The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1914-09-10
CHAPTER xxi.-Continued.

~ did not see the register at the
inn I did not know till afterwards
+bot we were not booked. Once up
stairs | refused to remove my hat or
nv veil or my coat until he brought
his friend to me. He pretended to be
,orv angry over his friends failure
n he there beforehand, as he had
,romised. He ordered a supper
served in the room. l did not eat any
thing. Somehow / was beginning to
understand, vaguely of course, but
surely-and bitterly, Mr.. Wrandall.
suddenly he threw off the mask.
He coolly informed me that he
knew the kind of a girl l was. l had
been on the stage. He said it was no
nse trying to work the marriage game
m him. He was too old a bird and
TOO wise to fall for that. Those were
his words l was Mortified, stunned.
when began to cry out in my fury,
he laughed at me but swore he would
marry me even at that if it were not
for the fact that he was already mar
red. l tried to leave the room.
He held me. He kissed me hundred
times before l could break away. /
tried to scream. A little
later on, when l was absolutely des-
perate, II snatched up the knife
There was nothing else left for me
to do. l struck at him. He fell back
on the bed. l stole out Of the
house oh, hours and hours afterward
ood to fol1
how long | stood there watching him.
=. was crazed by fear. IL"
Redmond Wrandall held up his
hand
We will spare you the rest, Miss
Castleton," he said, his voice hoarse
and unnatural. There is no need to
say more"
"You-you understand? You do be-
leve me?" she cried.
He looked down at his wife's bowed
head, and received no sign from her;
then at the white, drawn faces of his
children. They met his gaze and he
read something in their eyes
Il think your story is so convinc-
ing that we've could not endure the
shame of having it repeated to the
world"
Il cannot ask you to forgive me,
sir. l only ask you to believe me-"
she nurmured brokenly. Il am
sorry Il had to be. God is my witness
that there was no other way"
Mr.. Carroll came to his feet. There
we're tears in his eyes.
81 think. Mr.. Wrandall, you will now
appreciate my motives in
Pardon me, Mr. Carroll, if I sug-
gest that Miss Castleton does not re-
qure any defense at present" said
Mr., Wrandall stif1y Your motives
vere doubtless good. VIII you be so
good as to conduct us to a room where
We nay-may be alone for a short
whlle?"
There was something tragic in the
mans face. His son and daughter
arose as if moved by an instructive
realization of duty, and perhaps for
the first time in their lives were sub
nlssiye to an influence they had never
quite recognized before-a fathers
unalterable right to command For
onN0 III llSII lives IuSy were meek
in his presence. They stepped to his
side and stood waiting, and neither
Of them spoke.
Mr.. Wrandall laid his hand heavily
on his wife's shoulder She started,
looked up rather vacantly, and then
arose without assistance. He did not
make the mistake OF Offering to assist
her, He knew too we'll that to ques-
ton her strength now would be but to
invite weakness. She was strong. He
knew her we'll.
She stood straight and firm for a
lew seconds, transfixing Hetty with a
iook that seemed to bore into the very
soul OF her, and then spoke
You ask us to be your Judges"
ask you to judge not me alone
Out-tour son as well,' said Hetty,
leetlag her look steadily. ''You can
hot pronounce me innocent without
Tonotncing him guilty. 1t will be
hard"
Sara raised her head from her arms.
Yo1 know the way into my sitting