Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-08-09

like q murderer:
 Harry was fain to confess that he did not. Murder was hardly tho role of such cring ing, coWardly, contomptiblc specimen of degraded humanity.
 ''rhe man who committed tho ntrocious crime wore that watch chain, and, since you will not say what you have done with it, the odium must rest on you. l give you one last chance to make a clean breast of it. Speak, or in ten minutes you shall be in a prison cell. Now, sir"
 'I dare not tell The whole gang would be down on mo. It would be as much as my life is Worth''
 "Your lilo Is not worth much if you arc silent But, If you prefer to go before q jury-''
 No, TO! will confess all; but couldn't my testimony be kept dark. Surely there is no necessity to drag a poor innocent fcl- low into troublc-bcsidcs, I'm going to re- form and join Q church and be a model young man."
 If in five minutes you have not given me the whole history of that watch chain," said Harry, ominou5ly gancing at clock on tho mantcl-piecc, of you go to jail.'
 Beads of precipitation stood on Platt's brow. He was evidently weighing in his mind whether it would be safer to risk a court of justice or the vengeance of the dls reputable crew into whose hands he had fallen, but Q movement on Harry's part as tho clock struck goadcd hlm to dare future danger if he could only get out of his pres ent scrape.
 "Stop, I will toll you all," he cried, moistcning his parched lips and looking so utterly frightened that Harry, to whom coWardce was a crime, could scarce refrain from kicking him; "I lost money gambling with some fellows. I owed them moro than l could pay and gave ono of them McKcnzic's watch and chain aS security, which meant to redeem as soon as luck turned"
 "A likely story, indeed If that was all, why did you make such a fuss about OK blaming matters!'
 "Ah, sir, you do not know these men. Why, if Bill Chatterton-'
 "Chatterton! An, now I sec it all. You are telling tho truth at last. Out with tho whole story, man, and do not be such q cow ard. will sec you safe from him.''
 "Oh, Chatterton can't hurt mo; he died last night. Ho was shot in a gambling house on Twelfth street, and when went to his lodgings this morning they told mo ho was dead"
 Harry's face fell.
 "l don't believe this part of the story" he said, grimly; "however. we will soon test It's truth, for you shall show me tho way to his lodgings"
 "What! Go with you!' "Ycs; but you need not show yourself" Then, touching the bell, he summoned a boy, whom he dispatched in search for Cor don Grey, who was stopping in the hotel. + "Now, Grey," said Harry, when that young gentleman, who had grown so stout with good living and pleasant quarters that you would never have recognized him as the emaciated figure of few weeks past, { ' <o I> ice. This young gentleman is about to con- duct mo to house in the city, where I wish to make call, and as he is to wait outside till 1 return, and might, perhaps, get i'm patient and run away in my absence, 1 shall take it as favor if you will accompany him, and if he makes the slightest effort to abscond-"
 "Oh, yes. I'll take care of him for you, old fellow. Como along, Mir. What s-your- name, and please to remember that you1l | hurt yourself If you try to wrench asunder | the Siamcsc twin-like bonds of affection which will link us two together for the next hour or so,' was the light-hcarted reply, as | the trio set out, the two younger men arm. | in-arm, with Harry at a discreet distance in tho rear.
 l Vice held high rcvel in Washington in | those days, when the city was crowded with men with pockets full of back pay, and gamblers and cut-throats, ,scentlng the spoil, had gathered there from every great city in the Union, so that there was scarcely q block in certain quarters which could not l boast it's "hell" of q moro or less disrepu. table character; but worsc even than these open sinks of iniquity were tho dens in pri. l vate houses, which aboundcd on all sides. 1 "Number fourteen-first flat upstairs ,'' Platt cried to Harry, as they approached Q modest house in an apparently respectable row of tenements.
 ] Harry went upstairs and rang the bell. A slovenly young woman appeared, who would have been handsome, but for the signs of dissipation and recent weeping manifest in her palo face. To her dress chung sweet little girl, perhaps two years old, hiding in tho folds of her mothers gown, and peeping at Harry with big, frightened blue eyes.
 "Am l speaking to Mrs. Chattertonr' Winthrop said, gently, for the woman's tears and baby's innocence melted his say age mood.
 "Come in," she said, "and close tho door. There is no need to let all the neigh borhood learn the nature of your visit"
 Somewhat astonishcd at his reception, Harry stepped inside the little chamber Yes, young Platt had told the truth. On a bed with white sheet over it, 1t lay, ard