The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-09-21

Charles turned on his brother and
gripped his shoulder
"Do you mean to say" he said sharp
ly, "that Carr did not sleep in the house
last night
Dear me! Charles, that was an over.
sight on your part" came Sir Georges
whisper.
''No," replied Ralph, che did not. The
house was full, and we had to put him l..
that second small room through mine in
the lodge If Carr had been dying to
take them he had not the opportunity.
He could not have left his room without
passing through mine, and never went
to sleep at all. had sharp touch of
neuralgia from the cold, which kept me
awake all night"
"He got out through the window"
said Charles
NONSENSE" said Ralph, getting visi-
bly, angry; "you are only making mat
tiers worse by trying to put it on him.
Remember the size Of the window. Be-
sides you know how the lodge stands,
built against the garden wall. When I
came out this morning there was not
single footstep in the snow except those
we hnd made as we went there the night
before. I noticed our footmarks particu-
larry, because l had been afraid there
would be more SNOW. No one could by
any possibility have left tho house during
the night. Even Jones himself had not
been out, for there was little eddy of
snow before the back door, and 1 re-
member calling to him that he would
want his broom"
''The snow clinches the matter.
Charles" said Marston, gravely. "You
have made mistake"
"Quite unintentional, I'm sure" whis-
pered Sir George.
There was something ! did not like
about that whisper. 1t seemed to imply
more than met the ear.
Charles did not appear to hear him.
He was staring fxedly before him, his
hand had dropped from Ralph's shoulder,
his face was quite gray.
"Then," he said slowly, as if waking
out of q dream, sit was not Carr"
mo" said Sir George, "Inever thought
it was"
"Good Godr calculated Charles, sink
ing into low chair by the fire, and
shading his face with his hand. ssNot
Carr, after all!'
But my indignation could not be re-
strained a moment longer. had only
been kept silent by repeated signs from
Marston, and now broke out.
"And so, sir, you suspect my friend"
I said, land insult him in your fathers
house by turning the key on him. You
endeavor to throw suspicion on man
who never injured you in the slightest
degree. You insult me in insulting my
friend, sir. Suspicion is not always such
an easy thing to shake of as it has been
in this instance. on M side might ask
what you were doing, walking about the
passages in your socks at o'clock this
morning? In your socks, sir, still in
your evening clothes"-
1 had spoken in anger, not thinking
much what was saying, and I stopped
short, alarmed at the effect of my own
words.
81 knew it! I knew itr' gasped Sir
George, in his hoarse, suffocated voice,
and he fell back painting among his pill
lows.
Charles took his hand from his face
and looked hard at me with strange
kind of smile.
cat any rate we are quits, Middleton"
he said. "You have done it now and no
mistake"
1 did not quite see what had done,
but it soon became apparent
81 knew it!' gasped out the sick man
again. ''I knew u from the first mo-
ment that he tried to throw suspicion
on Carl"
"Sir George" said Marston, gravely,
CHARLES made mistake just now. Do
not you on your side make another.
Come, Charles" turning to the latter,
who was now sitting erect with flashing
eyes, ''tell US about it. What were you
doing when Middleton saw your
Il was coming upstairs" said Charles,
haughtily.
"From the library" asked Sir George.
Charles bit his lip and remained silent.
l would not have spoken to him for a
good deal at that moment. He looked
positively dangerous.
"From the library, of course" he said
at last, controlling himself and speaking
with something of his old careless man
ner, "laoen with the spoils of my mid
night depredations Parental fondness
will supply all minor details, no doubt;
so, IS the subject is delicate one for
me, will withdraw that it may be dis
cussed more fully in my absence"
Stop, Charles" said Marston; 'the
case is too serious for banter of this
kind. My dear boy" he added, kindly,
Il am glad to see you angry, but never
theless you must condescend to explain.
The longer you allow suspicion to rest on
yourself the longer it viii be before it
falls on the right person. Come, what
were you doing in the passage at that
time of night?''
Charles was touched, could see. A
very little kindness was too much for
him
ut is no good, Marston," he said, in
quite a different voice; II am not be-
ieved in this house,
He turned away and leant against the
mantel piece, looking into the fire.
Ralph cleared his throat once or twice,
and then suddenly went up to him, and
laid his hand affectionately on his
shoulder.
Fire away, old boy" he said. in a
! constrained tone, and he choked again.