The Illegal Marriage — page 194: what you’re looking at

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

186 THE ILLEGAL MAKRIAGE. days. She said, later, that her father committed suicide; but all the circumstances pointed to a murder. How could we prove it?” “Where is she now?” “At Perry. She is to be tried in a day or two.” “Oh, Heaven!” Trippe groaned outright. “How long has she been there?” “ About three weeks.” “And you’ve kept me in ignorance of all this when that innocent girl was in prison charged with this crime! Heaven knows, I would have risked mv life a thousand times to have prevented it.” “IT know you would—I’m sure you would, Trippe,” said Stannard, grasping his hand. “And you, Stannard! You of all others should have known me better. How often have I heard you say that hfe was not worth purchasing at the expense of an act of cowardice?” “Come! come! Trippe! be charitable,” said Craw- ford, coming to the bedside. “We did what we con- sidered for the best, and there is no use in quarreling about it now—let us think what is to be done. You are so positive that Morgan killed himself—how can you prove it?” “By my art,” said Trippe, firmly. “Morgan com- mitted suicide in a fit of delirium, during which he tri d to frighten his daughter into a promise.” “What was the promise? Is it important?” Craw- ford asked. “JT only know by what he had previously said to me, when raving about his daughter. You know how he hated the Guerrys? He wanted Miss Mor- gan to give up Alf Guerry and marry—marry an- other,” he concluded, after a short pause. “Strange she should not have told me that!” Stannard remarked. “Perhaps it is,” said Trippe, thoughtfully; “will you get me a glass of fresh water?” Stannard left the room, and as the door closed behind him, Trippe continued: “The truth is, old Morgan wanted her to marry Stannard—he had set his heart on it. It was an old dream—as old as Miss Morgan herself. He wanted comicbooks.co