Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-07-04

never have forgiven me. l hoped to-day
that he and / would have become recon-
ciled but this sad event has prevented
the reconcilement. I am truly, truly
grieved."
1t was simple explanation, and per-
fectly natural; and l saw no reason for
telling Mr.. Clanronald what Mr.. Wilmot
had said with reference to him. 1t would
only have panied him, and would serve no
good end. 1 thought of what my uncle
had said, that he had only loved one wo-
man, his sister, and 1 set the statement
down to wounded pride. He would not
confess that he had ever loved a woman
whom he would have made his wife had
not rival taken her from him.
Richard said my wife, you are tired
out. Go to your room and lie down for
an hour. If anything occurs, I will call
you"
CHAPTER XI.
It was not rest that l required, but soil
tude: and sorely did l feel the need for it.
1t was vitality necessary that l should i'm
medlateIy decide whether to reveal every
thing or preserve silence, and allow events
to take their course without assistance or
intervention from me. To debate this
with myself | must be alone. In my state
| of INDIGESTION I might by chance betray
myself; once resolved, should be on my
guard. / entered my bed-chamber, and
locked the door. 1T was my usual habit
| when L was mentally troubled to walk
slowly this way and that; the physical &C
| ton assisted thought; but on this occasion
L recognized the necessity of keeping still.
| My bedroom was directly over the apart
ment in which the members of my eStab-
| lishment, with the Clanronalds, and per-
| haps Mr.. Mortleck were sitting. They
might hear my footsteps, and conclude
| that | was disturbed in my mind. The
least danger must be avoided; my silence
would lead them to believe that / was
asleep. Only the innocent could sleep in
such circumstances SIS those in which L
| found myself. This miserable piece of
sophistry brought smile of self-despisal
| to my lips. But this smile of contempt
changed to 'one-of pity. l dOds innocent
had thought of sin, but had committed
none. True, / had in my pocket the dead
mans ring, but ] had not the remotest
| idea how it,came there. Yet, were / to
produce it should be in danger, for it
was scarcely likely that my professions of
| ignorance would be believed. Putting
another man in my place, and receiving
| from him such a statement as it was only
in my power to make, | should discredit
| it, as my statement would be discredited
! by others. The ring had been seen on my
uncle's finger by Mr.. Mortlock on the pre-
vious night, and after Mr.. Mortlock's de-
| parture from my uncle'S rooms no other
person in my establishment, with the eX-
ception of Samuel Fleetwood, could have
had access to him. Then, how came the
| ring in my possession? The inspector had
said, ''That ring discovered, we shall soon
| lay hands uponfthe murderer" The time
to produce it, if it were produced at al,
was when those words were uttered; the
time was gone, and the opportunity lost.
l might say Iipicked it up, but the pass
ages as well as the rooms had been search
ed by the lynx eyes of the police officers.
Had the ring been lying anywhere about,
! it could not have escaped them; and might
not my false statement throw suspicion
upon some innocent person? / could
throw the ring away in the garden, or in
a pond in my grounds wherein water
| lilies grew; but my act might be observed,
and the construction it would invite would
undoubtedly be a guilty one. During all
| the time j was engaged in these conSidera-
| tions | knew that was guilty of moral
cowaTdice. Being innocent, what had
| to fear? And yet could not instil into
! myself the courage to proclaim the truth,
even though the absence and presumable
! flight of Samuel Fleetwood pointed to him
as the criminal. Again and again did the
| image of this man, whom | had believed
| to be so faithful and upright, present it
! self; again and again did l find myself
wandering into speculations as to whether
he was really the guilty person; but /
drove him. and all thought of him, for the
present from my mind, which l desired
| should be wholly concentrated upon my
own position in this tragic incident. had
arrived at the conclusion that there was
no course open to me but that of absolute
secrecy with respect to the ring, when my
i eyes fell upon the piece of thin whipcord,
of which l have already made mention,
hanging from beneath the pillow of the
couch on which 1 had slept.
Tremblingly drew it forth, and exam
| ined it, There Were marks on it which,
in the light of what had occurred, proved
the fell purpose to which it had been APP
piled. 1t was just such a cord, and, in
deed, it could hardly be doubted that it
was the cord, with which my uncle had
been strangled.
Then knew that was in deadly peril.
What the detective had said with refer
| ence to it required to me word for word
| ssThird, the cord with which deceased was
strangled. That's trife, you'll say. Not
! at all. Keep it about you, and it may be
| found. Burn it. and the act may excite
| attention. Throw it away, say IN a gar
| den or a street, and it may be picked up.
! Throw it into the water, and it will float.
| 1t must be strong piece of cord with
| which it was done. 1t must be a thin
piece. Conclusion-whipcord. In the sill
ence | seemed to hear the damning words.
And the fatal cord itself was in my hands,
and dared not rid myself of it,
| My mind was agftated by whirling
thoughts. All kinds of horrifying posi-
| bilities presented themselves What if the
door were suddenly burst open by the Of
ficers of justice. and / was found with the
ring and the cord in my possession? What
if my wife were to call TO me, urgently
desiring to see me? Outside my bedroom
window was tree, from the branches of
which person could see into the room.
What if Mr.. Mortlock, my enemy, were
| to climb this tree, and peer in? / thrust
the cord hastily into my pocket, and looked
in fear at the window and the door, and
listened with the terror of man who was
being hunted to death. All was still and
silent. Thank God!
set myself at the bar of conscience, and
questioned myself as though / were
dual being-a judge, and a man accused
of murder.