The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1915-03-19
CHAPTER xcontinued.

CHAPTER x-continued.
She had rather have died. nay. have
had Reuther die, than to find herself
forced to weigh and decide so mo
mentous question.
For, however she might feel about
It, not a single illusion remained as to
whose hand had made use Of John
Acoville's stick to strike dow0 Alger-
non Etheridge. How could she have
when she came to piece the whole
story together. and weigh the facts
she had accumulated against Oliver
with those which had proved SO fatal
to her husband?
Deborah shuddered. Aye. the mys-
terry had cleared. but only to en-
Ghroud her spirits anew and make b~r
long with all her bursting heart and
Ghuddering soul that death had been
her portion before ever she had es-
sayed to lift the 4eil held down so
tightly by these two remorseful men.
But was her fault irremediable?
The only unanswerable connection be-
tween this old crime and Oliver lay in
the evidence she had herself collected
As she had every intention OF sup
pressing this evidence, and as she had
small dread of any one else digging
out the facts to which she only pos
sessed clue. might she not hope that
any suspicious raised by her inquiries
would fall like a house of cards when
she withdrew her hand from the top
ping structure?
She would make her first effort and
see. Mr.. Black had heard her com
plaint;. he should be the first to learn
that the encouragement she had{ re-
ceive was so small that she had de-
cided to accept, her present good luck
without further query, and not bark
back to past which most people had
buried
"You began it, as women begin most
things, without thought and due
weighing of consequences. And now
you propose to drop it in the same
heakish manner Isn't that it?"
Deborah Scovilie lifted her eyes in
manifest distress and fixed them de-
precatingly upon her interrogator
Mr. Black smiled. The woman de-
lighted him. The admiration which
he had hitherto felt for her, person
and for the character which could so
develop through misery and reproach
as to make her in twelve short years
the exponent OF all that was most at
tractive and bewitching in woman
seemed likely to extend to her mind
Il am reconciled simply from neces-
sity. was her gentle response. Moth
ing is more precious to me than
Reuther's happiness. l should but en-.
danger it further by raising false
hopes. That is why have come to
cry halt"
Madam. commend your decision.
But why should you characterize
your hopes as false. just when there
seems to be some justification for
them?"
Her eyes widened, and she regarded
him with stimulation OF surprise,
which interested without imposing
upon him
i do not understand you" said she.
Have you come upon some clue?
Have you heard something which /
have not?"
Mr.. Black took two or three crushed
and foldef papers from drawer be-
side him aid, holding them. none too
plainly in sight. remarked very quietly.
but with legal firmness:
DO not let US play about the bush
any longer. You have announced your
intention Of making no further attempt
TO discover tie man who in your eyes
merited the doom accorded to John
Scoville Your only reason for this
II you are the woman think you
lies In your fear of giving further op-
portunity to the misguided rancor Of
an irresponsible writer of anonymous
episties. Am ! not right. MADAME
Beaten, beaten by direct assault,
because she possessed the weaknesses.
as well as the pluck. of a woman. She
could control the language of her lips.
but not their Quivering; she could
EJECT his eye with steady assurance,
hvt she could not keep the palIor from
her cheeks or subdue the evidences OF
her hearts turmoil. Her pitiful glance