The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-01
THE CURSE OF CARNE'S HOLD.
A TALE OF ADVENTURE.
By G. A HENTY
Of UNDER BRAKES FLAG WIrH INDIA Ere ETC
ALL RIGHTS RESERVEDl

AS he ceased speaking the doctor moved
quietly up to the side of the stretcher, put
his nnger on his wrist, and stood there for
minute. then he bent do Nn and listened
lie Is gone, he said, ''the poor fellow is
The three gentlemen went outside the
cottage; some of the people were standing
near waiting for news of Reginald Carne's
state.
Mr.. Carne has just died." the doctor
said, as he went up to them. "Will one of
you lind Mrs. Wilson and tell her to bring
another woman with her and see to him.
In the morning l will make arrangements
to have him taken down to the village.n
What do you think we had better do
ABOUT this, DR.. Arrowsmith" Mr. Volkes
asked as he rejoined them. do you be-
Ieve this storyg'
"unquestionably do" the doctor replied.
believe every word of it."
But the man was mad, doctor.n
Yes, he was mad and has been for long
time in my opinion, but that makes no diff
terence whatever in my confidence that he
was speaking truly. Confessions of this
KIND from mailman are generally true
TIER cunning is prodigious. and as long as
they wish to conceal fact it is next to i'm.
possible to get it from them, but when, as
In the present case, they are proud of their
C-O'Oi hCSs du1 Ok Utl6 SUCCESS WIN which
they have fooled other people, they will
tell everything. You see their ideas of
right and wrong are entirely upset; the
real lunatic is unconscious of having com
mltted crime, and is inclined even to glory
in it."
II wish we could have got him to sign"
the magistrate said.
II am sure he could not have held the
pen" DR.. Arrowsmith replied. 81 will GER
tify to that effect, and as we three all heard
the confession, l think that if you draw it
out and we sign it as witnesses, it will have
just as good an effect as if he had written it
himself
There was one part, doctor, that sur
prised me even more than the rest-that
was the part relating to the man Forester.
don't believe soul suspected him of being
in any way connected with the crime. At
least we heard nothing of a knife being
found, nor, of course, of the quarrel be-
tween Forester and the girl Ruth Pow
lett, was it not"
''No, that is all new to u.s." the doctor
said.
81 think the best way would be to see her
in the morning. She may not like to con-
fess that she concealed the knife, if she did
so. OF course, if she does, it will be an in
valuable confirmation of his story, and
will show conclusively that his confession
was not mere delusion of madmau's
brain"
eyes, indeed" the doctor agreed, ''that
would clench the matter altogether, and [
should not be surprised if you find that
what he has said is true. The girl was in
my hands short time before Miss Carne's
death. They said that she had had fall,
but to my mind it seemed more like severe
mental shock. Then after Miss Carne's
death she was very i'll again, and there was
something about her that puzzled me a good
deal. For instance, she insisted upon re-
naming in court until the verdict was
given, and that at time when she was SO
i'll she could scarcely stand. She was so
obstinate over the matter that it. completely
puzzled me; but if what 'Carne said was
true, and she had the knowledge of some
thing that would have gone very far to
prove Ronald Mervyn's innocence, the mat
ter is explained. The only difficulty before
us is to get to her to speak, because, of
course, she cannot do SO without laying
herself open to a charge-I don't mean a
criminal charge, but moral one-of hav-
ing suppressed evidence in a manner that
concerned q mans life. l think that the
house, Mr. Volkes, at eleven o'clock to-
morrow. will go into the village before
that, and will bring Ruth Powlett up in my
gig, and If you will allow me | will do the
talking to her. have had her a good deal
IN my hands for the last year, and think
that she has confidence in me. and will per-.
haps answer me more freely than she would
you as a magistrate
Every likely she would. doctor. Let the
arrangement stand as you propose"
The next morning, at 1880, DR.. Arrow
smith drove up in his gig to the mill. Ruth
came to the door,
ssRuth ha said ssI want Won tn y,ut ov,
your bonnet and shawl and let me drive
you short distance. l have something
particular that / want to talk to you about.
want to drive you myself"
A good deal surprised. Ruth went into
the house and reappeared in two or three
minutes warmly wrapped up.
CHATS right" the doctor said; lump
in.
Ruth Powlett was the first to speak.
81 suppose it is true, sir, that poor Mr..
Carne is deadP
a curious thing to tell you about him; but
will wait until we get through the village;
have no doubt that it will surprise you as
much as it surprised me-"
Ruth said nothing until they had crossed
the bridge over the Dare.
'What is its" she asked ct last.
"Well, Ruth, at present it is only known
to Mr.. Vickery, Mr.. Volkes, and myself,
and whatever happens l want you to say
nothing about it until l give you leave.
Now, Ruth, l have some sort Of idea, that
what / am going to tell you will relieve
your mind of burden"
Ruth turned pale.
"Relieve my mind, sir |" she repeated.
eyes, Ruth / may be wrong, and if am
can only say beforehand that | am sorry,
but | have an idea that you suspect, and
have for a long time suspected, that George
FORESTER murdered Miss Carne."
Ruth did not speak, but looking down, the
doctor saw by the pallor of her checks and
the expression of her face that his SUPPOSE
ton was correct.
81 think, Ruth, that has bsen your idea.
If so, can relieve your mind. Mr.. Carne
before his death confessed that he murdered
his sister,"
Ruth gave a start and a cry. She reeled
in her seat and would have fallen had not
the doctor thrown his arm around her.
"Steady. my child, steady" he said;
"this is a surprise to you, have no doubt,
and whatever it Is to Others, probably
joyful one."
Ruth broke into violent fit OF sobbing.
The doctor did not attempt to check her,
but when she gradually recovered he said:
"That is strange news, is it not, RuthT
''But did he mean it, SlrE' she asked.
'Did he know what he was saying when ne
said so?'
"He knew perfectly well, Ruth; he told
us long story, but I will not tell you
what it is now. We shall be at Mr.. Volkes'
in a ninute. and we shall find Mr.. Vickery