The Illegal Marriage — page 160: what you’re looking at

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

152 THE ILLEGAL MARRIAGE hesitate to refuse me, Mrs. Harris, if I ask anything which you may not grant.” The key grated in the lock as the jailer’s wife closed the door, sending the cold chills through Cecy’s frame; and casting her eyes up at the narrow window she saw that it was iron-barred. For the first time since her arrival Cecy fully real- ized that she was in prison awaiting trial for murder. Stannard had written to Alfred Guerry on the morning of the day that he had told Cecy of the charge against her, and the letter had reached him about the hour that they were starting for Echa- connee. Thus far he had avoided Stannard on the plea of illness. “T took cold,” he wrote, some days after the murder; “I took cold coming from home, here, and have been laid up ever since. I would come to your house at once if I could; but am confined to my room. “IT can explain to you about the letter. I did go to see Cecy that night, but left before it was fairly dark. I missed the letter, and would have gone back for it, had I thought it of the slightest conse- quence. I do not see that it can serve any good purpose to make this public; butif you think so, let me know before you do. “I got some money from your merchants, and will soon repay you. Please keep me informed of all that transpires, until I am well enough to join you.” Stannard had not a suspicion of the truth of these words; but had he known that Guerry’s eyes were peering at him from the swamp, every time he rode over to the castle, Stannard could not have doubted that it was his duty to put the detectives on this track. Guerry knew that he had nothing to fear from Stannard. The last letter, giving an account of Cecy’s trouble when told of the verdict, was an anxious one to him. The time had come when he must act a part before those he had wronged or lose her forever. Promising old Hawks to return in two days at _ the most, he made ample provision for his absence, co Comicbooks TORN 4 | z Pep eee she