Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-05

down IN the passage and rushed OF without
even the ordinary decency of apologizing."
Ruth has told me everything, father. We
can clear Ronald Mervyn as soon as we like"
And Mary Armstrong threw her arms round
her fathers neck.
~ thank God for that Mary. felt it would
come sooner or later. but had hardly hoped
that it would come SO soon am thankful in
deed, my child; how did it all come about?":
Mary repeated the story Ruth Powlett told
her.
"Yes, there's no doubt about it this time"
her father said. "As you say there could be no
mistake about the knife, because she had given
IL to him herself, and had had his initials en-.
graved upon it at Plymouth. don't think any
reasonable man could have doubt that the
scoundrel did it; and now my dear what is to
| be done next?"
| "Ah, that is for you to decide 1 think
Ronald ought to be consulted"
| "Oh, you think that?" Mr.. Armstrong said
quickly "You think he knows great deal
better what ought to be done than do?'
No, don't exactly mean that, father, but
think one would like to know how he would
wish it to be done before do anything.
| There is no particular hurry, you know. when
he once knows that it Is all going to be set
right"
mo, beyond the fact that he would naturally
| like to get rid of this thing hanging over him
| as soon as he can. Now, my idea is that the
girl ought to go at once to magistrate and
make an atidavit and hand over this knife to
him. don't know how the matter is to be re-
| opened because Ronald Mervyn has been
acquitted, and the other man is goodness
knows where"
"Well, father. there will be time enough to
think over it. but do think we had better tell
| Ronald first"
Very well my dear. as you generally have
your own way, suppose We shall settle on that
the way, have got a letter in my pocket for
| you from him. The Cape mail touched at Ply
mouth yesterday"
"Why did you not tell me of it before
father?' the girl said, reproachfully
more important, that own forgot all about
the letter. Besides, as this is the fourth that
you have had since you have been here, it is
not OF such extreme Importance"
But Mary was reading the letter and paid no
attention to what her father was saying. Pre-
sently she gave a sudden exclamation.
What is it. my dear; has he changed his
mind and married Kafir woman? If SO, we
need not trouble any more about the affair.""
mo, papa, it Serious-quite serious"
well, my dear, that would be serious; at
least should have thought that you would
consider it su.''
No. father; but really this is extraordinary
What do you think he says?"
1T is Of no use my thinking about lit Mary"
Mr.. Armstrong said, resignedly. especially as
suppose you are going to tell me. l have
made one suggestion, and it seems that it is in
correct"
s"This is what he says father: You know
that told you trooper in my company recog-
nized me. fancled Iknew the mans face but
could not recall where had seen It. The other
day it suddenly flashed upon ME: he is the son
OF little farmer upon my fathers estate a
man by the name of Forester. often saw him
when he was a young fellow, for was fond Of
fishing. and can remember him as boy who
was generally fishing down in the mill stream
fancy he rather went to grief afterward, and
have some idea he was mixed up in poaching
business in the Carne Woods. So l think he
must have left the country about that time.
Curious, isn't it, his running against me here?
However, it cannot be helped. suppose it will
all come out, sooner or later for he has been in
the guardToom several times for drunkenness
and one Of these times he will be sure to blurt
it out"
isn't that extraordinary, fatherf"
"lt is certainly an extraordinary coincidence
Mary that those two men-the murderer of
Miss Carne and the man who has suffered for |
that murder, should be out there together. |
This complicates matters good deal"
1t does, father. There can be no doubt of |
what is to be done now"
'Well, now quite come round to your side, |
Mary; nothing should be done until Mervyn |
knows all about it, and can let us know what |
his views are. l should not think that he could |
have this man arrested out there merely on his |
unsupported accusation, and should imagine |
that he will want an official copy of Ruth Pow. |
let's affidavit, and perhaps a warrant sent out /
from England before he can get him arrested.
Anyhow, we must 90 cautiously to work. When |
Ruth Powlett speaks it will make great stir
here, and this Forester may have some CORE.
spondent here who would write and tell him
what has happened, and then he might make a
bolt of it before Ronald can get the law at work
and lay hold of him."
Il should rather hope, for Ruth's sake, that
he would do So father. She is ready to make
her confession and to bear all the talk it will
make and the blame that will fall upon her;
butt would be great trial to her to have the
man she once loved brought over and hung
upon her evidence"
so it would, Mary, so it would; but on the
other hand, it can be only by his trial and exc
cution that Mervyn's Innocence can be abso-
lutely proved 10 the satisfaction of everyone |
1t is a grave question altogether, Mary. and at
any rate we will wait. Tell Mervyn he has all
the facts before him. and must decide what is
to be done. Besides, my dear. lhink it will
in a position to lay hands on this Forester be-
tore she makes the confession"
Il think so, too, father. Yes, she certainly
ought to be told; but | am sure that now she
has made up her mind to confess that she Will
not draw back. Still, of course, it would be
very painful for her. We need not tell her at
present; will write long letter to Ronald
and tell him all the inns and outs of it. and then
we can wait quietly until we hear from him."
You need not have said that you will write
4 long letter, Mary" Mr.. Armstrong said, drily |
considering that each time the mail has gone
out have seen nothing of you for "a hours
previously, and have reason to believe that an
extra mail cart has had each time to be put on
to carry the correspondence"
"1t's all very well to laugh, father" Mary
said, little Indignantly, "but you know that |
he is having fights almost every day with the |
kaffirs, and only has our letters to look forward
70. telling him how we are getting on, and
and"
..And how we love him, Mary. and how we
lream of him, etc., etc.
Mary laughed.
Never mind what put in my letters, father,
IS long as he is satisfied with themv
Il don't, my dear. Ny only fear is that he
will come back wearing spectacles, for should
ay that 1t would ruin any human ewes to have
% wade through the reams of feminine hand
writing you send to him. If he is the sensible J
elbow give him credit for. he only reads the t
irst three words, which are suppose. my l
larling Ronald and the last four, which also :
uppose are your ever loving Mary"
The color flooded Mary Armstrong; cheeks.
You have no right even to guess at my let :
ers, father, and have no doubt that, whether
hey are lorg or short, he reads them through 1
dozen times"
aid, pityingly; "but nevertheless, my DEAR i'm
,ortant as all these matters are, do not know
Why should be compelled to fast. came in
IN hour ago, expecting to find tea ready. and
here are no signs of it visible. Yes, shall he
ollowing the example of the villagers when
lown to the Carnes Arms for it."
You shall have it in five minutes father"
Nary Armstrong said, running cut ''Men are
~ dreadfully material that whatever happens
heir appetite must be attended to at the mo-
nent"
And so three days afterward full account
If all that Ruth Powlett had said, and nf the
of the case. was dispatched to
sergeant Blunt, Cape Mounted Rifles, Kafir-
and.