A REPENTANT SINNER.
"How can the patient stars look down
On all their light discovers--
The traitor's smile, the murderer's frown,
The lips of lying lovers?"
When that startling question fell on Miss Erroll's ears she gave a
convulsive gasp, and sank limply into the nearest chair.
The skilled detective saw quickly that the woman was a coward at heart,
and would not be able to sustain the air of bravado with which she had
entered.
Advancing quickly to her side, he threw back the lapel of his overcoat,
revealing to her frightened eyes his detective badge, and continuing:
"I am in search of Clifford Standish, and you must tell me where to
find him."
She trembled like a leaf in a storm, and muttered, with weak defiance:
"How should I know?"
Norris answered, boldly:
"Because you have been in secret correspondence with the man for
weeks. Because you were his confederate in the kidnaping of Miss
Geraldine Harding."
The cry of a beaten animal burst from the cowering woman's lips, and
her form shook with fear.
"You cannot deny it," added Norris, following up his advantage, while
Cissy and Hawthorne looked on in breathless interest.
She lifted her pallid face and groaned:
"Who is my accuser?"
"I am, and this gentleman here, Miss Harding's betrothed, the Harry
Hawthorne whom it was pretended in that forged note the young lady had
eloped with. I have been watching you and Standish for several weeks,
Miss Erroll, and had I not been called away by other business, you had
never succeeded in that nefarious abduction. But I have facts enough
to warrant me in threatening you with arrest unless you make a full
confession!"
"Arrest me?"
Almost hissing the words, she sprang to her feet, glaring fiercely at
him, but the flash of bravado did not intimidate the fearless little
detective.
"Yes, you," he answered, coolly. "But, after all, I do not like to war
upon a woman, even a bad one; so tell me the truth now if you want to
escape a prison-cell."
Quaking with fear, she dropped back into her chair, covering her
writhing features with her trembling white hands.
After waiting a moment vainly for her to answer, he asked:
"Where is Clifford Standish now?"
"I do not know."
"How long since you saw him?"
"Two weeks ago to-night."
"At the time of the kidnaping of Miss Harding?"
"Yes."
Her answers were given as if dragged from her under stress of fear, but
it was plain that she meant to make the confession he demanded.
He flashed Cissy and Hawthorne a triumphant look, then said, briskly:
"Tell us all about that night and your share in it, as quickly as you
can, for our time is very precious."
So, with her head drooped in bitter shame, and eyes downcast, lest she
should meet their glances of scorn and execration, the beautiful woman
whose sins had followed her so relentlessly, poured out the story of
that night's wrong-doing, her heart sinking in despair the while, for
before her she saw the dark future opening like Hades, so awful in its
gloom.
And in all the bitterness of that moment the cruelest thought of all
was that Cissy was listening to her confession of sin, and would hate
and despise her now for her ingratitude after all the kindness she had
showered on her worthless head.
Somehow, she had coveted Cissy's respect and good-will, and to lose
them was most bitter to her pride.
The cup of her humiliation was full, but she had to drink it to the
bitter dregs.
When she drew breath in silence at last, after telling of the note she
had pinned on the pillow, Harry Hawthorne cried, indignantly:
"Why did you lend yourself to this terrible deed?"
Miss Erroll looked at Cissy and faltered:
"You can tell him why."
Cissy answered:
"I think he knew some dark secret in her past that she was anxious to
hide, now that she is leading a better life, and he threatened her with
betrayal unless she helped him to carry out his plot. Is it not so?"
"It is the truth. I tried to keep from doing it, but I could not get
out of his power. Oh, how hard it is for a woman who has once done
wrong to lead a good life again! The avenging fates pursue her to death
or madness!" groaned the detected governess.
"But, now," cried Norris, impatiently, "now tell us where that fiend
was to take Miss Harding after he placed her in the sleigh that you say
he had waiting at the corner."
"He told me he had engaged an old woman to take charge of her till
she consented to marry him. He said she was a terrible old woman, who
lived alone on a farm about five miles from the city, and kept a savage
bull-dog on the place."
"By Heaven! I know the place, and the woman!" almost shouted the
detective. Then, calming himself, he added:
"She is Jane Crabtree, an old woman as big as a giant, who has been in
the criminal courts twice, once for beating almost to death a child
she had taken from the poor-house and secondly for the murder of
her husband. He died of arsenical poison, and the woman was accused
of administering it, but they could not prove it and she got off by
swearing he committed suicide. But I always felt sure that she did
the deed, for it was proved they led a cat-and-dog life. Since this
happened, three months ago, it is said that she never permits any
person on the premises, and keeps a large bull-dog unchained all the
time; so, if Miss Harding is in the clutches of that old wretch, it
is time we were moving toward her delivery. Come," and he motioned
Hawthorne away.
In their haste to be gone they paid no more attention to the governess,
and with a hasty adieu to Cissy, left the room.
The two women were left alone, and Miss Erroll crouched wretchedly in
her chair, not daring to look up and meet Cissy's glance of scorn.
She started when the girl's voice fell on her ear--clear, cold,
disdainful.
"What shall you do now?"
The woman lifted her face, deadly pale, but grown suddenly calm with a
great despair.
"I must go away--at once!" she answered.
Then she fell at Cissy's feet.
"You, who have been so good already--grant my last prayer," she
faltered.
Cissy looked down in silent inquiry at the haggard face.
"Do not tell Mrs. Fitzgerald of this story until I am gone out of her
house forever. I love her and the darling children; they have been good
to me, and I could not bear their reproaches. I will go now and pack my
trunk, and send for it later. Let me steal out of the house, like the
wretched outcast I am, before you tell them my miserable story."
"Your wish is granted," answered Cissy, huskily.
She went away then to her own room and sat a while in earnest thought.
Then she went to Miss Erroll's door and tapped softly.
It was opened by the governess, who had made such speed that her hat
and cloak were already on and her trunk strapped.
"You are going now?" asked Cissy.
"Yes."
"Where?"
"To seek some humble lodging-house, and begin again the horrible
struggle of a lonely woman for an honest living," the poor wretch
answered, bitterly.
"Have you any money?"
"Fifty dollars that I have saved in the few months that I have been
here--enough to starve on perhaps until I find another situation."
"Take this to help you," Cissy said, pressing a hundred-dollar bill
into her hand.
"Oh, Miss Carroll, I cannot. You, too, are poor. It may be your little
all."
"No, I have more. In fact, I received two hundred dollars yesterday
from a lawyer in New York, who has been managing some lawsuits for me
against a villain who brought a false claim against my grandfather's
estate, and thus threw me penniless on the world. My lawyer has won the
suit, and I shall have several thousand dollars of my own very soon."
"I congratulate you, Miss Carroll. You deserve all the good fortune
that can fall to a noble woman. Heaven forever bless you. I accept your
gift gratefully, because--because it--may save me, poor tempted wretch,
from a life of sin."
"That was why I gave it to you. I hoped it might keep you in the right
path."
"It shall! It shall! Oh, Miss Carroll, I am a repentant sinner, and
since I am spared this time, I will never be tempted to do wrong again!
I swear--I swear to you, in return for your angelic goodness--that I
will repent my sins, seek God's forgiveness, try to lead a good life,
and meet you--angel that you are--in heaven!"
She snatched Cissy's hand, pressed her burning lips upon it, and rushed
from the house out into the blinding snow storm that darkened the air.
Then Cissy went to Mrs. Fitzgerald to tell her of all that had
transpired, and to help her to bear the terrible suspense over
Geraldine's fate.