Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1924-03-26

why I've been little on the nervy side
lately' and why 1 took these few
months out of harness."
Good God," Wilmore exclaimed
setting down untasted the glass of
brandy which he had just raised to his
lips.
want to finish this matter up"
FRANCIS continued calmly, "by making
clean breast of it to you. because
from tonight am starting afresh. with
new interests in my life, what will
practically amount to a new career.
mat is why l preferred not to dine
at Fhe club tonight. although am look
ing forward to seeing them all again
wanted instead TO have this CONVEX
satlon with you. l lied at the inquest
when | said that the relations between
Oliver Hilditch and his wife that night
seemed perfectly normal. / lied when
said that | knew of no cause for i'll
VIII between them. | lied when | said
that l left them on friendly terms Z l
lied when l said that Oliver Hilditch
seemed depressed and nervous. lied
when l said that he expressed the
deepest remorse for what he had done.
There was every indication that night
of the hate which l happen to know
existed between the woman and the
man. | have not the faintest doubt in
my mind but that she murdered him.
In my judgment, she was perfectly
justified in doing sou
You see," he continued, argumenta-
lively, Il was morally and actually re-
sponslble for the mans being brought
back into society. And far worse than
that, | was responsible for his being
thrust back again upon his wife. Ergo,
l was also responsible for what she
did that night. The matter seems as
plain as pikestaff to me. l did what
| could to atone, rightly or wrongly it
doesn't matter, because it is over and
done with There you are, old fellow,
now you know what's been making me
nervy. I've committed wholesale per-
jury, but 1 acted according to my con
science and l think according to JUS
tice. The thing has worried me,
admit, but it has passed, and I'm glad
it's off my chest One more liqueur,
Andrew, and if you want to Wen talk
about my plans for the future"
The brandy was brought Wilmore
studied his friend curiously, not with
out some relief. Francis had lost the
harassed and nervous appearance
upon which his club friends had COM
mented, which had been noticeable,
even, to a diminishing extent, upon the
alert and eager. He had the air of a
man upon the threshold of some en-
terprise dear to his heart.
II have been through a queer ex-
perience," Francis continued present
ly, as he slipped his second liqueur.
mot only had / rather less than
twelve hours to make up my mind
whether 1 should commit serious of
Tense against the law, but a sensation
which [ always hoped that I might ex-'
perience, has come to me in what l
suppose / must call most unfortunate
fashion"
"'The wOmanT" Wilmore ventured.
Francis assented gloomily. There
was moments silence. Wilmore, the
metaphysician, saw then a strange
thing. He saw light steal across his
friends stern face. He saw his eyes
for moment soften, the hard mouth
relax, something incredible transform
ing, shine, as it were, out of the mans
soul in that moment of self-revelation
1t was gone like the momentary pass
ing of a strange CLEAN of sunshine
across a leaden sea, but those few sec
onds were sufficient. Wilmore knew
well enough what mad happened
"Oliver Hilditch's wife," Francis
went on, after a few minutes pause,
presents an enigma which at present
/ cannot hope to solve. The fact that
she received her husband back again,
knowing what he was and what he
was capable of, is inexplicable to me-
The woman herself is a mystery l
do not know what lies behind her ex-
traordinary immobility. Feeling she
must have, and courage, or she would
never have dared to have ridded her
self of the Scourge of her life. But
beyond that my judgment tells me
nothing. 1 only know that sooner or
later l shall seek her out. shall dis
cover all that 1 want to know, one
way or the other. 1t may be for hap
piness-it may be the end OF the things
that count"
81 guessed this" Wilmore admitted,
with a little shiver which he was
wholly unable to repress.
Francis nodded.
"Then keep it to yourself, my dear
fellow" he begged, ''like everything
else am telling you tonight. l have
come out of my experience changed
in many ways he continued, "but,
leaving out that one secret chapter,
this is the dominant factor which
looms up before me. / bring into life
a new aversion, almost passion. An
drew, born in a tea-shop in the city,
and ministered to by all that has hap
pened since. have lost that sort of
Indifference which my profession en-
genders toward crime. I am at war
.bo a,.ir,oipo1 copaofirnac bo~o