She laid him down and then looked hurriedly around the room with the
object of removing any evidence of how or why the crime had been
committed, her main thought being to save her friend from the shame of a
public scandal. She picked up a revolver which was lying on the floor
near Sir Horace, turned out the lights in the library and in the hall so
that the house was in darkness, and then closed the hall door after her
as she went out. But Mr. Crewe had discovered in some way that Mr.
Holymead had visited Sir Horace that night. Only a week ago Gabrielle had
gone to him and tried to put him off the track, but it was no use.
The wretched woman made a pathetic appeal for her husband's life. She
deplored the sinfulness which had resulted in the tragedy. She took on
herself the blame for it all. She had sent one man to his death, and her
husband stood in peril of a shameful death on the gallows. But it was in
the power of Mabel to save him. On her knees she pleaded for his life;
she pleaded to be saved from the horror of sending her husband to the
gallows. If Mabel's father could make his wishes known he too would
plead for the life of the friend he had betrayed.
Pages:
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413