Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1890-04-19

marked Tom thoughtfully. Il cannol
make out the connection. Wessing il
here making inquiries with regard t.
Persons papers: Fountain makes the
same inquiry, and yet so far as we are
snabled to ascertain there is no relation
between the two"
Holbrook was pacing up and down his
narrow room in profound thought. Fl
nally he said:
"Tom, the case stands like this. Now,
follow me closely: Templeton is murdered
in the open streets and there is no ap-
parent motive for the deed. Circum-
stances, wholly arising from Flora Ash
groves manner and words, point the way
to suspicious of Fountain"
"Good, follow you."
"As soon as we set inquiry on foot we
run against the dead Pierson. Wessing
inquiries for his papers, so does Fountain"
Eyes, and so does Parker"
"Oh, that is nothing; he il an attorney.
probably acting for one or other Of them.
Don't interrupt me, you destroy the con-
tinuity of my thought. To get back-so
does Fountain. Now, in the talk be-
tween Flora and Fountain, overheard by
you, there are three points made-first,
Fountain is an illegitimate son; second,
he is proposing to engage upon an enter
prise in the following of which is in
volved the exposure of his illegitimacy;
third, Providence has removed Temple
ton from his path.
"Oh, no, begin to see your drift.
"Now to weave these facts. Let us
make some suppositions Suppose Pier
son was one of those men who, having
fair and reputable business exterior.
lived double or even triple private life.
This is not wild supposition-there are
plenty of such instances; the records of
the courts are full of them. Now to pro-
ceed: Note that Wessing is making in
quiries because-now mark-because his
mother-his mother, mark you, thinks
that Pierson is relative, and if he is
then she is an heir"
Good. follow; follow"
"Now, suppose Wessing should be =
son of Persons under another name.
that would account for his inquiries af-
ter Persons property in so guarded a
manner, wouldn't it?"
"Yes."
"And suppose, since Fountain &C.
knowledges that he is an illegitimate
son, he was another son Of Persons by
another mother, that would account for
his inquiries"
eyes. but l don't follow you closely
"And suppose that Pierson was an as
sumed name in middle life to escape the
consequences of devious way Of living
and that, having had two illegitimate
sons, he had third. a legitimate son,
whose mother he had abandoned, and
that son was Templeton-Tem
whom Providence had removed from
Fountains path-that is to say, Provi-
dence in the shape Of sharp knife in
the hands of Harry Fountain"
"You take my breath away. And
what them
why, you have the motive for the
murder"
"But how do you bring Wessing in?"
81 don't bring him in; he is there only
from the fact that he inquiries for Pier
sons papers"
"And that he was present at the MUIR
der; don't forget that in your theoriz-
ing"
II don't; 1t is nothing, a mere coinci-
dence, but one of those curious joining
Of lines and crossing Of paths, which if
not carefully avoided confuse the judg-
ment and mislead you-which makes
truth always SO much stranger than fic-
tion."
"Wessing would have the same mo-
tive for getting Templeton out Of the
wayY'
"But he didn't do the deed; and be-
sides, Wessing is not man who would
pursue any point to death and who could
do deliberate murder; glance is suffi-
cient to determine that-he is weak. On
the contrary. Fountain would. We have
both agreed to that"
"But," said Tom, "is not your theory
fanciful9 There is great deal to sup
pose. admit that, so far as Fountain
is concerned. it is plausible"
"Only plausible above the rest because
you have certain ascertained facts or
statements of himself and Flora to rea-
son upon. Fountain is proposing to seek
a fortune; Persons fortune lies waiting
to be sought; Fountain inquiries here
about Persons papers, and admits to
Flora that he called upon me in refer
ence to that enterprise. Flora Is horror
stricken at the idea of his coming to me,
who saw the murderer at distance, and
who pretended to see more than did.
These are the connecting links which
make the reasoning seem plausible as to
Fountain. You seem to stumble over
the idea that there must have been some
knowledge Of Wessing by Fountain. and
of Fountain by Wessing."
II confess it"
"It is not necessary to the truth Of my
theory that they should not have knowl-
adua Or that thew shOuld See here: