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

CHAPTER vi.
CHE walked out of the stuffy reading
~ room feeling as though she had been
breathing the fetid atmosphere of the Old
Bailey. She knew now why so little had
been told her of the circumstances of her
fathers death, why even the name of the
accused had been withheld from her all
these years. Certainly till now she hal
experienced little curiosity as to the mat
ter man had been wrongfully accused
and set at liberty-what interest shoull
abe feel in him? She had been little
ashamed TO discover that she had no de-
sire at all TO bring the real murderer to
justice; now she was shocked to find that
the imputations on her mother reused her
to no fierce outburst Of resentment, but
filled her with vague alarm, Her he
lief in Arrols innocence of her fathers
murder was strengthened by her perusal
of the evidence. She wished she felt as
convinced Of her mothers blamelessness.
II was horTid, unnatural to doubt her;
she began to suspect that she was entirely
lacking In natural feeling above all IN
filial respect. Besides, Arrol must be
seven or eight years younger than her
mother (she did not know exactly, for
Mrs. Plessey was careful to conceal her
exact age even from her daughter). He
must have been a mere hoy then. But
she knew quite well that even now her
mother did not scruple to flrt with boys
young enough to be her sons. She was
not likely to have been more scrupulous
when she was in her eos.
Maud shook herself as II to rid herself
of some disagreeable burden, You are
horrible girl, Maud Plessey," she told her
self, IAN unnatural, vitiated product of
modern culture. Poor mother rebutted
this ahominable charge with all possible
vehemence so did Martin. 1 ought to long
to scratch the eyes out of that horrible
barrister who brought it,
She was indeed conscious of deep, in
tense hatred of that gifted advocate, but
she knew that he had earned this by his
heroic endeavors to hang Martin rather
than by his impeachment OF her mother.
She felt hot, her throat was dry A sense
of uncleanness possessed her, She wished
she had not raised the curtain on the
tragedy of her childish years, Why had
she done so2 She had been sure of Mar
tins innocence before she came to the
museum. Now she was not less sure,
hut but
She went into a teashop in New oxford
street and sat down to think. As that old
Judge had said, why had not the officer
whom Martin was shielding, turned up?
The theory that he was shielding
woman was hdeously plausible, And she
knew no woman more given to Irritation,
fonder of mems attention than her own
mother.
she remembered how she had noticed
this when quite a small girl, In the days
when Mrs, Plessey thought 1t pretty
fashion for her child to call her by her
Christian name. "Oh Oracle dear, | do
hate YOU to look at men in that wayI' she
had exclaimed so many, many times ana
been told that she was very horrld'
cruel little girl not to like Oracle 10 look
kind. Then of course, there was gilbert
Huron Maud wondered that there hau
been no mention of his name at the trial.
For that matter she had often doubted
whether he had been as intimate with her
father as he pretended NO, " her
heart of hearts she could not regard her
mother as altogether above suspicion OF
having aroused her fathers jealousy,
But the thought that Martin might nave
loved her stung like hornet, 1t was hata7
full TO Maud to think that he had never
oared for any other woman betore' but
after all. she reflected, he was IA years
her senior and could hardly have been eN-
peeted to have kept virgin heart all ms
lifetime Well, other women, thehI sHs
must admit TO q share IN his memotles'
hut her motheT-neverl II that was true
sba felt she could not love him. ANA
yeti don't know" was her halt-spoAeh
doubt. 49,,
,Ion bim or her mother or perhaps both
she could have no rest till she mad eNE
traetsd a denial from their mouths ahe |
rose. paid her bill, and walked nrlskly |
out OF the shop, She returned 10 South
x ensington by the tube Her aAoW,
ance was by no means HeheIoun' anu
lbrouah Mrs Plassey dlsdained all pop
nIar means OF transit for herself, she
bsid that a girl OF Mauds age could do
gsrv we'll without motorcar and electric
apdaulette' -. t,on,o She
mad telephoned. the butler ANNOUNCES,
mat she would not be home tli iats thAt
night. To Maud's rellet Huron hau .r,,sS a,sS
IN the house. She had dinner served
n her own room. She felt that she eoeid
'nt endure a solitary meal IN the ols
lining room after the cheerful company
~ the SIdPs mess. In the Dis sheht
1ouge she felt lanelier even lhah W tn9
,fternoon Maud was not sehtlllle't1S' t9.
III ana tlll now she had never tslt
H. ~. n.,ed af more than the seant aneetpR
,,ba bad received; but she thougn1 heI
,,otbsr Talght have stayed at nome 70
H. WIN her the Arst night OF her re-
MN INN She could not eat for the lump
bat rose in her throat. she rose tt9l9
ne he tsbIe and pinned on her. hat. she
Nv iI,s,,' the other side OF London halt a
,o1en ,,'s sailors were thinking OF her asdly
y thsv sat down 10 their evening meat
"a tbat one among them woula Dc
hungry for q sight OF heF' 49,,
vss o'clock BY this time shs
,new the sidi would have moved up
9tr.am and should be lying. somewhsFs
.'loo, the ToWeF She took the Tram
ss,p .r,T' south Kensington and aiightaa AZ
.rsrx lane The city was #hely VI
!, nsilinr 10 her ana az that hQuI We
,,ere terrifying than q desert az 9shl
III sbe asked a policeman 20 alISet
~. ~ "a ,he docks. He asked auspieleusiy'
ist,t'st docksYp She was obhgea 70 con-
- sbs didn't know. She eSplainea lhet
~ wanted a steamer that haa CONT
-, ~ fhe Canary Islands The oIneeF
go moments reflection thopknt hs
- ssan boats unloading oranges ~
s,1anss lust below London hfiake. ais
80 - 80 be,v 10 gel 10 the docks. theuHh
- seemed doubtful OF the prudence ~
le ..a.1st,, ss NJ her going there alone
~ she west End girl the parhses o.
= + enaon docks at halt-eass "a
~. ~ eveninR seemed hardly less e2se1ts
~ n fFaneht with peril than me lQMA
- gbieh she had escaped Ia morocco.