Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-23


out, IT'S no easy task to tell your girl
mat YOU were accused OF killing her
iatherl Still I ought to have told you.
Wen, you see now why l told you
from the FIRST 1t was impossible
She couldn't see that, and said so. Be
cause those stupid policemen got hold Of
the wrong man? / don't see the logic
Of IT, Why should that come between
us2 They might just as easily have ac-
cused mother"
She stood beside him leaning backward
against his desk. She laid her long white
hand with a caressing touch on his dark
hair
"1f you do that shall kiss you and
start making love to you" he threatened
viclously, land that's what I don't want
to do. The fact is I'm not cleared.
Because those cursed juries couldn't make
up their minds between them there will
always be people to believe in my guilt,
Asses!" hc muttered, they ought TO have
locked 'em up on bread and water till
they did agree. 1t would be falrer to hang
a man than to let him so with this cloud
of suspicion hanging over him, And that
prosecuting counsel - Heavens, what a
dirty trade!"
~ could kill himl" The words came
from between the girls set teeth, Then
she asked curiously what happened to
you after the second trial?"
II was kept in prison for a week Then
| was told that the Crown proposed to
let the Indictment lie In the office, what
ever that might mean, and was free to
go. Some newspapers wanted to get UP
n demonstration In my honor but / man
aged to dodge that. So | made tracks
for home"
You have never told mo about your
home, Martin"
''I come from the north" said Arrol
briefly. My parents, luckily we're dead
My mother died when | was an infant
my father the year in which I entered
the navy. My brother was In India. My
married sister and her husband, | could
see, by no means forgave mo the noto-
rety they had acquired on my account
They began plaguing me to clear myself,
as they called tito speak out fully.
went back to Portsmouth / very soon
found that my career in the navy and In
England was ended. Men In tn: messes
and clubs became cffuslvely friendly, and
then would go away and discuss mo, look
ing at me over their shoulders, II made
me pretty wild. | was appointed to n
ship-the Foreshore. The day we were to
sail | had occasion to Teprimand one of
the stokers. As he skunk away the boat
swain heard him say something about "a
murderer"
"The man was hauled UP before the
captain, who asked him what he meant
by using such language about an officer,
He replied, Well, sir, some say he is a
murderer and there's some who say he
isn't, but | happens, begging your parden,
sir, to he one of them who thinks he la.'
Tho next day went to London aud saw
the Admiralty, They offered me all sorts
of jobs but hated the sight Of the uni
form and the very country, and just
handed In my papers"
what cruel shamel" cried Maud,
listening hrcathlessly,
"Then knocked about the world bit.
/ led pretty rough life for q time l
was feeling pretty sore with society In
general, YOU understand. | got myself y
bit smirched, / suppose--ooarsened GER
taInly told you was no NJ
service with an irregular regiment In the
South African war; then went to Canada,
hut found that 1t gave me chill at the
heart, Well, l shipped as mate in brig
trading between Liverpool and Brazil, and
so at last came to get the command OF
this boat, on the whole, ! have enjoyed
tho life" He leaned back, blew a ring of
smoke into tho air and smiled with some
complACenCy
~ want you to give up that life" she
said
"Why1"
For your own sake and mine. Martin
You have not been very brave. You should
have lived down these base enspicions
You should have proved by your lite that
YOU were incapable OF the crime that
fools and slanderers dared to impute TO
you And / want YOU to begin to
do that now"-she took his hand and held
il between hers-"for my sake II not your
own" she pleaded,
"What do you want me to loY' he
asked almost sulkily.
ITO remain In England or at least TO
show yourself boldly to those who knew
you formerly. To lot our engagement be
He started. MY dear girl" he began
And TO make a serious effort to dispel
The suspicion which elung to YOU TO
prove your innocence"
~ tried to do that and failed"
ut seems to me rather that you let
them try to prove your guilt and that
they failed"
you mean that l made no effort to
discover the real orlminal?'
"That is so, Not that l want you "a
bring the real man 10 Justiee-that would |
be hldeous" she shuddered, but you |
must prove Il couldn't have been YOU
Oh, 1t must be pnssible!" she cried, |
,lasning his hand even tighter
"Honestly, | don't see what can be !
lone" he protested "and ! don't know |
lfter all these years that ! much oAle,' !
"Well, will you marry me without maxi |
ng this efforts
''That wouldn't be fair to, you"
81 thought YOU would say that That |
$ precisely why l want you to FeinT
,estlgate this matter. l want no pFGefs |
# your innocence"
She looked at him proudly, then leaned |
Iown and kissed him, She slipped down
m to the arm of his chaiF, and he en- |
iroIed her with his arm,
A lighting look came into his eyes, "lts
worth having a try for" he muttered |
though I'll be shot II know al which
nd to begin"
I'VE shall find a way" she cried gleer
ully, "pear old boy, l knew you weuld
,Fomlse We will make the people who
ave tFaduoed you sing very small"
"And now, Miss Pleasey, you must leave
ny ship" commanded Martin after an
interval of 10 minutes not entirely de-
roted to discussion, He led her up the
talrway, He looked round the deck
"Y0u are the strange woman who has
ome between me and my Rife-lhat's nay
hipl" he said,
CONTINUED TOMORROW
GREET FRENCH