Wichita eagle., 1889-11-10

was There e thar flosr1n rflSanSornanx
90 OPPORTUNITY to cry Murder and mis-
lead others by attracting attention 10
hinselG Were you not mistaken.
awakened, IS you confess. from . sort
of stupor. and did you not imagine You
saw man running away"
She had again lost control Of herself
and she was speaking with great earnest
ness ard with heightened color. Hol.
brook wondered at it all. but he replied
| coIdly:
no, Miss Ashgrove, was not mis-
| taken. II you were to accuse this Young
gentleman you would be doing q grew
Gus wrong, and, as well. placing your
self in false position You forget that
saw the man run away after the blow,
| throwing off his cost rs he ran Suisse
quentiy the coat and other articles used
for this disguise were found
Flora tossed her head incredulously.
| Holbrook continued:
1.-The bitterness You manifest surprises
me-
Tie lady shot an angry glance at him.
1T is you who forget row. told you
that Mr.. Tenpleton was a friend and a
relative. though remote ene. Why
should not feel an interest In his muir.
der? Is there anything surprising in my
! desire for justice and vengeancee I can
tell you | have little faith in your police.
He is an unusual stupid criminal who
cannot escape Your detectives Still.
may be entirely mistaken. You NAV
have been fully conscious that You saw
three men. not dimlv.'
The sheer conveyed in these words
was unmistakable. Before Holbrool
cou.d recover himself from this indis-
nant rush Of words, she spoke again In
strangely altered tones;
After all, suppose you are right.
and am silly 10 set up NV judgments
against those who were present.
Holbrook noticed that she was making
violent effort To compose herself. and
be gave her time by not replying; when
she spoke again. il was with an obvious
attempt TO speak lightly.
See what sympathetic creatures No
of the weaker sex are: here am l work
ing myself into quite a fever over poor
Templetons death. even disputing with
you as 10 what you did or did not see.
But the man who ran away? Was be a
tall man.
Yes, think he was"
Alarm quickly passed over her face.
but not so quickly that Holbrook. whose
senses were now all alive, did not OBJ
serve it,
And slight in fgure?"
Whether the flying man was slight or
not Holbrook did not remember. but he
quickly determined TO follow the lead
she was giving him.
Decidedly slight and tall
She had greater command over fea-
lures and manner now, but yer voice be-
trayed intense interest as she said;
''Yes, l suppose so, since he ran 20 fast
as TO get away before any one could seize
him. He must have been young mann
She looked at him most inquiringly.
Holbrook replied:
"Unquestionabfy.
"What was his complexion. did ycu
notice.
Hoibrook did not fail to realize how
absurd 1t was to ask. or To assume 10
know, the complexion of man. running
at distance Of at least 600 feet, in IN
moonlight, to an observer looking down
from height of 10 feet, bat his mind
was working actively, and he recollected
he was fair.
''Unquestionably dark. with hand
some profiie-a straight nose
Was she prepared for the answer, that
her face expressed nothing but curiosity
and that her color remained steadfast2
And was he certain that she seemed 20
clutch at her heart with her left haudY
There vas silence between them for
little time-Fiora deeply absorbed in
thought, aud he watchful and keen.
Suddenly he was possessed of an idea
He trembled at fits andacity.
But he was a man Of nerve.
He drew his purse from his pocket.
and took from il the diamond button
"See," he said abruptly, II found
something valuable at the place Of muir
der"
There was no installing now. Her
face flushed red and then grew ghastiy
pale, while alarm was plainly visible.
"t IN a cuff button"
She stretched forth a trembling hand
to take II.
The moment she possessed !. she ex-
ananed IT eagerly.
He studied her face and was peg
ple1ed.
He read recognition, relief, surprise
end satisfaction strangely blended.
Have you its mate she asked.
"No, found put this one
Where
AT the place Of murder. Af.erward'
docs il belong 70 the murderer
THAT is for the police 10 find ou1
shall turn il over % The authorities"
She handed il back to him and said:
II have sem
The door opened and Der uncle, Mr..
WitbrTspoon entered.
CHAPTER VI
BIT or RErxoePzcTIox.