“Here is Blackburn’s daughter!” shouted Gruber.
“God bless my soul!” cried the old gentleman, agitatedly removing his glasses. “What proof have you of that?”
“I’ve got the proof of my own eyes!”
“Quietly! Quietly!” pleaded the old soul. “Sit down all. Let us proceed in due order if you please.”
It turned out that this was Hector Blackburn’s lawyer, David Chichester. In simple graphic sentences, Loseis told the two men her story, while they glanced at each other in astonishment, and murmured in indignation and sympathy.
When she had come to the end, Mr. Chichester said gravely: “We all felt that there was something that needed to be explained; but we had nothing to go on.”
“You have later news than mine,” said Loseis eagerly; “Mr. Gruber has been into the country and out again. What has happened?”
The two men looked at each other again. Gruber said: “Show her the newspaper, Mr. Chichester. That tells the whole story.”
From a drawer of his desk, Mr. Chichester produced a copy of the local newspaper now some weeks old, folded in such a manner as to bring into prominence the story that he desired them to read. They were instantly aware of the staring headlines:
ROMANTIC TRAGEDY OF THE NORTH