Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-07-14

perhaps don It, and perhaps don t de-
serve, after hearing what I've heard to-
night, to be any decent young fellow s
father, but while we are waiting juts
listen to what have TO tell you. After
that wen go and see my sister Jane, and
/ think then you'l go and kill the fatted
calf and welcome your prodIgal old
father in proper flial fashion, - and in
the same tone of semi-sarcasm, which
served to conceal the emotion under
which he undoubtedly labored, he told
to Jack the story of his life, supplement-
ed by what he had just heard from the
unfortunate Lemuel Strange.
He had hardly finished when a knock
was heard at the door which had been
locked by Jack after HaroId's exit.
Jack FASTENED to open it, and there stood
Mr.. Nugent, painting and putting, after
his quick journey up the steep staircase.
'What's the matter?'' he gasped;
"and what the devil are you doing In my
office at this time of night?' as his
glance fell on Jack.
''I'm waiting for the police to come, -
said Jack quietly.
1.-THE police! what for?''
fMr. Strange has shot himself! That s
what for, - blurted out Jack, somewhat
nettled by the other IS manner.
''ShOt himseIfi Good God! IdsE,t
believe it. Strange was too smart ever
to shoot himself. Some scounafel mustN
have murdered him. -
LAS Jim Horton murdered Dandy
Dave? Eh!'' quickly put irH. the elder
Houston, advancing from tlI6sshadow ina
which he had been standing tneSssFxed .
of Nugent. The latter turned as though
he had been shot. ''What do FSs
mean? - he was angriIY beginning, w5ten
the light of the solitary gas jet faa full
upon the other s face. Nugent stkFed at
him in a daZed way for second ! then in
hoarse sort of whisper stammered,
- His face! great God! His face!'' and
throwing one arm before his eyes, as
though to shut out some terrifying sight,
he fell forward like log upon the floor,
stricken down by his accusing conscience
CHAPTER XIV.
EPILoGUE.
The police surgeon when he arrived
with Harold few minutes later, found |
two subjects for his professional diagno-
sis in place Of one. Death had visited |
David Nugent, as we may still call him,
as well as his brother rogue, Lemuel
Strange, but il was mental mot phys
ical death, for when he recovered from |
his state of Inconsistencies, his intel |
lect, enfeebled by the constant STRAIN of |
the past months, was completely shat |
tered.
He was taken to his home and given |
INTO his daughters tender care by Jack,
while the elder Houston and Harold went |
to the police station and gave a succinct |
account of the circumstances which led |
to Strangers death. At the inquest |
which soon followed, Proudfoot' evil |
dence was sufficient to clear Mr. Hous- |
ton OF the slightest suspicion of wrong-
doing, while the same astute yours /
man s influence with his fellow cityzedE |
tors prevented more than a mere formal |
statement of the fact being publishea.
David Nugent g reason never retuEhed, |
though his bodily health was as robnSk as |
ever. He lived for years, harmless, |
mild old man, whose memory seemed % |
stop when it reached the moment afA
which he caught sight of the face of the /
man he thought ne had murdered. He |
lives with his son-in-law, Jack; for it /
need hardly be said that that young man /
lost no time in pointing out to Grace that |
her fathers deplorable condition rem
dered it absolutely necessary for her TO
have some one TO take care of her, and |