Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-04
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES.


die of the night to the woman's own
home.
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES.
<tTF YOU are telling the truth, Miss
l. Ledyard," Paul interposed swiftly
"why should you have hesitated? Why
did you not give the alarm at onc'
and summon aid?"
"And have all the world know that
this woman who had come from nowhere
and foisted herself upon us had com
mitted suicide in our home? Oh, can
YOU understand" The girl wrung hel
hands. "The notoriety, the disgrace
of 1t, To have us all dragged through
the mire of police investigation, our
names blazoDed on the front page OF
every scandal -mongering journal, our
private affair discussed on every street
corner
.It would have ruined my father,
killed my mother. People in our sta
tion of life cannot afford the breath OF
that sort of scandal it is fatal! we
would. go to any length to stamp II
out :"
Paul shook his head slowly as though
her explanation failed to convince hlm'
but he forbore to pursue the argument:
what did you do when you reached
the door,
II found that instead of coming
toward the conservatory every one was
trooping out to the supper room. Hlck
son was lowering about in the hall by
the ballroom door and ] caught his eye
and beckoDed. When he came eau
TONED him to silence and showed him
the body. We decided quickly what
must be done. | was to go in to supper
and keep things going until the dance
was over, while lIickSon would lock
the conservatory door-the key was
there. in the lock-and go up to Louise
FOR Mrs. Uartshorne's cloak, saying she
had sent him, if necessary. Then,
should her absence be remarked upon,
we could say that she had gone home.
"I don't know how | got through
the nightmare of those two hours
was on the verge of collapse. l wanted
to shrek aloud. to tell every one of that
terrible thing that was lying there in
the conservatory. But l controlled my
self and the night wore on somehow
until the end. Hickson had slipped
out right after supper, told William,
and warned him to be ready with the
car. After all the guests had gone
said good night to my mother, went to
my room and dismissing Louise for the
night, put on long dark cloak and
wrapped that scarf-the first which
came to my hand-about my head.
When the lights were all out except one
tiny glimmer in the hall | stole down
stairs again and found Hickson waiting
for me.
"He tried to persuade me not to go,
saying that he and William could man
age to get the body back to her home
and leave it in the vestibule. for that
was what we had planned. ! was de-
termined to see it through, however;
I could not have endured the suspense
until his return, and | was afraid that
despite his loyalty he might bungle. lie
got her cloak from where he had hid
den it in the closet beneath the stairs,
and together we entered the conserva-
tory"
Her voice had faltered and now a
shudder swept her from head to foot,
but she gripped the arms of her chair
and forced herself to go on:
'The-the blood upon her breast had
CONCEALED, but it was not dry and when
Hickson started to wrap her cloak about
her, something jingled in a little pocket
in the lining. 1t was her latchkey.
When we realized from that that her
household would all be asleep a new
idea came to us; to take her up to her
bedroom and make it appear that she
had committed suicide there. Then
i remembered the blood If the slight
est trace of it smirched her cloak it
would be discovered Jhat she had been
brought there wounded, at least, /
tore the scarf from my head and wadded
it across her breast.
"We lifted her sagging body between
us and got her out to the car, but it
was CHASTITY l shall never forget that
fearful ride, short as it was, with
that limp weight lolling and slumping
from side to side! My brain reels when
/ think of it-and / can think of moth
ing else 1t will remain with me al
ways, like a phase of hideous, remem
bered delirium
"Hickson had pocketed her pistol
and he carried, too, tiny electric
torch. We reached the house at last
and walked the body up the steps
between us. In the vestibule Hickson
held It braced against the wall while
unlocked the door.
''It was dark and absolutely silent
No one stirred as we dragged her up