ETTIE'S ERROR; AN AUSTRALIAN STORY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1771, 10 November 1883, Page 5

ETTIE'S ERROR; AN AUSTRALIAN STORY.

*■ (Continued.) " No, my dear madam — the evidence is, so far, irresistible." •' Then you believe him to be guilty ! " exolaimed Miss Sprod, triumphantly. 11 1 did so believe, madam — but I hare seen reason to change my opinion." " Oh, thank God I " cried Ettie. 11 May we ask you upon what grounds you have changed your opinion ? " asked Miss Sprod, coldly. " Intuition, madam, only — for the evidence has not been disturbed. Still, I judge from John's manner, and also the manner of Charles Dawson, that they are thoroughly innocent of this murder." " And you, a lawyer, allow yourself to be led astray like that ! " sneered Miss Sprod. "Exactly so. Just because lam a lawyer, and have been many years engaged in studying what lies beneath the surface, I feel Sure our friends aie innocent, notwithstanding all the facts are against them. For stranger cases of circumstantial evidence are often occuring, in which innocent people appear to be guilty ; as even you must know if you read the newspapers." " You give me hope, Mr. Grant," said Ettie. " Hope on, my dear lady, and lend us your j aid to umavel the mystery." Miss Sprod arose majestically. "Mr. Grant," she said, "I deem it my duty to inform you that I consider your con duct to be both inconsiderate and cruel. Nothing will ever shake my faith in a man's own confession of his guilt ; and I think it wicked of you to lead my niece to hope that & imiracle v> ill occur, for nothing short of a miracle will be needed to clear John Davidson Squires of the charge of murder. Yon must excuse me if I declme to be a party to such conduct. I wish you good-morning." Miss Sprod sailed away, in as stately a manner as if she had been a duchess entering the drawing-room at Buckingham Palace, but Mr. Grant only smiled. " Your aunt is prejudiced," he remarked to Ettie. "Can you wonder at it? The discovery was a terrible shod; to her, for I know that she was very fond of John, and had made up her mind to settle here for life." Here the door opened, and Tilly Davidson , was ushered in by Mrs. Battley. J " How do you do, my dear cousin ? " said Tilly, walking up to Ettie, and kissing her. " I suppose Mr. Grant has told you all about me, so there is no necessity for me to introduce myself." " Yes, dear," Ettie replied, " and he has f told me of your generous championship of my poor husband. Oh, it was very good of you 1 " "He is in the bar," said Tilly, coolly. " He and Mr. Dawson are drinking spirits and 1 talking to the landlady. I believe they want " to be off as soon as Mr. Grant can get away." In the bar 1 Her husband — her dear husband I—was1 — was separated from her by a simple wall, and yet they might not meet. Ettie gulped down a sob, and did not dare trust herself to speak. " They are in a mighty hurry to get into gaol," continued the merciless young woman. "Get into gaol I What do you mean?" asked Ettie. " They are going to Albury to give themselves up to the police." "Oh ! And this is my doing 1 " " Yes, there is no disguising the fact, it is your doing, cousin," said Tilly. " And they - are off to gaol at once. I suppose we shall not see them again for some time, Mr. Grant ?" " Bail is not allowable in murder cases," replied that gentleman, sententiously. He evidently rather enjoyed seeing Ettie upon "- .the rack. •>!"" " Oh, I must see John 1 " cried Ettie, startling to her feet. " I must say good-bye to him, and ask him to forgive me before he goes." . '• You must do nothing of the kind ! " Thus Miss Sprod, who had entered unperOeived. '."Oh, auntie — don't be hard upon mo I ". cried Ettie, impulsively running to the old m lady. ■ " Let us retire, my child," said Miss Sprod. "Come!" - "But, aunt! This is John's cousin, Miss "Davidson, who is coming to stay here for a „ few days." Miss Sprod honored Tilly with a frigid bow, ;. but did not offer to shake hands. Tilly, who £. was not easily discomfited, returned a cool r. little nod, and then walked to the window. " Good-bye, Mrs. Squires," said Mr. Grant, now very anxious to end what threatened to be an unpleasant scene. " I shall not fail to -keep you posted up in all our proceedings, and, if-^ou will allow me, I will take a run down here, if anything important occurs." » •' Tell John— tell my husband," said Ettie, , "that I ask his pardon for having brought this dreadful trouble upon him. ' If he is guilty, I will pray for him — if he is innocent, ' I think I shall die of shame. But, whatever 1 ' happens, let him understand that my love for '.^him-has never wavered — never wavered for 'one moment I" As she repeated this, Ettie -v full and defiantly at her aunt, who, ; '"for once, shrank from her gaze, and held her f^pea'ce. --"* "v Tilly ran across the room, and kissed [Ettie V'i^Therel" sh'esaid. "I believe I shall be||in to like you, after all I" iih~ "Then Mr. Grant took his leave, and, a few \4jm||ates' later, the noise of wheels told that u^Hpiggy had itarted. H|^R)h, he is gone— he is 'gone !" cried Ettie, |HHp'agdny of grief. "He is gone to gaol, [fifpfi^h&U never see him again I" rS^^Don't'be silly," said Tilly— Miss «Sprod ;gs"^pP|ettthe room. " Yon will see him again ||l||||p|jctough. Now*, just attend to me one »|M^??t/- Jf you please. Your husband, an& WmSmwam jteo|jsnre that Mr. James Squires is SfliaiEbpttpm ot all /the mischief, and we want |j^^P^O?t >U about him that we can. Tell

mo, in the first place, was he ever in love with you?" The ruse succeeded. Ettie lifted her eyes in wonder, and forgot her grief. " What made yon think of^that ? " she asked. ' I knew itl" cried Tilly, clapping her hands. " I told them so, but they would not bclievo me. Oh, these men! They are ;as blind as bats 1 " And it must be admitted that, in suoh mittors, most men do not see very clearly.