Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-06-11

| was cOld-almost numb-althOugh the nlRnt
was hardly chilly. l wanted to 20 back, yet
went on. My eyes vainly strove to pene-
trate the black arches OF the forest. The
whispering Of the night wind in the trees
Was full OF hidden meanings. Cold perspira
ton trickled down my forehead. My teeth
ohattered. My knees knocked together. Yet
1 went on.
Al the edge OF the wood the cat paused. l
could not see her body, but her eyes glowed
In the darkness with wierd light. She be-
gan to NEW aud the sound echoed dsmRlly
among the trees, dying away in smothered
sobs in the darkness. l could tell by the ag-
itation Of the dead leaves at my feet that the
cat was scratching, as il bunting for some
thing. Presently she uttered a long, pierre
| ing cry that seemed to make the very trees
tremble and then ehe was silent and motion
less. Trembling violently, l struck match
and stopped over her She had her foot on
something half covered by leaves. 1t looked
| like a dead branch l picked it up. Il was
a gun-not like any 1 had ever seen before,
but still like a gun. l looked at it blanky.
Mechanically drew from my pocket the Gu
rious missile which always carried and drop
| ped IL into the barrel. 1t fit 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 hundred
|
and fell senseess upon the EARTH
Two years passed away. / had not yet
| solved the mystery. My sister was about to
be married, and l was preparing to go 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 be-
come my sisters husband. He had been in
Cincinnati only two years. but bad in that
time made himself favorite in tho best so
| ciety OF the city. He had plenty Of money
| which he said he had made in the West,
where be had large cattle ranch. l saw no
reason why should object TO my sisters
| choice.
| had invited Mortimer Melville to go with
me. Mortimer vas my most intimate friend,
although had known him less than two years
1 had the good fortune to find his pocket
book, which he lost, and took it to the bust
ness 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 smok-
ing room Of the modest club to which we be-
lonRed. Having invited him to go 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" l said, hearing knock at the
| door.
Good morning, old fellow" he said, en-.
tering, ''its little early yet, but confess |
was triae curious to have a peep at your
rooms before starting. Pretty comfortable
place you have here, Bob"
"Yes, II is. Make yourself at home, Mort
while try to coax the total depravity out of
| this necktie."
Mortimer stTolled around the room looking
at the pictures. Suddenly he uttered an ex-
clamation 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" said
Shes mine" he exclaimed. 81 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," be said, "she answers to her
name. But how on earth did you get her p
looked at my watch. We had an hour to
spare sat down and told him the whole
story. As went on l noticed that look of
deep trouble settled upon his features. When
l had concluded he said
Have you the gun YETI"
Yes" answered, taking it from closet.
MY God, l knew it !" LIE cried. 1T is
my gun"
"Yes, mine"
l stood looking at him for moment trying
to collect my thoughts. Thoughts too terri
| BILE to entertain crowded upon me.
'You cannot be-" said, my fathers"
mo, no, not that" he interrupted. II
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 i'll" cried ITO whom 2"
Listen" said Mortimer, land 1 will tell
you all about it. God knows have nothing
-. al a .-f.I
use of compressed air. worked at my idea
long time and finally made gun which was
success. was poor and needed money to
| push the invention, and when one day q
| young man came into my shop and wanted
to buy this particular gun l sold it to him.
| He said he wanted 1t a curiosity, and paid
me good round sum for it. l know this is
the gun, because there is no patent mark on
it. The young man was the son of good
family with lots of money. l learned after
ward that he had bad reputation. He lived
q wild and dissolute life for time, but un-
derstAnd that he reformed couple of years
ago and is now once more received in good
society"
But who was this man p asked. "What
was his namei"
George Sutherland" said Mortimer.
l had never heard the name before, but
knew that was the man l had been looking
| for, and could see another step toward solv-
ing the mystery of my fathers death. With
out thinking of what was doing took the
missile from the chamber of the gun and put
it into my pocket.
Come" said, I'VE have just time to see
the chief of police and tell him about this
| man."
The chief knew all the details of my faith
er's death, and with me had often examined
the gun. Mortimer gave all the information
in his possession, and an hour later we we're
on 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. l went in first
and was introduced to my prospective brother
in-law. found him a good looking man of
the world we'll fed, aud rather fascinating.
That was all had time to notice before
Melville entered the room. l saw q sudden
| pallor come upon the face Of the man who
WAS about to become my sisters husband.
Mortimer Melville started forward and with
out waiting TOR an introduction exclaimed
George Sutherland"
That was not the name given to me in the
introduction. 1t was the name of the man
believed to be my fathers assassin. l stag
gered my tongue Glove to the roof of my
mouth.
'It is he !" cried Mortimer HE bought
the gunl"
"What do you mean ?" stammered Suther-
land.
Then my senses returned. drew the Gu
rious missile from my pocket and held it be-
fore his eyes.
miserable wretch !" l exclaimed. "Look
at this-this you sent to my fathers heart.
But now you shall suffer for your cowardly
crime"
l sprang forward to seize him by the
throat. With a sudden bound he eluded my
grasp and the next moment sprang through
the open window into the street.
stop him !" shoutedi stop the viii
lain !"
Twenty men sped after him. He was
caught. He confessed that the murder had
been the browning act of his life, and with
the money taken from the safe be had gone
west and engaged in the cattle trade. Re-
turning under an assumed name, he had seen
and really loved my sister. He suffered the
extreme penalty Of the law for his crime.
My sister, after long illness, recovered and
now livaa alWava nv m aida We still kaaD