Northern Weekly Gazette. — 1908-06-13 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

CHAPTER XXV. (Continued).  "You see what has wine of your mad infatuation for Mark Danvers," he stormed. "We are disgraced through him, and are going to have our names dragged in the mud. I can see the scare lines of the evening papers as if they had been stuck up on the wall there. "Sensational event in a church. Baffled detectives. Well known financier's daughter disappointed," and all the rest of it. OUT name, my name, made the gossip of every club in London. Oh, it's past speaking about, and it's all your fault Joan, all your doing." Joan allowed her father to exhaust his eloquence -without hindering him, and as Mr Marchniont sank into a chair she came to his side speaking very quietly. Suppose we begin to talk like two rational people, father," she said, "and look at the case fairly. Do you suppose I'm not feeling badly? But I don't want to say a word about myself except this, that I know that Mark is as guiltless of any wrong doing as you are. I know .him better than you do. I shouldn't love him if I didn't."  "Then why does he keep in hiding if he isn't afraid to face this trial?"_ _ . .  "That I cannot say. There is a reason for his not coming to the church, .but Mark is not to be blamed. Something has hindered him, and he will explain everything when we see him."  "But this charge of murder that's brought against him?" said Mr Marehmont. "The warrant for his arrest how will Danvers explain those things away?" "Do you believe this is true that is said of Mark?" answered Joan. "That he Murdered Lord De Vaynes. Why, if all the world chose to believe it I shouldn't. I know Mark never could commit that crime. I know that he is too brave, too noble hearted to have done anything will& would bring life-long unhappinesA to me. You don't know a woman's heart father. Mark is innopent—he will prove his innooence to the world, and I'll defend him as long as I've breath to speak. He will come to me presently." Her tatter was impressed by her firm simple eloquence, answering it by a doleful shake of the head, and Joan was about to speak again, when the door opened to admit De Vaynes, who entered unannounced.  He was in a state of intense excitement, almost unable to control hiinelf, and Joan turned quickly facing him. "You can exonerate, Mark," she said. "You know he is innocent, Lord De Vaynes." "I'll swear Mark never did this thing," he cried. "Who knows but what Algernon committed suicide? Yes--yes--I remember what the verdict was —I never believed it was the right one—Algy knew he was doomed--other men have done what he did." And his voice died away in a Shriek almost. "You recollect the evidence that Eglesias gave," exclaimed Mr Marchrnont. "It proved that your cousin was murdered. What more Mr Marohmont might have said was prevented by the entrance of a fourth person, who eame into the room wearing a look of triumph as he made a tbow right and left. It was old Cutabertson, and for a moment or two a dead silence fell on the scene.  " The news came to Duero Abbey, my Lord," he said, bowing again to De Vaynes. "I had a telegram about it, and I've come to London at once. I'm going to speak out at last. my Lord, and say something that's been on my mind to tell you ever since that night when your Lordship's cousin was found stabbed in the conservatory at Haydon Bois. I'm going to do what I promised Mr Danvers, and that is to save him, now his hour of danger has come."  "But Mr Danvers has disappeared, Cuthbertcon," exclaimed De Vaynes. "He haant-t bee-n:6om for two or three days." "Then we've got to find him, my Lord," replied old Cuthbertson confidently. " Maybe Mr Egletas knows where he is."  ITrm