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

visited the clubhouse with her sister;
I would not proclaim 1t. 1t was enough
for me to proclaim my Innocence.
was in this frame of mind when
Charles Clifton called and was allowed
to see me. l had sent for him In one
of nv discouraged moods. He was my
friend, but he was also my legal advis-
er, and it was as such l had summon
ed him, and it was as such he had now
come. Cordial as our relations had
been, I noted no instructive Outstretch-
ing of his hand and SO did not reach
out mine. l was the first to speak.
II am an innocent man so far as the
attack made upon Miss Cumberland
goes. l had no hand In her murder, II
murder it is found out to be. My story
which you have read in the papers and
which 1 felt forced to give out. posi-
bly, to my own shame and that OF an
other whom 1 would fain have saved.
Is an absolutely true one. l did not
arrive at the Whispering Pines until
after Miss Cumberland was dead. To
this / am ready to swear. and it Is
upon this fact you must rely In any
defense you may hereafter be called
upon to make in my regard"
But I saw that l had made no i'm
preston on his convictions. He re-
garded me as a guilty man and. what
was more to the point no doubt. as
one for whom no plea could be made
or any rational defense undertaken.
"You don't believe me-" l went on.
still without any great bitterness. Il
am not surprised at it after what the
man Clarke has said Of seeing me with
my hands on her throat. But, Charles.
to you I will confess that I did this
out Of a wild desire to see II those
marks were really the marks of stran-
Cling fingers. You shall believe me
you must" I insisted as I perceived
bis hard gaze remain unsoftened. II
don't ask 1t Of the rest Of the world.
But you. II you are to act as my coun-
sci, must take this denial from me as
gospel truth. She was dead before !
touched her. Had the police spy whose
testimony Is likely to hang me climbed
the tree q moment sooner than he did
he would have seen that Are you
ready to take my caseY'
Clifton Is a fair fellow, and I knew
II he once accepted the fact thus
urged upon him he would work for
me with all the skill and ability my
desperate situation demanded. was
conscious of a great leap Of heart as
the set expression Of his features re-
Taxed and he responded almost warm.
":
Il will take your case, Ranelagh
God help me to make 1t good against
all odds"
I was conscious Of few hopes, but
some Of the oppression under which
I labored lifted at those words. / had
assured one man Of my innocence! he
was ready to speak before I was.
"Then you had not been long on the
scene of crime when the police arriv.
edY'
Il had been in the room but few
minutes. I do not know how long
was searching the house"
1.-THE police say that fully twenty
Jfinutes elapsed between the time they
received Miss Cumberland's appeal for
help and their arrival at the clubhouse
If you were there that long
II cannot say. Moments are hours
at such a crisis. ~
My emotions were too much for me
and ! confusedly stopped. He was
surveying ME with the old distrust.
In a moment ! saw why.
"You are not open with me-" he
protested. "Why should moments be
hours to you previous to the instant
when you stripped those pillows from
the couchr
This was q poser. I had laid my.
selr open to suspicion BY one thought
less admission. and. what was worse.
It was but the beginning In all prob
ability Of many other possible mis-
takes. had never taken the trouble
to measure my words. and. the whole
truth being impossible. ] necessarily
must make a slip now and then. He
had better be warned of this. I did
not wish him to undertake my cause
blindfolded. He must understand its
difficulties while believing in my inno-
cence. Then If he chose to draw back
well and good should have to face
the situation alone.
Charles" said l as soon as I could
perfectly control my speech, "you are
quite just In your remark. l am not
and cannot be perfectly open with
you. I shall tell you no lies. but be-
yond that cannot promise. I am
caught In q net not altogether Of my
own weaving. So Tar l will be frank
with you. A common question may
trip me up. Others find me free and
ready with my defense. You have
CHANGED upon one Of the former. I
was In q turmoil Of mind from the
moment Of my entrance into that "a.
tai house. but can give no reason
for It"
"You say you cannot be open with
me. That means you have certain
memories connected with that night
which you cannot divulge."
To be Continued.