Evening star., 1924-01-07
ABOVE SUSPICION
By Robert Orr Chipperfeld.
4u.hor Of "The Second B,Les" Unseen Hands.
The Trigger of Coincidence" Etc.
Copyright by obsrt n. McB1d 4 Co.
Continued from Yesterdays Starr
By Robert Orr Chipperfield


Before her simple, steadfast faith
Ieon felt a wave of emotion stir him
which was foreign to his practical
pie in his scrawny neck bobbed
Tiolently as he swallowed once or
twice in the silence that followed.
AT last he found his voice.
: Yes, ma'am. Reckon that's what
Mr.. Dunn and a few more O. his
friends think. Not that he was out O.
ais head, I don't mean. but that there
vas kind O. a mistake made bout
ire money, somehow. There wasn't
no way o'gittin' round to prove 1t
fore Mr.. Bernhard died. but now some
other evidence has come to light and
they're goin' to investigate and try
20 clear Mr.. Shirley's name. That's
That Mr. Dunn thought you'd ought
30 know n1a'am."
Miss Beverley's clear eyes widenef
and a great, soft glow suftused them
while her cIasped hands flew to her
breast and rested there.
sunk so ten hSsad whisper Hss voice Aser hea
zen years. it is coming at last! 1
knew 1t would some day!"
Geoff was distinctly uncomfortable
He realized he had gone further than
he ever inteded to when he entered
that room, and yet he wasn't getting
anywhere with the real mission which
had brought him there. He decided
ned better find out what he could
before he let himself get carried
away and make any more fool state
ments he counldn't back up in the
future.
You said there wasn't none O. Mr.
Shtrley's family left, ma'am. How
many was there In 1t? Didn't he have
no brothers nor sisters?"
His mother died when he was still
little boy and his father when he
was twenty-two." Miss Beverley's
hands relaxed and fell to the arms of
Randoph Rsr who Rss muas Older and
little sister Sallie. Randolph sold
their old home here Ehen the news
came ot-of what haH happened up
IN New York and took sallie to
California to live: she was killed in
a railroad weeck out there some
where q few years later and l don't
think she ever knew what was said
about Lawrence. 1 like to believe
that she didn't for she idolized him.
quarreled bitterly when he left for
the north; and Randolph forbade her
to write to him. 1 used to smuggle
little notes for her into my letters"
rs Mr.. Randolph Shirley still In
California;" asked Geoff.
Nobody knows None of the folks
here want ever to see him again He
--he was right quick to think evil
OF his brother, and every one loved
Her soft voice fingered over the
name like a caress. Geoff guessed
vaguely what II had cost her so to
open her heart to a. stranger, and a
man who she must have seen was
not her kind. He knew he was tread
ing upon sacred ground, and yet there
was more that he must learn.
What did the two brothers quar-
rel over, Miss Beverley? I s'pose
this sounds mighty fresh to you. but
we want to find out all we kin bout
Mr.. Lawrence Shirley SOS Mr.. Dunn
kin help clear up the mistake that
was made" Geoff coughed. You
see, we know he wasn't crazy bout
specilatin' like the papers said: he
more'n he would common gamblin
but he had to have q lot o. money
real quick. by a certain time, and
he couldn't mako 1t noways 'cept on
ser?" soa ~nA' ne nAo 20 nave 'nA' money
.T know. 1t was because of me-"
That vibrant note Of pain had come
again into her tones; Down here
taught to obey our parents In the
old-fashioned way, and though Law
renee Shirley and I had--had cared
for each other always, there was a
man from Louisville my father want
mission to pay his addresses to me,
and though he was old he was very
wealthy and We've had lost almost
tbdnssna ao,ara f1o
his fathers estate. but 1t was very
little compared to what the-the
other man had, and my father said
that must forget him. Lawrence
and he had a terrible quarrel and
Lawrence swore that he would go
away and make as much money in
two years as the other man had in
a lifetime. His pride had been cut
to the quick and nothing could stop
him. while IL did not even dream
ing him right that very day! Ran
dolph wanted him to put his capital
in some big mills down the river,
that Is what their quarrel was over.
but Lawrence took 1t and went up
north. That was in June, just a
year and a half before he-he died.
But what was the rest of your mes
sage, Mr.. Peters? What had he said
about me that Mr.. Dunn wishes me
to know?"
Geotf drained the goblet Of cooling
drink and then carefully replaced It
upon the table as he rose. He must
make one last valiant effort, but he
wished that she would take those
clear, steady blue eyes from his face.
HE showed him your picture,
na'am, and told him that you was
the lady who was waitin' for him
down here and he was comm back
soon's ever he could to marry you.
He said-he said that nobuddy never
cared for nobuddy else in this here
world the way he cared for you"
That was the best he could do on
the spur of the moment, and he
averted his face quickly lest he
lonKed only to the boy who was
dead. His mission was accomplished
and he wanted to get away, efface
himself. rs soon as possible. but he
fx~ <1 H~r I'D cd
TO close. 1t was his hostess who
saved the situation for him after a
tense moment by rising and holding
out her hand.
Thank you" she said quietly. Il
shall never forget that, nor you for
going north again right soon?"
"Quick's ever I kin get there,
na'am!" GeoT replied in heartflt
sincerity.
-Then will you tell Mr.. Dunn that
7 send him my deepest gratitude?
will pray for the success of his
effort to clear Lawrence Shirley's
. name, and I know-I know that he
will succeed for he is seeking the
"Yes, ma'am. HeIl-heIl see that
you git the first word o it, Good-by,
He wrung the slender hand with
into the sunlit fragrance Of her gar
den, a new idea seething within him.
Miss Beverley was lady, and he
had sat in her parlor. accepted her
refreshments, taken her hand i
lied to her! But what II. a.
all, he might be able to prove m. o
than he had promised, more than she
even dreamed?
CHAPTER Xxx.
whose HandS
DR.. Hood sat tilted back in q
chair on his front porch, moodily