University of Virginia Library

20. CHAPTER XX.
THE CONFESSION.

Late in the afternoon, as Dr. Corrinton was
sitting alone in his office, Joseph Sorrel rushed
in, out of breath with excitement.

“Dear doctor,” he cried, “have you — have
you heard the news?”

“I presume not,” answered the doctor coldly.
“What is it? Have you been giving battle
to your foe, Miss Fantom's barbarian lover?
or is that lady married?”

“Bless you, doctor, no! it's glorious good
news! You'll jump for joy!”

“Let me know it, then,” replied Albert, disengaging
his feet from beneath the table, as if
preparing to leap at Joseph's word. “What is
the news?”

“The real murderer has confessed!” said
Mr. Sorrel.

The cool Dr. Corrinton was on his feet in an
instant, wringing Joseph's hand in the greatest
excitement.

“You are sure the man has confessed?”
cried he. “There is no mistake?”

“None, thank Heaven! Come with me!”
exclaimed Joseph. “I've seen him; he's a
most villanous-looking fellow! — confessed;
been sent to jail at his own request. Come
along!”

The doctor moved with astonishing activity,
and a minute after, accompanied by Joseph, he
was on his way to the jail. Sheriff Marks confirmed
Mr. Sorrel's statement; but owing to
the crowd which had already collected, the
doctor did not see the new prisoner.

“No time to lose!” cried Joseph, who had
really no desire to penetrate the precincts of the
prison. “Come, doctor! Alice will be so glad
to hear this news! Go home with me! Our
carriage is right here — we can ride down in a
jiffy!”

Intoxicated with joy, Albert suffered Joseph
to carry him off, as the young man did, in
spite of the crowd of new-found friends, who
flocked around to congratulate him on the
certain evidence of his innocence which had
come to light.

Joseph drove furiously, and, in a little more
than three minutes, set the doctor down at the
door of his father's house.

“Give us joy!” cried the enthusiastic young
man, leading Corrinton into the room where
sat his mother with Mrs. Silby and Alice.
“Here's Dr. Corrinton — an innocent man.
The real murderer has confessed!”

Alice sprang forward and clasped the doctor's
hand.

Mrs. Silby rose hastily, but turning deadly
pale, sank back upon her seat almost fainting.

Nobody perceived her. Albert and Alice
were too much absorbed in each other to
notice any thing else. Mrs. Sorrel was regarding
her son, and Joseph was so much excited
that the most extraordinary occurrences would
have appeared to him as mere matters of
course.

In detached sentences, full of exclamations
and repetitions, the young man related all he
knew of the affair. Mrs. Silby listened eagerly,
gradually recovering from her alarm; and
at last, calmly, and perfectly at her ease, she
took Corrinton's hand, to congratulate him
and beg his pardon for her unjust suspicions
and her past ill treatment.

The elder Mr. Sorrel came in presently, and
brought further intelligence, having been one

of the witnesses to the murderer's deposition
before Squire Wilbur.

“It's a most singular thing,” said Mr. Sorrel,
in conclusion. “The man is a low character;
calls his name Stripe. The only object he had
in committing the murder was vengeance for the
harsh treatment he received from Mr. Brance.”

“What a depraved, desperate fellow he
must be!” exclaimed Mrs. Sorrel.

“But what led him to confess the murder?”
asked Alice.

“Remorse!” answered Mr. Sorrel — “remorse!”

Mrs. Silby breathed very heavily, but she
concealed her emotions well. The murderer's
confession, as reported by Mr. Sorrel, corresponded
in nearly every particular with the
vagabond's confession to herself; but he had
not revealed his real name, nor had he explained
his original cause for hating Mr.
Brance. For this Mrs. Silby felt thankful, and
whatever her feelings were in connection with
her husband's guilt, she certainly disguised
them well.

The affair of the confession was fully discussed,
and Corrinton and Alice were happy.

Joseph could not help knowing how matters
stood with his cousin and her lover, but he felt
no very severe pangs of jealousy. He had offered
his hand to Alice, and it had been rejected
so many times that he had learned to bear his
lot with fortitude; and, having given up all
hope of marrying his cousin himself, he could
advance no objections to her choice of Corrinton,
whom he considered the only man worthy
of the place he occupied in her heart.

While the Sorrels, and the Silbys, and Dr.
Corrinton were thus assembled together for the
first time since the death of Appleton, Mr.
Roger Brance, having heard something of the
confession, and supposing Mr. Sorrel knew
more, entered in great perturbation.

While Mr. Sorrel was repeating to him the
intelligence, and describing the appearance of
the murderer, nothing but the quick meaning
eye of Mrs. Silby, which was fixed upon him,
prevented Mr. Brance from exclaiming against
his old enemy, and demanding of that lady
who he was. He was much agitated at hearing
how the murder came about, and immediately
gave his hand to Corrinton, declaring himself

happy to know that he was indeed guiltless
of the crime which had bereft him of a son.

Mr. Brance was on the point of proceeding
to the jail, to learn more of the affair than Mr.
Sorrel could relate, when Mrs. Silby desired him
to give her a brief interview in her own room.

What passed between them we cannot say;
but it is well known that their engagement
was broken off that evening, and that they
parted to meet again no more, except by accident
and as mere acquaintances.

On the following morning the vagabond was
found dead in his cell. There was no mark of
violence on his person; he had not died by
poison; but the spark of life had evidently
gone out in the course of nature.

His career was ended. The hopes of his
youth had long since faded, and now the darkness
of an ignominious death covered him.

When she heard of the vagabond's death,
Alice prayed Heaven to pardon his sins, and
grant peace to his soul; but little did she know
that she was praying for her father.