The Illegal Marriage — page 154: what you’re looking at

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

146 THE ILLEGAL MARRIAGE. badly of me? Did they not see that he had com- mitted suicide in his delirium? But he did not know what he was doing,” she added, sadly. “They thought that you had kilied him.” “No, no, William, don’t tell me that! Don’t say that! How could Ido sucha thing?” she cried, in her distress. He took her hands and gently drew her down into the chair; but she bowed her head upon her hands, and sobbed bitterly. As well as he could, Stannard explained the cir- cumstances to her, showing her why he, also, sup- posed that a murder had been committed. “That broken window, Cecy——” She started suddenly, throwing up her finger as if trying to recall some incident of that night. Likea forgotten dream it came to her, and she remem- bered the face that she had seen looking through the vines. “Yes,” she said, presently, “the broken window.” “That broken window was not the only evidence that strangers were about the house that night. My opinion was that a man entered the window, and that you fainted when he attacked your father.” “Do you think that aman could have killed my father and I know nothing of it?” . “Tt might be.” “Stay! Did I dream of a face at that window 2” She pressed her finger against her brow, and made a strong effort to recall some dim impression on her mind. “Did they say that I called for help? It seems to me now that I did see some one at the window, and that I cried to him for aid. I remember nothing more. I have often dreamed of that face, but thought it only a dream.” “Would you know it again, Cecy?” “Oh, yes; £am sure that I should. I cannot for-— get the impression that one look made upon me.” “T was sure that some one came into the yard that night. One of the servants saw a strange man—a young man, he said—hanging about the place.” In an instant it came to her then, and she remem-