The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1915-09-10

"''S'H6 lHe HlSHtSOWH or nlul1lS IL Ill
some safe place at some safe distance
from the house.
IL | had only been a little less fond of
YOU | think I should have destroyed it.
But. oh. how could I destroy the only
thing 1 had which proved that 1 had saved
you from discovery?
determined to hide it, and the place
fixed on was the place l knew best-the
Shivering Sand.
l made the first excuse that came into
my head and got leave to go out for a
breath Of fresh air. I went straight to
Cobb's Hole, to Mr.. Yolland's cottage. His
wife and daughter were the best friends
1 had. Don't suppose 1 trusted them with
your secret have trusted nobody.
And now I have nearly got through my
long letter, writing 1t alone in Lucy Vol
lands bedroom. When it is lone 1 shall
go downstairs with the nightgown rolled
up and hidden under my cloak. l shall
md the means / want for keeping 1t safe
and dry In its hiding place among the lit
ter Of old things in Mrs. Yolland's kitchen.
And then ! shall go to the Shivering Sand
don't be afzaid of my letting my foot
marks betray me-and hide the nightgown
down in the sand, where no living crea-
ture can find it without being first let into
the secret by myself.
And when that is done. what then?
Then, Mr.. Franklin. 1 shall nave two
A@a9oHS AOE MAKING announcer attempt 10
say the words to you which I have not
said yet. II you leave the house and II
haven't spoken to you before that I
shall lose my opportunity forever. That
is one reason. Then. again. there is the
comforting knowledge-if my speaking
does make you angry-that I have got the
nightgown ready to plead my cause for
me as nothing else can. That is my other
reason. II these two together don't hard
en- my heart against the GOODNESS which
has hitherto frozen 1t up-I mean the cold
ness of your treatment Of me-there will
be the end Of my efforts-and the end Of
my life.
l beg to remain, sir. your true lover and
humble servant,
ROsANNA SPEARMAN.
The reading Of the letter was COM
pleted by Betteredge in silence. After
carefully putting it back in the envel-
ope he sat thinking, with his head
bowed down and his eyes on the
ground.
"Betteredge," I said, lis there any
hint to guide us at the end Of the
letter."
He looked up slowly, with a heavy
sigh.
There Is nothing to guide you, Mr..
Franklin" he answered. IF you will
take my advice you will keep the let
ter in the cover till these present INK
ieties Of yours have come to an end.
1t will sorely distress you whenever
you read it. Don't read it now"
l put the letter away in my pocket
book.
l walked to. the railway station ac-
companied, it is needless to say, by
Gabriel Betteredge. l had the letter in
my pocket and the nightgown safely
packed in a little bag, both to be SUBJ
mitted before 1 slept that night to the
, investigation of MI. Bruff.
Before I go to London" l began, II
have two questions to ask you. They
relate to myself, and I believe they
will rather surprise you.
my first question, Betteredge, is
this: Was l drunk on the night OF
Rachel's birthday"
you drunk exclaimed the old man.
"Why, it's the great defect of your
character, Mr.. Franklin, that you only
drink with your dinner and never
touch a drop of liquor afterward"!'
But the birthday was a special oc-
casion. l might have abandoned my
regular habits on that night of all
Others"
Betteredge considered for a moment.
"You did go out of your habits, SIR ~
he said, land I'll tell you how. You
looked wretchedly i'll, and we persuad-
ed you to have a drop Of brandy and
water to cheer you up a little"
II am not used to brandy and water.
1t is quite possible
"Wait a bit, Mr.. Franklin. l knew
you were not used too. l poured you
out half a wineglassful of our fifty
year-old Cognac, and, more shame for
me, l drowned that noble liquor in
nigh on n tumblerful of cold water. \
child couldn't have got drunk on it, let
alone a grown man."
I knew l could depend OH his mem
DRY in a matter of this kind. 1t was
plainly impossible that l could have
been intoxicated. l passed on to the
second question.
Before I was sent abroad, Better.
VO6C, Nou SiN ~ SlCtt ICt VI LIZ NlV
I was a boy. Now, tell me plainly, do
you remember anything strange of me
after l had zone to bed at night? Did
you aver discover me walking in my
sleep?"
Betteredge stopped, looked at me for
a moment, nodded his head and walked
OF again.
II see your drift now. Mr.. Franklin
he said. "You're trying to account for
how you got the paint on your night
gown without knowing it yourself. 1t
won't do, sir. You're miles away still
from getting at the truth. Walk in
your sleep? You never did such a
thing in your life.
Lets try it another way, sir" he
, said. Keep your W opinion. If we
are to believe the nightgown, which l