FOE HIS DEAR SAKE

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 146000, 5 December 1917, Page 8

FOE HIS DEAR SAKE

ATTRACTIVE STORY OP STRONG DOMESTIC INTEREST.

By RUTH TEMPI/ETON, Author of "The Price of Her Silence," "The Tie That Binds," "Love Forbidden," etc., etc.

CHAPTER XIX. The news of the tragedy quickly spread, and by the following morning everyone in Beverley knew that Mark Travers, as they still believed him to be, had been arrested for the murder of Pauline Silver.

The more imaginative among them invested the dead woman now with an air of mystery, and declared among themselves that the master of Beverley Grange had some deep motive in removing her from his path. Then came the inquest with its ominous verdict of murder against Mark Travers, and the preliminary hearing before the magistrates, as a result of which he was committed to stand his trial at the forthcoming Bevcrton Assizes.

Lynetto, pale as a ghost, had scarcely left the house since her return from the Grange on the night of Owen’s arrest, and each day saw the anxious lines deepening in her face, the shadows darkening Tier lovely eyes. Suspicion looked so black against Owen—all the known facts pointed to the guilt of the man she loved.

But the colonel and Mrs Hcdderwick did all in their power to comfort her, confidently assuring her that Travers’ innocence was sure to be proved. “It will all come out at the trial, child,” Mrs. Hcdderwick declared with cheery optimism. “Mr. Travers will prove where ho was at the time the crime was committed, and even now the police may have other clues to work upon.” Nevertheless, Lynetto could not dispel the dark cloud of gloom that oppressed her. In her heart, she knew Owen guiltless, but then those who were to sit in judgment upon him would view the evidence with unbiassed minds, without tho leavening quality of trust and love_ It’ was some consolation to Lynette, however, to find one other staunch believer in Owen’s innocence, and that the faithful Jcpson, who would have gone through fire and water to set his beloved master free again. More than once he had, come down to the Hall to consult with Colonel Hcdderwick, and on each occasion had managed to see Lynette, for whom he felt genuine sorrow, since he was astute enough to' guess that she would never have fainted on hearing of his master’s arrest, if she had not cared for him.

“Never yon fear, miss,” were his parting words on his last visit. “We’ll leave no stone unturned to prove the master’s innocence. Thera judges know what they’re, about- and there'll bo a lot of surprises at the trial, you mark my words.” And in this Jepson was right, though the surprises, wore not exactly of tho nature he bad fondly hoped. The day fixed for the trial broke grey and stormy, in tune with Lynctte’s spirits, as she dressed to go with Mrs. Hcdderwick to Beverton. From the first she made up her mind to be present at the trial and nothing could dissuade her. She felt she must be near Owen, despite the fact that she had led him to believe she no longer cared for him. In this, his darkest nour. she would not fail him. ■She would let him sec. if only by her presence there, that she believed him guiltless of the foul charge against him. Lynette felt strangely nervous as the Hcdderwick’s car drove through the crowded court-yard, conscious of curious eyes fixed upon her, and of whispered rumours passing from month to mouth. It was said that there would be, sensational developments, and everyone was eager to hear them. They entered the court-room a few minutes before the judge, in his scarlet robes, took his place. Lynetto glanced towards tho twelve jurymen, whose stolid faces showed no sign of emotion, and she realised that in their hands hung the balance of an iu--oceiit man’s tate.

Then, amid au expectant hush, the prisoner was brought in, between two warders, walking with firm stop, ana erect carriage, into the dock. For one never-to-be-forgotten moment his eyes met Lynette’s across what looked to him like a, sea of cruel, hostile faces. A dull flush suffused the girl’s pale cheeks, to die away and leave them more pallid than before. But Owen knew that she was there. In some curious, magnetic way his eyes had been drawn straight to hors, and she was glad. At that very moment she caught p, glimpse of Dr. Seaton, seated not very far away, and she fancied that his dark, sinister face was full of malevolent hate as his eyes rested upon Owen. Now Owen was being charged with the terrible crime, and everyone leaned forward to hear his first , words, spoken in steady tones; “Not guilty, my lord.” The first witness to be called was -Max Seaton, who gave his evidence, with remarkable clearness, leaving no doubt in anybody’s mind as to his opinion that the unfortunate woman had mot her death at an assassin’s hands. A few more unimportant witnesses were called-, and then the principal one for the prosecution, the murdered woman’s maid. Cerise Augart, took her place in the witness box. She glanced furtively at Owen, then purposely avoided his gaze, as counsel began to question her. A thrill of excitement ran through the court at the surprise occasioned by almost her first-statement —that the prisoner had been known to Pauline Silver for some years, and was, indeed, at ono time, her mistress’s acknowledged lover. In support of this statement, a number of his letters, avowing unchanging love and faithfulness, were produced and road in court.

For the first time a change seemed to como over Owen. The dark pallor of his face gave place to a dull flush, and his hands, that had been resting on the ledge, before him, clenched suddenly. Lyhette must believe him a scoundrel and a hypocrite. “And it was to renew her acquaintance with the prisoner that deceased came to Beverley?” was the prosecuting counsel’s next question. The Frenchwoman nodded. “I had often heard ray mistress say that she meant to marry Mr. Travers,” she affirmed, “and that her ambition was to settle down at the Grange,” She then related Pauline Silver s fond, ness for the prisoner, and testified to the fact that his affection for her seemed to have undergone a change. On this point, questioned closely, she was led up to the very clay of the murder. Amid a tense silence, necks were craned eagerly forward so that no word of the Frenchwoman’s all-important evidence might be missed. “When I left the house, Mr, Travers was alone with my poor mistress, and as I passed the door I distinctly heard, their

voices raised angrily. I did not- see her again until ” she paused, overcome with emotion, “until she lay dead, shot through the heart by a cruel assassin,’’ and to emphasise her words she glared accusingly at Owen. Her evidence concluded, a fresh sensation was caused by the production of the weapon with which the crime hail been committed. This was handed to Owen, with a question as to whether ho admitted ownership. This ho did not deny, though he could give no explanation as to how the revolver came to be on the scone of the tragedy. At this point, prosecuting counsel commented upon the prisoner’s evident reluctance to throw any light upon the tragedy, and plainly hinted that he put no faith in Owen’s statement regarding his lack of knowledge concerning the whereabouts of the revolver. One more witness for the Crown remained to ho called—lnspector Graves, and as she listened to the mass of damning evidence that was being piled up against the man sho loved, Lynette felt her heart sink to the depths. Surely Given could not prove his innocence in face of such awful proof! She looked round at the. eager watching faces in the court. None, save those of Owen’s own personal friends, showed a trace of sympathy.

Now' it was the turn of the defending counsel, and it was plain that ho meant to substantiate liis answer to the charge on a proof of alibi. The prisoner admitted being at Crossgates when the French maid left; also that high words had passed between himself and the dead woman, but he swore to having left the hoviso a good hour before the time at which it was testified the murder had been done.

His next reply electrified those present. He emphatically refused to divulge whom ho wa-s with, and where ho was, at the time Pauline Sliver had met hei death. His counsel had clearly not anticipator! that Owen would take this line, and did all in his power to urge him to speak, but in vain. He would only say that ho had left Pauline Silver alive and well an hour before the crime had taken place. Smiles of incredulity shewed on many lips. Who was going to believe such an absurd assertion in face of the fact that he could bring forward no witness to prove where he was at the time of the tragedy ? Lynctte shot a pleading glance at Owen’s white set face, but he gave no sign of heeding it, and as time wore on seemed to lose all interest in the proceedings that would mean life or death to him At the luncheon hour, when the court adjourned, almost everyone present gave it as their opinion that the trial would be concluded that day, and Sirs. Hedderwick, doing her best to cheer Lynctte, nevertheless felt convinced that the verdict would he one of guilty against Owen —an opinion universally shared. The lengthy speeches of counsel and the judge’s summing up took the best part of the afternoon, and link by link, the chain of argument was forged against the man who called himself Mark Travers. A solemn hush fell over the expectant throng in the crowded court-room as the jury retired to consider their verdict, and in the painful silence that followed Lvnctte seemed to live a hundred years. This was the worst time of the whole day—causing an agony of suspense that was terrible to boar. What would the verdict mean ? Idle or death for the man she loved ?

A mist seemed to swim before her eves, and she felt the ground slipping from under her, but with a superhuman effort she pulled herself together, as the shuffling of feet proclaimed the fact that the jury was returning. Owen stood, white and rigid, but still perfectly erect in the clock, his face turned towards the clerk os ho put the momentous question; “What is your verdict, gentlemen?” Every eye was rivetted on the. foreman of the jury as he rose to reply. There was a second’s thrilling silence, a momentary hesitation, and then ; "Wo find the prisoner guilty, my lord.” (Continued daily.)