The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-09-08

DFanch. i picked IL up Ii was gun
not like any had ever seen before,
but still like gun. looked at it blank
ly. Mechanically drew from my pocket
the curious missile, which | always car
ried, and dropped it into the barrel. 1t
fitted perfectly. The horror that rushed
over me when | knew that | held in my
hands the weapon which had slain my
father was too great TO be borne. The
skies reeled above me. / saw a hundred
pairs of glowing eyes. l tottered, groan-
ed. and fell senseless npon the earth.
Two years passed away. / had not
yet solved the mystery. My sister was
about to be married, and l was prepar-
ing to 60 TO the wedding. She had been
living with relatives in Cincinnati,
where she was completing her musical
studies There she had met young
man whom | had never seen. but who,
all my relatives assured me. was worthy
to become my sisters husband. He had
been in Cincinnati only two years. but
had in that time made himself a favor
ite in the best society of the city. He
had plenty of money, which he said he
had made In the West. where he had
large cattle ranch. | saw no reason
why lshould object 10 my sisters choice.
had invited Mortimer Melville to 60
with me. Mortimer was my most init
mate friend. although l had known him
less than two years. had the good for
tune to find his pocketbook, which he
lost, and took it to the business address
written on card inside. From that
trivial incident our friendship grew up.
We never visited each others rooms,
because we used to prefer to sit together
in the smoking room of the modest club
to which we belonged. Having invited
him to 90 to the wedding with me, L
was waiting for him in my room, where
he was to call for me on his way to the
station.
Come in" / said hearing knock at
the door
''Good morning, old fellow" he said.
entering; .'it's little early yet. but l
confess l was a trife curious to have
peep at your rooms before starting
Pretty comfortable place You have here,
Bob
''Yes, it is. Make yourself at home,
Mort, while try to coax the total de-
pravity out of this necktie."
Mortimer strolled around the room
looking at the pictures. Suddenly he
uttered an exclamation of surprise |
turned and saw him pointing at the
black cat which was lying asleep on
the hearth rug.
Where did you get that cat?" he
asked.
'.She followed me home one night" l
said.
''She's mine," he exclaimed. Il lost
her two years ago. before | knew you"
Then he walked to the other side of
the room and called, Here Witch,
Witch" The cat ran to him and purred
around his feet
You see, he said, ''she answers to
her name. But how on earth did you
get her?''
looked at my watch We had an
hour to spare. sat down and told him
the whole story. As | went on / noticed
that look of deep trouble settled upon
his features. When had concluded he
said:
Have you the gun yet?"
Yes" / answered, taking it from
closet.
MY God, 1 knew itr' be cried. 1T
is my gun"
Your gunr' Iechoed aghast
Eyes, mine"
/ stood looking at him for a moment
| trying to collect my thoughts. Thoughts
too terrible to entertain crowded upon
me.
you cannot be. sand, "my fathers
mo. no. not that he interrupted. Il
mean that invented the gun. 1t was
my idea. and the gun was made for me.
| 1t was the first one ever made and-and
sold it"
''Sold itr' 1 cried. ITO whom?"
"Listen," said Mortimer, ''and / will
| tell you all about it. God knows | have
nothing to conceal. | discovered new
and powerful use of compressed air.
worked at my idea a long time, and fin
ally made a gun which was success.
/ was poor and needed money to push
| the invention, and when one day a
young man came into my shop and
wanted to buy this particular gun | sold
ii to him. He said he wanted it as a
curiosity. and paid me good round
sum for it. / know this is the gun, be-
cause there is no patent mark on it. The
young man was the son of good fami-
ly, with lots of money. | learned after
ward that he had bad reputation. He
lived wild and dissolute life for a time,
| but | understand that he reformed a
couple of years ago, and is now once
more received in good society"
..But who was this man?n [ asked.
''What was his name?2
George Sutherland" SAID Mortimer
Come" | said, 1--WE have Just time TO
see the Chief of Police and tell him about
this man"
The chief knew all the details of my
fathers death, and with me had often
examined the gun. Mortimer gave all
the information in his possession, and
an hour later we were or the road.
When we arrived at Cincinnati on
the morning of the wedding we went to
the house of my relatives When we
were told that the groom had arrived
Mortimer and | went together to the
room where the young man was with
his friends | went in first, and was in
troduced to my prospective brother-in-
law | found him a good-looking man
of the world, well fed and rather fas
cinating.
That was all had time to notice be
fore Melville entered the room. / saw {
sudden pallor come upon the face of the
man who was about to become my sis
ter's husband. Mortimer Melville start
ed forward, and. without waiting for al
introduction. exclaimed:
George Sutherland
That was not the name given to m,
in the introduction. 1t was the name
of the man / believed to be my father:
assassin. staggered; my tongue Glove
to the roof of my mouth.
..It is he,'' cried Mortimer. Fl,
bought the gunr'
"What do you mean?' stammeret
Sutherland.
Then my senses returned. | drew tn,
curious missile from my pocket ant
held it before his eyes.
Miserable wretchr' / exclaimed
Look at this-this you sent to m
fathers heart But now you shalr suffe
for your cowardly crime. 7
sprang forward to seize him by tn
throat With sudden bound he elude'
. my grasp and the next moment spran,
through the open window into the street
Stop himI' shouted; ''stop the vii
lainr''
Twenty men sped after him. He wa
caught He confessed that the murde
had been the crowning act of his life
and with the money taken from the saf
he had gone West and engaged in tn
cattle trade Returning under an as
sumed name. he had seen and realf
loved nv sister He suffered the e1
! treme penalty of the law for his crime
Ny sister, after long illness, recovered
and now lives always by MY side w
) stin keep the black cat
J The daily newspapers of New OrleaH
have abolished the custom of redeemin
: unsold copies The proprietors ha
! their suspicious aroused lately that the
were being systematically robbed. a
1 investirutson was Instituted. and IL yra