The Lamar register., 1913-03-12
MHEH;SS$.:

Copyright 1912 by Dodd. Mead Company
wait. my dear" said her mother
taking her gently by the arm; II mus
tell you something. 1t will be a great
shock to you, I am afraid"
what IL II, mamma? Has fatheI
Or"
mo. no. not that" said Mrs. Var
ney. "A man we have trusted as q
friend has shown himself oonspira'
tor, a spy, a traitor"
who il it," cried the girl, at the
same time instinctively divining-how
or why she could not tell, and that
thought smote her afterward-to
whom the reference was being made.
Mrs. varney naturally hesitated to
say the name. Arrelsford, carried
away by his passion for the girl and
his hatred for Thorne. was not 50
reticent. He stepped toward her.
1T IL the gentleman, Miss Varney.
whose attentions you have been
pleased to accept in the place Of
mine." he burst out bitterly.
His manner and his meaning were
unmistakable. The girl stared at him
with a white. naughty face. in spite Of
her trembling lips. Mechanically she
thrust the envelope with the commits
s3on into her belt. and confronted the
man who loved her and whom she did
not love. who accused of this hateful
thing the man whom. in the twinklins
Of an eye. she realized she did love.
Then the daughter turned to her
mother.
IL Il Mr.. Arrelsford who makes this
accusation r abe asked.
Yea" said Arrelsford. again an.
swsring for Mrs. varney. since you
wish 10 know. From the FIRST have
had my suspicions about this"
But Edith did not wait for him to
fnish his sentence. She turned away
from him with loathing. and moved
rapidly toward the front window.
where are you goingf" asked Ar.
fslsford.
Tor Captain Thorne."
Not now." he said peremptorily.
The color famed in the girls cheek
again.
Mr. Arrelsford. you have said some
ching to me about Captain Thorne.
Are you afraid to say 1t to hint"
Miss varney." answered Arrelsford
holly, IF you-if you"
Edith" said Mrs. varney, "Mr. Ar.
rslsford has good reasons for not
meeting Captain Thorne now"
7 should think he had" returned
the girl swiftly; "for man who made
sseh q charge to his face would not
live to make II again."
NY dear. my DEAR" said her moth.
or. gently but firmly. you don't un.
dcrstand. you don't"
Mamma" said the girl, this man
has left his desk in the war depart.
mont % that he can have the pleasure
OF prosecuting me-"
Both the mother and the rejected
sutton noticed her Identification OF
herself with Captain Thorne in the
pronoun me-" one with sinking heart
and the other with suppressed fury.
HE has never attempted anything
active in the service BEFORE" contin.
ued Edith. "and when asked him to
face the man he accuses. he turns like
. coward"
Mrs. varney. II she thinks"
Il think nothing" said the girl fu,
riously; II know that Captain Thorne'a
character is above suspicion"
Arrelsford sneered.
His character! Where did be
come from-what is her"
For that matter" said Edith In
tensely, where did you come from
and what are your"
THAT Is not the question" was the
abrupt reply.
Neither" said the girl. 'fs 1t the
question who he Is. II it were. I'd an
swer it'd tell you that he is a sol.
der who has fought and been wound
ID in the service. while you"
Arrelsford made a violent effort to
control himself under this bitter jib
ing and goading. and to his credit sue
oseded in part.
I'VE are not 30 sure of that, Miss
varnsy." he said more coolly.
But I am sure" answered the girl
why. he brought us letters from
0tonewall Jackson himself"
Has It occurred to you that Gen
eral Jackson was dead before his let
tsrs were pressnted7" asked Arrels
ford quickly.
what does that signify II he wrote
them before he was killed."
Nothing certainly" assented the
other. IF he wrote them"
THE signatures and the letters were