Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-07-30
CHAPTER yI-(Continued)
HTOOD news? What good news?"
~ Miriam asked incredulously.

~ Miriam asked incredulously.
Shirley placed hand upon her lips.
Prosecutor Murgatroyd" she began,
told me in confidence"
In confidence !" Miriam repeated, then
you had better not
Shirley shook her head beligerently.
"Oh, no." she laughed. ITS all right !
Billy Murgatroyd likes to tell things to me.
He told me once that he believed that to
be one of the controlling motives that led
to matrimony That man should
have somebody to tell things to-
Mrs. Challoner's curiosity got the better
of her.
"And he told you-" she inquired ca
gerly.
''He told me the tacts-gave away his
evidence to me-" Shirley tossed her head.
"But---" again protested Miriam.
Once more Shirley silenced her.
"No--I shall tell you--this may be mat
ter Of life and death: besides, you are en-
titled to know the truth
"Yes, yes" assented Miriam, tell me
I must know--but first. wait moment.
She pushed button and Stevens entered.
stevens" she said in low, strained
voice, don't let any one in the house. Do
you understand? / simply cannot STAND II
to see another person."
When Stevens had left the room the girl
resumed:
"Murgatroyd told me, Miriam. the great
est cock-and-bull story you ever heard.
Miriam looked as II her brain would snap.
"It seems that the papers have distorted
exaggerated everything. The fact is. Mir.
lam, dear, the case is the fimsiest
Miriam drew a deep breath.
"How? Explain yourself''
Then Shirley went on TO tell that nobody
had seen Hargraves killed, nobody had seen
the shot fired: that they had only got some
disreputable gambler or other who claimed
to have witnessed quarrel between them
"And. oh, yes" she added moment later,
"tbe man that killed Hargraves robbed him
of ten thousand dollars-and' OF course
I,awrence Challoner wouldn't rob man.
much less kill one-so don't you see' there's
nothing in the story at ALL"
"I don't know" answered Miriam SLOWLY
"whether he would or not
what" gasped the girl
.Don't misunderstood me-" pleaded the
woman, "There are two Lawrence Challon-
ers-one is the man / love-that loves me /;
the other is the Lawrence Challoner VINO
aalI-I don't care" she added fercely
"what he's done, I want him back" She
sobbed for an instant. you didn't know.
shirley that we had a QUARREL treated
him badly, shamefully; he hasn't come back
since"
"You quarreled-you Miriam!' The girl
onanad her eyes Wlue, w nat
"Money," admitted the conscence-stricken
woman-"money He wanted me to give
him some-a perfectly natural request
wasn't it?-Men have got to have money"
she went on, repeating his words, "and I
wouldn't give him any. 1t was brutal In
mel can never forgive myself"
A look of astonishment crossed Shirley's
face.
"You wouldn't give him any money? And
he didn't have any when he went away?"
Miriam wept. After moment she
"No. My poor Laurie-think of him
starving, freezing, perhaps dying
Shirley Bloodgood drew a long breath.
"And Colonel Hargraves was robbed"
she murmured to herself.
IT don't think you understand" Miriam
went on, breaking In upon her thoughts
"Of course l don't believe that Laurie is
Guilty of the things they charge him with.
but he must come back and stand trial and
be acQuitted--and must stand by his side