Then, being on her feet by this time, she
turned to go, anxious to escape further embarrassment from a
perspicacity she no longer possessed the courage to meet.
The lawyer appeared to acquiesce in the movement of departure. But
when he saw her about to vanish through the door, some impulse of
compunction, as real as it was surprising, led him to call her
back and seat her once more in the chair she had so lately left.
"I cannot let you go," said he, "until you understand that these
insinuations from a self-called witness would not be worth our
attention if there were not a few facts to give colour to his wild
claims. Oliver Ostrander WAS in that ravine connecting with Dark
Hollow, very near the time of the onslaught on Mr. Etheridge; and
he certainly hated the man and wanted him out of the way. The
whole town knows that, with one exception. You know that
exception?"
"I think so," she acceded, taking a fresh grip upon her emotions.
"That this was anything more than a coincidence has never been
questioned. He was not even summoned as a witness. With the
judge's high reputation in mind I do not think a single person
could have been found in those days to suggest any possible
connection between this boy and a crime so obviously premeditated.
But people's minds change with time and events, and Oliver
Ostrander's name uttered in this connection to-day would not
occasion the same shock to the community as it would have done
then. You understand me, Mrs.
Pages:
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177