Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-25

But the mist was very thick. and the
voices grew confused again. only ] knew
that hands were upon me. that I was
led into another room. where were liehta
that elittered upon the silver, the de-
canters and glasses Of supper table
Yes" l was saying. slowly and heav-
fly; 'yes, am Peter Smith--a blacksmith
who escaped from his saolera on tho
Tonbridge Road-but I am innoccnt~-bt.
fore God-I am innocent. And now-oo
with me as you will-for efn-very
weary"
Sir Richards arm was about me, and
his voice sounded In my ears, but Is
though a great way of:
"Sirs," said he, this is my friend
Sir Peter Wharf" There was a mo-
ments pause. then--a chair fell with a
crash, and there rose confusion OF ex-
cited voices which grew suddenly silent.
for the door had opened. and on the
threshold stood a woman, tall and proud
and richly dressed, from the little dusty
boot that peeped beneath her habit TO the
wide-sweeping hat brim that shaded the
high beauty Of her face. And would
have gone to her but that my strength
failed me.
'Charmianr'
She started, and. turning uttered
cry and ran TO me.
Chairman" said /; "oh. charmiani"
And 50, with her tender arms about me-
and her kisses on my lips. the mist set
tied down upon me, thicker and darker
than ever.
CHAPTER Kill
A BRIGHT room, luxuriously appofnt-
n ed; a great wide bed with carved
posts and embroidered canopy; between
the curtained windows, a tall oak press
with grotesque heads carved thereon.
heads that leered and gaped and scowied
at me. But the bed and the room and
the oak press were all familiar. and the
grotesque heads had leered and gaped
and frowned at me before, and haunted
my boyish dreams many and many a
night.
And now ! lay between sleeping and
waking staring dreamiiy at all these
things, till reused by a voice near by, and
starting up, broad awake. beheld Sir
Richard.
Deuce take you. Peterr he exclaimed:
IT say-the devil fly away with you. my
boy!-curse me!-a nice pickle you've
made OF yourself, with your Internal rev.
olutionsry notions-your digging and
blacksmithing, your walking tours
Where is she, Sir RichardT" l broke
in; pray, where is she7"
"She?" he returned, scratching his chin
with the corner of letter he held:
"she?''
"She whom 1 saw last night"
You were asleep last night, and the
night before"
"Asleep?-then how long have 1 been
here2"
Three days. Peter!"
And where is she-surely I have not
dreamed it aIl-where is Charniian?"
''Sho went away-this morning"
"Gone i-where tor
Cad. Peterl--how should I know?" But
| seeing the distress In my face he smiled
and rendered me the letter. "She left
| this For Peter when he awoke'- and
| i've been waiting for Peter to wake all
| the morning."
Hastily broke the seal. and. unfolding
the paper with tremulous hands, read:
Dearest, Noblest and most DfsbeIiev-
! ing Of Peters: Oh, did you think you could
| hide your hateful suspicion from me-
! from me who knew you so we'll? | felt II
in your kiss. in the touch of your strong
| hand, / saw it in your eyes. Even when
| told you the truth. and begged you to
believe me, even then, deep down in your
heart you thought it was my hand that
had killed Sir Maurice, and God only
knows the despair that filled me as I
turned and left you.
"And so. Peter-perhaps to punish you a
| little, perhaps because I cannot bear the
noisy world just yet, perhaps because
| fear you llttle-I have run away But
I remember also how, believing me guilty
you loved me still. and gave yourself
up to shield me. and, dying OF hunger
and fatigue-came to find me. And So
Peter, ! have not run so very far, nor
hidden myself so very close, and IL you
understand me you should, your search
need not be so very long. And, dear
Peter, there is just one other thing,
which hoped that you would guess,
which any other would have guessed. but
which, being a philosopher, you never
did guess. Oh. Petcr-I was once, very
long ago it seems. Sophia CHAIRMAN Sef-
ton, but I am now, and always was, your
humble person,
CHAIRMAN.
The letter fell from my fingers, and I
remained staring before me so long that
Sir Richard came and laid his hand on
my shoulder.
"Oh, boy. said he. very tenderiy; "shs
has told me all the story. and think.
Peter, 1t is given 10 very few men 10
win the love of such woman as this"
God knows it," said I.
And to have married one 90 very
| noble and high In all things-you should
bo very proud, Peter"
II am" said /; ''oh, am. SIR"
Even, Peter-even though she be
-virago, this Lady sophia-or a terma-
| CANT"
81 was great fool in those days" said
| /, hanging my head, ."and very young!"
1T was only six months ago. Peter"
but am years older today. SIR"
And the husband OF the most glorious
woman-the most-oh. curse me. Peter,
IL you deserve such a goddessl"
"And she worked for me-" said I;
cooked and served and mended my
clothes-where are they1" I cried. and
sprang out OF bed.
what the decue-"began Sir Richard.
my Clothes" said I. looking vainiy
about, my clothes-pray, Sir Richard.
where are theyT"
Burnt, Peter"
Burnt"
EVERY blood-stained ragE' he nodded;
''her orders"
"But-what am 20 DOR
Sir Richard laughed, and, crossing 20
the press opened the door.
CONCLUDED ToMoRRow)
LAUREL RACE PROGRAM