CHAPTER XXIV.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 58, 12 July 1884, Page 4

CHAPTER XXIV.

A TUVK MLL. Como to me friend, or foe, And tell me who is victor, York or Warwick. —Hrxky vr. Thk town of Sibley was in a state of excitement. About the court houpo especially the crowd AViis great and the interest manifested intense. The Urand Jury was in session, and the ease of the Widow Clemmens was before it. As all the proceedings of this body arc private, the suspense of tho>e interested in the issue was naturally very great. The name cf the man lastly siu-pected of the crime had transpired, and both Hildreth and Mansell had their partisans, though the mystery surrounding the latter made his friends less forward in asserting his inno cenco than those of the more thoroughly understood Hildreth. Indeed, the ignor ance felt on all sides as to the express reasons for associating the name of Mrs Clemmens's nephew with his aunt's murdei added much to the signitieanco of the hour Conjectures were plenty and the wondei great, but the causes why this man, or ain other, should lie under a suspicion equal t( that raised against Hildreth at the inquest was a mvstery that none could solve. But what is the curiosity of the rabble t( us? Our interest is in a little room far re moved from this scene of excitement, when the young daughter of Professor Darlinc kneels by the side of Imogens Dare, striving by caress and entreaty to win a word fron her lips or a glance from her heavy eyes. "Irnogene," she pleaded, — "Imogene, what is this terrible grief ? Why did you have to go to the court-house this morning with papa, and why have you been almosi dead with terror and misery ever since yoi got back ? Tell me, or I shall perish of mere fright. For weeks now, ever since you wen so good as to help me with my wedding clothes, I have seen that something dread ful was weighing upon your mind, but thi; which you are suffering now is awful ; this I cannot bear. Cannot you speak, dear ' Words will do you good." " Words !" Oh, the despair, the bitterness of thai single exclamation ! Miss Darling drew back in dismay. As if released, Imogen* rose to her feet and suiveyed the sweet anc ingenuous countenance uplifted to her own with a look of faint recognition of th( womanly sympathy it conveyed. " Helen," she resumed. " you are happy Don't stay here with me, but go where then are cheertulness and hope." "But 1 cannot while you suffer so. ] love you, Imogene. Would you drive me away from your side when you are so un happy ? You don't care for me as I do foi you or you could not do it." "Helen •" The deep tone made the sym pathetic little bride-elect quiver. "Helen some griefs are best borne alone. Only i few hours now and I shall know the worst Leave me." But the gentle little creature was not tc be driven away. She only clung the closei and pleaded the more earnestly : 11 '1 ell me, tell me !" The reiteration of this request wai to< much for the pallid woman before. Laying her two hands on the shoulders of this child she drew back and looked her earnestly ii the face. " Helen," she cried, " whit do you knov of earthly anguish? A petted child, th( favourite of happy fortune, you have beer kept from evil as fiom a blight. None o; the annoyances of life have been allowed tc enter your path, much less its griefs ant sins. Tenor with you i* but a name, re morse an unknown sensation. Even youi l»ve has no depths in it such as suffering gives. Vet, .since you do love, and love well, perhaps you can understand some thing of what a human soul can endure whe sees its only hope and only love tottering above a gulf too horrible for words to de ecribe— a gulf, too, which her own hand But no, I cannot tell you. I over rated my strength. I " She sank back, but the next moment etarted again to her feet : a servant had opened the door. "What is it !" she exclaimed ; " speak tell me." * " Only a gentleman to see you, miss." "Only a » But she stopped ir that vain lepetition of the girl's simple words, and looked; at her as if she woulc force from her lips the name she had not the courage to demand ; but failing to obtain ii turned away to theglas?, where she quietlj smoothed her hair and adjusted the lace a'l her throat, and then catching sight of the tear-stained face of Helen, stooped and gave her a kis3, after which she moved mechanically to the door and went dowr those broad flights, one after one, till sh« came to the parlour, when she went in anc encountered— Mr Orcutt. A glance at his face told her all she wanted to know. " Ah !" she gasped, " it is then " "Mansell!" It was five minutes later. Imogenc leaned against the window where she hac withdraw n herself at the utterance of thai one word. Mr Orcutt stood a couple ol paces behind her. " Imogene," said he, " there is a questior. I would like to have you answer." The feverish agitation expressed in hi« tone made her look around. " Put it," bhe mechanically replied. But he did not find it easy to do this, while her eyes rested upon him in sucl despair. He felt, however, that the doubi in his mind must be satisfied at all hazards so choking down an emotion that was al most as boundless as her own, he ventured to ask : "Is it among the possibilities that yot CJuld ever again contemplate giving yourseli in marriage to Craik Mansell, no mattei what the issue of the coming trial mav bo?" * A shudder quick and powerful as thai wliich follows the withdrawal of a dart from an agonizing wound shook her whole frame f jr a moment, but she answered steadily : "No ; how can you ask, Mr Orcutt?" A gleam of relief shot across his somewhat haggard features. "Then," said he, "it will be no treason in me to assure you that never has my love been greater for you than to-day. That to Sive you from the pain which you are now Biffering, I would sacrifice everything, even my pride. If, therefore, there is any kindness I can show you, any deed I can perform for your sake, I am ready to attempt it, Imogene." "Would you—" she hesitated, but gathered courage as she met his eye— •• would you be willing to go to him with a message from me ?" His glance fell and his lips took a line that startled Imogene, but his answer, though given with bitterness, was encouraging. •' Yes," he returned ; " even that." " Then," she cried, "tell him that to save the innocent, I had to betray the guilty,

I but in doing this I did not spare myself ; that whatever his doom may be, I shall share it, even though it be that of death.". 1 ' Imogono !" " Will you tell him ?" she asked. But ho would not have been a man, much less a lover, if lie could answor that question now. Seizing hor by tho arm, ho looked her wildly in the face. "Do you mean to kill yoursolf?" ho demanded. "I feel T shall not live," she gasped, while hor hand went involuntarily to her heart. He gazed at her in horror. "And if lie is cleared/" ho hoarsely ejaculated. " I— I shall try to endure my fato." lie gave hor another long, long look. " 80 this i^ the alternative yon give me?" he bittoily eu'laimod. "1 must eithnr save this man or see you perish. Well," he declared, after a few minutes further contemplation of her iaoe, " I will save this man — that is, if ho will allow me to do so." A Hash of joy such as ho had not perceived on her countenance for weeks transformed its marble-like severity into something of its pristine beauty. "And you will take him my message also ?'' she cried. But to this he shook his head. " If I am to approach him as a lawyer willing to undortako his causo, don't you see I can give him no such message as that ?" "Ah, yes, yes. But you can tell him Imogene Dare has risked her own life and happiness to save the innocent."' " I will tell him whatever I can to show your pity and your misery." And she had to content herself w ith this. In the light of tho now hope that was tlnih unexpectedly held out to her, it did not seem so difficult. (Jiving Mr Oreutb her hand, she endeavouicd to thank him, but the leaotion from hor longsus|>et^e was too much, and for the iir.>t tnno in her brave young life, Imogene lost consciQUbness and fainted quite away.