Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-06-17
and death, and no man has yet found the


doer of that deed. Thirty. seven years
thirty .seven years! Our fathers were
then here within these walls; their sons
are here now. Their sons sons NAV
come and go, get there is dim light,
travelling, it may be, from some distant
star, that will fall upon that dark spot
some day, some hour, some minute of
time, and all will be revealed AS he
said these words, their cadence in his
musical voice sounding like the tolling
of q bell, he laid aside the folds of his
robe, one after the other, as if the secret
were even now to be laid bare. Then
he bowed a melancholy smile, turned
and left the stage. At first there was "A
silence; then the whole audience, stu
dents and all, threw off the spell by a
storm of clapping and pounding which
would not cease until Candida stepped
back upon the stage, this time with a
| light bound, and an almost dancing meas
ure, smiling and bow.ng gayly, rs if he
had never a thought OF anything somber.
For myself was seized with an mex
pressible restlessness. In vain l made
these words OF Ives only idle, boyish dec
lamation. They haunted ne thew drove
me to desperation, and | determined no
longer to live under this shelter of my own
forming. Treat turned to me while the
band was playing before the next and
last speaker should come in, and said
THAT was a curious fact the young
man brought out at the end True, too !;
but how did he happen to ferret it outy
l suppose he was struck with the fact of
it having come upon this very day.
remember the fact perfectly. 1t made n
stir at the time, but was an unsOlved
| enigma. Suspicion rested on some one
who disappeared at the time. have for
gotten his name. But it never was
cleared up l confess, this young fel
low made me, old as l am, feel rather
creepy"
l left the audience to seek the air AT
the moment | left the door young Ives
passed down the walk. With an i'm
pulse | stepped up to his side and made
as if | would walk with him.
"That was singular fact" said /,
abruptly, that you closed your Grafton
with. How did you get hold of it9 1t
especially interested me, because it
happened in my college days, or, rather,
| just after them. was of the class of
thirty-four.'"
| looked quickly at him. He smiled,
and said, in an ingenious way:
81 came upon the story in one of my
walks the other side of the mountain. l
have liking for such stories, and !
tried my best to get hold of some clew
to it, thinking it would be a fine thing
for me to discoverit. In fact, if had dis
covered it, meant to disclose the whole
story here on the stage. 1t would have
made sensation, ehy The only clew l
could get was very interesting one" he
added, with sang-froid 1.-THE person
last seen with the murdered man, and
never seen afterward, bore the same
name that have-Ives. What is more,
he bore my fathers name" My mouth
| grew parched, my tongue moved help
lessly. could only look at HIM as if he
had accused me of the crime.
His name was Philip Ives" he added.
81 hunted him down as we'll as l could,
| but thirtyseven years cover up good
many trifles, and | could find nothing
concerning him" He went on to tell me
of his experience in ferreting out this
tragedy and my head grew clearer. AT
last could myself speak:
"Where is your homer" asked.
In Texas, in San Antonio. My father
and uncle were States people; my
mother was Spanish"
| "Your uncle?' managed to say, but
could not trust myself to say more. He
looked at me curiously, detecting some
unexplained emotion in my tone.
Eyes, my uncle. Nothing strange in
| that, suppose. My father died when |
was child, and my uncle has always
been my guardian
Pardon my inquisitiveness," l said,
"but once had very dear friend, n
classmate here at st. Johns; his name
was Ralph Ives"
THAT is my uncle's name, but / never
heard of his being here at st. Johns. l
must look into this"
Every likely they were two entirely
distinct persons" said !. Ives is not
at all an uncommon name"
"What was he like" demanded my
companion. "Describe him to me-"
eff your uncle was my friend" said |,
he would have grown out of his old
likeness. can only say that | thought
saw a likeness in you 10 him"
$50 everybody says. Come, believe
am getting at something"
DO you go back to Texas at once?"
I asked.
THAT is just what | am on my way to
find out" said he. :" | am going in here to
the sostoflice now; Eve been every day
| looking for letter" ] was perplexed
beyond measure. felt sure that could
determine, without doubt, whether or
| not his uncle and my friend were one,
but, if they were, it was plain that for
some reason Ralph had concealed the
facts of his early life from his nephew,
and had a right to reveal themy ana
would they set this young inquisitor at
work upon a new clewf We had en-
/ tered the office together. | asked for let
| tiers. Ne went to his postoiiice drawer
| and opened it. | could not help casting
my eye over his shoulder. Yes, there
| ,uos tho ha n dwritinp pf nv old friend IL