The Illegal Marriage — page 140: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

132 THE ILLEGAL MARRIAGE. its brilliant headlight gleaming through the mist which hung about the Echaconnee swamp. Without stopping entirely, the train was slackened sufficiently for the doctor to get on, and he sprang upon the steps. “Don’t miss the train to-morrow, Ham; besure. Regards to Mrs. Pierce,” Stannard called, in answer to the doctor’s salute, as the train bore him away. Full of trouble, Stannard returned to his house, and wrote to Alfred Guerry before retiring. -It was no easy task for him, and he was dissatisfied with his words when the letter was completed. “Dear AxrF.:” he wrote, ‘It is of the utmost importance that I should see you immediately. You will see in the papers the verdict of the coroner’s jury, and I assure you that it is ashameful thing. The evidence was entirely circumstantial, and by no means as strong as in favor of the supposition that the murderer entered the window. Alf. I found my letter to you in the althea bushes by the gate. How did it come there? I didnot speak of it to the coroner, but you must explain itto me. Understand me—I an your friend, and desire to aid you as well as Cecy. I think that I understand your presence there. I know you went to see her, and, in all probability were away before the murder occurred ; but you may have seen some one about there. At any rate the finding of this letter is an ugly fact, if I am forced to disclose it. ~ We must save Miss Morgan. Come down to-morrow as early as youcan. Keep your heart up, and let us devote our energies to solv- ing this problem. Iam satisfied that Trippe knows something about it. He now lies unconscious in another room. ‘*Come as soon as you can, for we must try to keep this from the erand jury. Alf. do you need funds? From what you wrote before, I infer that you wanted that sum for a special purpose—a debt perhaps. Do not fear to tell me, for I have been in that fix myself. On second thought, I will inclose an order for $200 on my merchants. They have some two thousand and odd dollars of mine on hand, and will let you have any sum you need. “‘Cecy is still unconscious, but Pierce thinks sheis not in danger. I know you will want to rush to her side in this trouble, but come here first. I must speak to you. ‘‘Don’t be disheartened. ‘Very truly, your friend, “Wi~tiaM STANNARD.” _ It was near ten o’clock on the following day ere this letter came to Alfred Guerry. During the night he had slept litthe—indeed, it was near daylight. when he arrived in Macon from Echaconnee. It was in vain that he strove tosleep; and after cComicbooks co Mm.