The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1914-08-14
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/ The Wrandalls had been routet
from their comfortable fireside-fo
what? They were asking the question
OF themselves and they were waitini
stonily for the answer.
"It Is very stuffy In here" Viviar
had said with glance at the CLOSED
doors after Sara had successfully
placed her jury in the box
Keep still, Wv" whispered Leslie
with hne assumption Of awe. ITS 9
spiritualistic meeting. You'll scare
the spooks away"
II was at this juncture that Sara
rose from her chair and faced them
as calmly, as complacently as II she
were about to ask them to proceed tc
the dining-room instead of to throw Q
bomb into their midst that would shat
ter their SNUG serenity for all time tc
como With a glance at Mr.. Carroll
size began, clearly, firmly and without
a PREDATORY apology for what was To
follow.
Il have asked you TO come here TO-
night to be my judges. ] am on trial
|
unspeakable perfidy. ! only require OF
you that you hear me to the end be-
fore passing Judgment"
At her words, Hetty and Booth start.
ed perceptibly; a quick glance passed
between them. as II each was inQuir-
ing whether the other had caught the
extraordinary words Of self-indictment.
A puzzled frown appeared on Hetty's
brow.
"Perfidy?" interposed Mr.. Wrandall.
His wife's expression changed from
one OF bored Indifference to sharp IN
Quiry. Leslie paused In the act of
lighting a cigarette.
1T 10 the mildest term ! can com
mand," said Sara. II shall be as brief
as possible In stating the case, Mr..
Wrandall. You will be surprised to
hear that have taken 1t upon myself.
as the wife of Challis Wrandall and,
as l regard 1t, the one most vitality
concerned II not interested In the dis
covery and punishment Of the person
who took his life-I say / have taken
It upon myself to shield. protect and
defend the unhappy young woman who
accompanied him to Burton's inn on
that night In March. She has had my
constant, my personal protection for
more than twenty months"
The Wrandalls leaned forward In
their chairs. The match burned Les
lies fingers. and he dropped It without
appearing to notice the pain.
What is this you are sayinsr" de-
manded Redmond WrandalL
when left the inn that night, after
seeing my husbands body in the little
upstairs room, said TO myself that
the one who took his life had unwit-
tingly done me a service. He was my
husband; / loved him, / adored him.
To the end OF my days / could have
gone on loving MIN In spite Of the
cruel return he gave for my love and
loyalty. ! shall not attempt TO tell
you of the countless lapses OF fidelity
on his part You would not believe me.
But he always came back to me with
the pitiful love he had for me. and
forgave him his transgressions. These
| things you know. He confessed many
things to you, Mr.. Wrandall. He
humbled himself to me. Perhaps you
will recall that I never complained to
you Of him. What rancor I had was
always directed toward you, his fam
| lily, who would see no wrong In your
king but looked upon me as dirt'be-
meath his feet. There were moments
when l could have slain him with my
own hands, but my heart rebelled.
| There were times when he said 10 me
>that ought TO kill him for the things
he had done. You may now understand
what mean when l say that the girl
who went to Burton's inn with him
did me a service. l will not say that
l considered her guiltless at the time.
On the contrary. looked upon her in
quite different way. had no means
Of knowing then that she was as pure
as snow and that he would have de-
spoiled her OF everything that was
sweet and sacred to her. She took his
life in order to save that which was
dearer to her than her own life, and
she was on her way to pay for her
deed with her life II necessary when
l came upon her and intervened.'
"You-you know who she is?" said
Mr.. Wrandall. In low, incredulous
voice.
II have known almost from the be.
ginning. Presently you will hear her
story, from her own lips"
lnvoluntarily four pairs OF eyes SHIFT.
ed. They looked blankly at Hetty Cas-.
tleton.
Speaking swiftly, Sara depicted the
scenes and sensations experienced dur.
ing that memorable motor journey to
New York city.
II could not believe that she was a
vicious creature, even then. Some
thing told me that she was a tender
gentle thing who had fallen into evil
hands and had struck because she
was unevil. did not doubt that she
had been my husbands mistress, but
could not destroy the conviction that
somehow she had been justified In
doing the thing she had done. Ny
gravest mistake was in refusing 10
| hear her story IN all Of ita detaila