. |
broke it of when I found him Out.
After | married Mr.. Jeffries l met I'm
derwood again. Foolishly, l allowed
the old intimacy to be renewed. He
took advantage and preyed on my
friends. forbade him my house.
He wrote me a letter IN which he
threatened to kill himself. was
afraid he meant tt wanted to pre-.
rent him. I went to his rooms that
night. didn't tell Mr.. Jetfries.
When the truth is known and | &C.
knowledge that I visited this man
can you see what 1t means?-what a
fuss thererl be. Everybody will put
the worst construction on it"
Trust them for that" said Annie
grimly. She was sorry for the wom-
ans distress, yet. being only human,
she felt a certain sense of satisfaction
in seeing her suffer a little OF what
she had been made to suffer.
They'll say that God knows
what they'll say!" went on Alicia dis
tractedly. MY husband will be
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 boy. |
mustn't think of myself"
Have you the letter that Mr.. Un-
derwood wrote you?" demanded her
companion. .
"Yes-I've never been able to de-
stroy it. | don't know why l kept it.
but thank God ! have it," Moaning.
she went u