Saturday Evening Mail, Volume 26, Number 31, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 25 January 1896 — Page 7

Pt'

GUILTY OR NOT GUILTY

To the last moment of my life shall I remember those few moments of awful suspense that followed Althea Stanhope's accusing words. The clock was ticking with painful distinctness, driving that fatal name into my brain "Ed-mond Dal-ton, Ed-mond Dalton," as though to enBure my never forgetting it. "No, no," I almost shrieked, throwing myself on my knees before my lover "She is wrong. Tell her that she 1B wrong, Jack tell her that you are not Edmond Dalton—that you had nothing to do with that vile murder."

But even as I spoke them, I knew that I scarcely believed my own words knew—I felt that my vague suspicions of the morning were being confirmed. I remembered Jack's mysterious goings and comings in the early days of our acquaintance, his reluctance to tell me about that leather strap on his wrist, his request to me to trust him always—all these things crowded into mjr brain with lightning speed, and gave the lie to my words. Alas! for my trust so glibly promised—where was it now?

For it is one thing, oh, correct and conventional young lady, to take a kindly and pitying—nay, even romantio interest in a "conspirator" when you have no deeper feelings involved, but quite another to learn that the one being most beloved on earth is connected with underhand and illegal proceedings—to say nothing of being indirectly concerned in the murder of his wife— that wife whose place you would so soon have taken.

Then Althea Stanhope spoke again. "He does not answer, you Bee, Miss Trevor, and why—because he cannot he cannot deny that he is Edmond Dalton. I shall give him in charge of the police at once." "Do you believe this thing of me, Minnie?" said Jack, finding his voice at last, and speaking very quietly. "I will not," I cried, my hopes rising at his tone, and seizing his hand. "I will not, if only you assure me you are not the man—that there are two such star-marks in existence." "And not without that assurance?" he asked, withdrawing his hand. "How can I?" sadly. "The evidence of my senses—the star." "No, you are right—it is too much to expect. Well, Minnie, before I answer your question, I have to request you and Miss Stanhope to hold your judg» ment of my conduot in reserve for a short time, while you accompany me to a house not very far from here. If you ^iii trtl8t yourselves with me, that is to

Bay." 1 hesitated, uncertain "What 1 ought to do, while Miss Stanhope gave a most decided negative. iff'."I distinctly deoline to hold any parley with you, Edmond Dalton. I am sorry for Miss Trevor I would have wished to spare her feelings—although

I am sure she will be the last to regret the loss of such a lover—but necessity has no law, and I muBt request her to allow me to send for a policeman without delay."

An involuntary smile broke over the white, set face. "It does not seem to occur to you, Miss Stanhope, that nothing would be easier than for me to escape from the custody of two women. How do you propose to keep me here, while the polioemen is being fetohed, supposing I •wish to go?"

Althea Stanhope looked rather foolish at this, but disdained to reply. "But I assure you I have no wish to escape. In the meantime it 1B really necessary that you should both go with me. I think I have the right to ask so muoh, in Belf defense. I give you my word that no harm shall befall you, and we can take a policeman with us, if you like."

Scarcely knowing or oaring what I did in my dazed condition, I gave a hasty assent to Jack's proposition, and, after a good deal of hesitation, Miss Stanhope promised to do the same, though I oould plainly perceive what a constraint she had put on herself to remain in "Edmond Dalton's" presence.

I was going out to fetoh my hat, when I caught sight of my darling's face looking at me, with, oh, such tenderness and regret! It was too muoh—a moment's battling with myself, and then— I turned back into the room and put my arms round his neck, "Whoever you are and whatever you have done," I whispered, regaidless of the presence of a third person, "remember always that I love you." "Thank you," he answered, but putting my arms gently and decidedly from him, while Miss Stanhope snorted with disapproval and disgust. I went upstairs with a tight feeling as of a band round my heart.

Notwithstanding Miss Stanhope's wishes, I stoutly refused to take a policeman, and the three of us walked out together in dead silence. I was thankful that we had not far to go, for the strain and uncertainty were fast becoming too strong for me my feet dragged as though made of lead, and I thought I should give way altogether. As for Jaok, he walked with head erect, looking neither to the right or left as we went along the busy streets. In a quiet thoroughfare just off the main road our guide paused before a house with green blinds, and opening the front door with a latch key, motioned us, still without speaking, to follow him up the narrow stairs.

=Pointed Star.

M, F. Baly,

Author of "A Little Mistake," "An Artful Little Game," "The Van-

ishing Gods," &c.

w" [Copyrighted. 1888, by M. F. Baly.]

CHAPTER XII

"I think we are fools to have oome," oused him in my own mind, always 'Whispered Miss Stanhope to me as we thought of him as one more sinned went up. "After the warning you have against than sinning,

so lately had "I am sure no harm will happen to us through my Jaok," I answered back proudly In a low tone, and with great inoonsistenoy. Bu,t I .would, ngt all^f anyone but myself to distrust my lover —that was my own sorry prerogative,

that I would have given worlds at that moment not to have possessed. "Your 'Jaok,' indeed I" oame the low but disgusted answer. "I do hope, Miss Trevor, vou are not going to be foolish and weak about this. I am really sorry for you, my poor ohlld, If you oared for that man, but you are not the sensible girl I take you to be if you stick to Edmond Dalton after thiB."

There was no time to reply, for Jaok had by this time reached the third landing and was standing waiting for us to come up to him. Then, putting a key into the door of the room facing us, he unlocked it, but kept his hand on the handle for a moment before going in "Do not be alarmed by what you will see, Minnie," he said to me, ignoring Miss Stanhope altogether. "I know you have steady nerves, but I thought it better to warn you." Then he removed his hand, and we ail entered the apart ment.

There was nothing apparently to oreate alarm, for at first sight the room appeared to be empty. I was certainly astonished to perceive that we were in abed room, sparsely furnished, it is true, and containing soaroely more than the barest necessaries, but a bedroom all the same. It did not look like the room of a poor person though.. There was a comfortable arm-ohalr pushed up into one oorner, and the remains of a fire in the grate. The bed, too, had white dimity curtains hanging from the tester overhead, and these were drawn forward to their fullest extent. By a lump at the foot I gu the bed must have an occupant

Jack bent forward, and parted the curtains, and Miss Stanhope and I drew near. "Why, it is a dead man!" exclaimed the former, recoiling hastily. "Who is it, and why have you brought us here, 'Edmond Dalton?"

There was no answer, as Jack or Edmond, silently and reverently drew back the sheet from the dead man's face. We saw a youthful head on the pillow, surmounted by curly fair hair. Youthful, did I say? Weil, hardly that. At a second glance I saw that it was a man of between thirty and forty years of age. There were long lines of care on the still face, that tofd their own tale of .sorrow, and the closed eyes were sunk deeply into the head, as though worn out with trouble. For the rest there were a beautiful mouth, and a high white forehead, and, in spite of their death-like pallor, there was something in the features strangely like Jack's. "You ask me why I have brought you here, and who this dead man is?" said Jack, softly touching the oold forehead. 4I can answer you in a very few words. This dead man on the bed isi my only brother, Edmond Dalton." "Edmond Dalton!" we echoed together, in quick low tones of wonder and belief. "Then, who are you?" "I am John Dalton. But, of course, I cannot expect you to believe me without further proof—look here."

And further throwing back the sheet, Jaek—not Edmond, thank God, not Edmond, any more—uncovered the dead man's arms, one of which he drew gently forward, and turned back the sleeve. Then he put his own arm out, and placed it beBide the dead on the bed. There they lay, the dead limb and the living one, with the same peculiar mark disfiguring the wrist of each. But with this difference: On the dead man's star, slightly obscuring the lower point of it, was the identical blaok spot which I had notioed in my dream, and whioh I had then taken to be ink or dirt. I now perceiyed that it was a large blaok mole.

Miss Stanhope, I could see, was far from convinced—for the mole had no significance, for Susie had not mentioned it. "How are we to believe that he is Edmond?" she said, pu22led at seeing the two stars, but only slightly shaken in fixed idea as to Jack's identity with her unfortunate sister's husband. "You cau hardly expeot us to receive your bare word?" 'But the mole," I oried, eagerly. "Do you not see the mole?" That settles the point once for all in my mind. I distinctly notioed that mole in my dream." "If you wish for more proof," continued Jaok, "I have here a paper signed by my brother, properly witnessed, giving an account of the whole sad business. He was unable to give information while he lived, for reasons whioh I will tell yon later but this paper clearly proves his identity." "What did I say?" exclaimed Althea Stanhope. "I still maintain that he kept Bilence because he was himself too deeply involved."

I oould not help fanoying that she was disappointed to find that her victim had escaped her, after all—that before the grim King of Terrors she must perforce hold her peaoe. Perhaps it was but natural. Poer woman, she had suffered so deeply, and had nourished for so long her hopes of revenge! Although I shuddered, I oould soaroely condemn, and I knew that later she would return to a better mind. "It was from no feeling of personal cowardice that Edmond kept silence," said his brother. "Do not judge him yet, until I have told you all. Whatever his faults, he was not a ooward, and be has gone to answer for his weaknesses and mistakes before a Higher Tribunal than ours. We must let him rest in peaoe. My poor Edmond! You can never understand what he suffered 1"

So this was Edmond Dalton, the "masked man" of my dream! Poor, poor fellow, indeed! I have always ex

And so this was

the end! But he needed not my pity now, for was he not at rest? "I will not say in this presence that he deserved all his suffering," said Miss Stanhope. "But if he has suffered, have I noi saffmred too? Oh, my God, hive 1 not suffered too?" And sinking on her

knees by the corpse of him who, she thought, had so deeply wronged both her and hers, she burst into a passion of heavy, tearless sobs, most painful to witness and hear. We let her weep on for a time—let the pent-up emotions have their vent, aud then Jaok touched her gently on the shoulder, "Will you not say you forgive him before you go? Will you not try henceforward to regard him as a fellow sufferer rather than an enemy?" he asked.

She hesitated. It was the gathered resentment of years she was thus asked to give up. She looked uncertainly for some moments on the dead man's faoe, on those sunken eyes and lines of oare, and then her better nature triumphed, and the hard look on her mouth softened. She laid her hand on the cold forehead "I forgive, even as I hope to be forgiven,"she murmured, brokenly. "Now let us go."

Looking earnestly at the dead form on the bed, as the sheet was reverently replaced, with my eyes shadowed by a mist of tears, I oould almost fanoy that the still faoe bore a smile. "He died last night," said Jaok, in answer to my question, as we went downstairs. "The end was very sudden at the last."

As for me, in spite of the sad sight I bad just witnessed, I felt, as we quitted the house.of death, as though treading on air, so great was the relief. Only now, when my doubts were for ever removed, did I realize fully what the Btrain had been, and my heart was full to overflowing with thankfulness. I lifted my eyes timidly to my lover as he walked silently by my side, and my spirits Bank again to zero when I saw that his face wore the gloomy expression, and his mouth had the same sad droop, I used to notioe so often In the early days of our acquaintance. I pluoked up courage, and touched him lightly on the arm. "Jack," I said, so low that Miss Stanhope, on his side, could not hear. "Jaok, will you not forgive me?" i,

His face lost the sad look as he turned to me, and regained the old loving one I so dearly liked to see, which in nn instant transformed the gloom to sunlight. "Love," he answered, in toneB as low as my own, "there is nothing to forgive. You have to forgive me for putting your faith to such a test. It is true I could not help a passing feeling of annoyance at something you said this morning, but it was foolish and unreasonable of me. I should have done the same myself, I know. And circumstantial evidence was so very blaok against me." "Then, if you are not angry with me, why did you look so sad just now?" "Did I look sad? Ah, I was thinking of my poor brother and his wasted life. And—yes, a little, perhaps, of a certain young lady who, on her side, might find it difficult to overlook my want of confidence in her."

I gave his arm a loving squeeze by way of reply, and he appeared more than satisfied, to judge by his expression. "Thank God, it is happily past," he said, "It is the last secret that will ever OOme between us, I hope and trust,"

And, reader, it was^l So peace was made, and I returned home a happy woman. As for poor Miss Stanhope, if she notioed us at all, during that homeward walk, I fear she must have felt herself out in the cold but I think she was too much absorbed in her own thoughts. She had just passed through a great crisis and a severe shock— and she would not recover from either in a moment. "When you have heard my story, we must hear yours," said Jack, so we entered the house. "Unless you still think I had a hand in your disappearance." "I don't know," was my demure answer. "Remember I have not yet had your promised explanation."

A shake and then a kiss were the punishment of my audacious speech, Miss Stanhope having gone on into the sitting-room, leaving us together. When, after a slight interval, we followed her in, we found the whole family assembled, including mother, ready to hear my story—and Jack's.

Before either of us could begin, how ever, we were interrupted by the entrance of Jane bearing the table oloth for dinner, to whioh, after Bome reluctance, we persuaded Miss Stanhope to remain. She wanted to be by herself, she said, to try and get accustomed to this new turn of affairs—this sudden break-up of her oherished plans of vengeance. For throughout everything, as we know, she had steadily clung to the idea the Edmond Dalton was more guilty, if possible, than the actual murderer of her be loved sister—nay, in her eyes, he was the murderer, and with his death, strangely enough, she seemed to think her work was done. All her bitterness had been against her brother-in-law, and it almost appeared as though she would be quiteoontent to let the other, more guilty ones, go free. I firmly believe that, had it not been for our persuasions, she would have taken the first train that afternoon, after hearing Jack's story, back to her northern home, and shaken the dust of London off her feet for ever.

Our persuasions, I say—for we were all more than sorry for the poor lonely woman, whose long brooding over the one oberlsbed idea had ohanged her for the time being from a loving woman tb one soured in spirit, and living only for revenge. The notion of her going back alone to her solitary bome was repugnant to me, and looking at dear mother I saw that her thoughts coincided with mine. I felt assured that Althea Stan hope would not be allowed to depart yet awhile, at least, but that a corner would be found for her in our already overorowded little nest, trusting to time and oongenial oompanionship to bring her peace at last. For the present I contented myself with making her promise to stay the night, but I may mention her that my anticipations were in course of time fulfilled, and that later on—when, indeed, there were two vacancies in our modest household—Althea Stanhope, after a final visit to her home to settle up her affolrs, took up her abode with us as a boarder, to the mutual advantage of all parties conoemed. [TO BB oowmroaD.]

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