San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-12-17

somewhat and the vapors began to dis
appear.
By the time he had walked a half
dozen blocks and felt the JOY of exer-
else, he began to pluck up some hope
and to manifest curiosity as to what
Holbrook might have to tell him.
He by no means anticipated such a
sensation as he was to experience.
When Tom entered Holbrook's office
the lawyer was staring out of the win
dow.
The only return he made to Toms salu-
tation was to hand him the document
which had overwhelmed him without a
word.
Tom took it, turned the paper over and
read the signature and date.
"The deuce!" he exclaimed, and de-
voured it rapidly.
"Holy jumping Jehosaphatv he cried
"What an old scamp! How unblushing-
ly he writes of his villainy!"
''And yet tries to make amends at the
close of a long and evil life" commented
Holbrook.
.sWell," said Tom, hardly recovered
from his establishment, 1.-The motive ly-
ing at the bottom of the murder is clear
enough"
But who is the murderer"
There lies the information, replied
Tom, striking the paper he had laid upon
Holbrook's desk. but which? 1t was
not Templeton, for he didn't kill himself
for his own benefit. 1t was not Fountain,
for we know he didn't do it. 1t is either
Messing, the woman Simpson or Pres
ton"
Preston. What Preston?"
"Why, James Preston-the old drunk
ard"
eyes, but where is he? Who ever
heard of him?"
"Who ever heard-why-hold hard
I say, didn't I?-why, bless my soul! but
did tell you, didn't II"
"You are particularly lucid and in
telligent this morning, not to say ejacu-
Iatory."
"But say, didn't Fever tell you?'
in the course of our somewhat ex-
tended and frequent intimacy you have
told me many things and left untold
many others, | suppose. But which
particular piece of information you are
referring to in your usual perspiCuous
manner, / am unable TO ascertain with
out a little more light"
"Oh, stow that gliding! you are never
so uninteresting as when you think you
are sarcastic. But l say, didn't | ever
tell you what the Shadow reported to
me about an old man Preston and
Parker"
Never, my royal youth"
Tom, who was too seriously intent
over the discovery of the paper sto fall
into the vein of Holbrook, told with
brevity the scene in the old house in
Varick street. .,,-.--..-...
The recital soon won HoEbrook's close
attention.
IF you had told me this" he said at
its conclusion, 1--WE would have been
well along in the quest without the aid
of this document.
81 cannot for the life of me tell how |
came to neglect it, but you see, on my
side l never knew, for you never told
me, that the name of Mrs. TempleUon's
father was Carroll Preston"
However, we have the connecting
link now, and the question as to who is
the person is narrowed to a very few"
True. 1t must be either Messing. the
woman Simpson. or Preston.
"Or Parker"
"Ah, by George, he comes into the
game, too, doesn't he?'
Yes, by reason of his connection and
conspiracy with Preston
"Holbrook," said Tom, after a mo-
ment's thought, II do not believe that
either Preston or Parker are in this part
of the job"
"Why-equally so with the Others"
Listen to me moment. In this pa
per, Pierson is at pains to state that Par
ker had no knowledge of his previous
life-that he never knew that he bore
another name previous to that of Pier
son."
Yes, remember; | see what your
line of reasoning will be-"
"Well. Now he did know about the
Fountain and Simpson marriages. In
my interview with him he was only dis
turbed when talked of Fountain. He
was lawyer enough to know that if there
was no prior marriage, the Fountain
ceremony, whether mock or not, would
be binding if the supposed Fountain
Cauid he identified with the dead Pier
Sul Hence his disturbance at my
t,'Iwledge of the matter-a knowledge
witch at that time | did not have. but