The Arizona sentinel., 1890-06-21
THE DIAMOND BUTTON.

, threaten lady, but prudence should suggest to you that it is not wise to show such contempt, whatever you may feel, toward man who is in possession of such knowledge as you know 1 am. And pray. what may that be-"
 That you bye the man Fountain with 8 strong, powerful lovs-a love which excites my respect and admiration; that the object of that love is 8 man who bears name by sufferance only. n6s by right; and that even when you believed him to be murderer you shed the bright light of your love Apon him."
 "HOw do you know these thingsT'
 They come to me professionally-I am the legal adviser of the dead Temple tons mother and sister"
 Mother and sisteri" she exclaimed
 T thought he had neither mother nor eister-nor any relative"
 That is strange, since he was rela- five of yours-a remote one."
 Flora blushed.
 That was fib, Mir. Holbrook. free ly confess it; confess also in the game of wits am beaten Though 1 am not pleased that you know so much"
 Be not alarmed. But one other per son possesses these facts, and you can rest assured neither he nor 1 have any desire to use the knowledge thus ob- tained to your disadvantage or to that of Mir. Fountain.
 Thank you But may not ask what your purpose Is in telling ne these things2"
 Il might fall back on the statement" replied Holbrook smiling, "that having feeling of regard for you desired to relieve your mind of unjust suspicion against one you love so well and the en- tertaining of which must have given you so much torture: but such statement would not be the whole truth, for have another purpose as well. not an entirely unselfish one."
 "And that purpose is2'
 "Let me explain. The fact of Mir. Fountains innocence came out inciden- tally in the pursuit of certain inquiries and the proposed initiation of some ac- tions touching the murder of MT. Tenn pleton, and perhaps it may be said also in an effort. feeble as yet, to connect the late MT. Templeton with the late Mir Pierson. shall be very frank-brutaIly so, l. fear, Miss Ashgrove The fact that you suspected Mir. Fountain of the mur- der of MT. Teinpleton-that Mir Fountain had remarked, with reference to an en- terprise he was engaged upon. that Provi- depce had removed Mir. Templeton from his path, and the final fact that that en- terprise was made known to me by Mir Fountain 3 can upon me. to be an effort to obtain the late Mir. Pierson's property, shows that in some way, unknown to me, Mir Tempieton was connected with Mir. Pierson. and the interests of Mir Fountain and MT Templeton were an- tagonistic. have the audacity to ask you in what way 1ir. Fountain touched NIT. PiersOn, and how it was that MT Templeton's interests were antagonistic to those of Mir. Fountain? In that point lay your reason for accusing in your mind Mir. Fountain of the deed"
 May l ask to what use you would put the information were to give it to you always presuming had such informa- hon?'
 "I believe had the honor of inform ing you that l am the legal adviser of Mrs, and Miss Templeton. The interests of the brother are now the interests of the mother and sister"
 Flora showed clearly that the knowl- edge of the existence of a mother and sister of Templeton was not pleasant to her. and she remained in profound thought for a moment or two.
 Holbrook waited patiently for her to speak. Finally she said:
 "mr. Holhrook, l shall not conceal from you that l know the relationship you ask to be informed of In the brief time I've had to consider have made up my mind that cannot speak of it, for l cannot explain it without giving you aecrets have no right to give to a third person without the consent of Mir. Foun tain-they are his-they belong to him and concern him only. You have reas- cned most accurately Therein lay the reason of my unjust suspicion of Mir. Fountain: the motive was so strong, and he himself felt the bitterness and disap- pointment of finding Mir. Templeton in his way so much, that feared in a mo naent of passion he had been led into frightful crime. must, however, de cline to answer your question"
 Holbrook bowed cOurteously and re- marked:
 "Of course. that sends me to Mir Fountain"
 If MT. Fountain determines to in. form you, ]. of course, can offer DO ob- lection"
 Perhaps you may find yourself able to answer another question:
 Flora seemed to give him consent by an inquiring expression of face.
 You will perhaps remember" he con tinued. that on the occasion of our pre- vious interview in this house displayed diamond button had found that norning at the place of murder"
 Perfectly we'll"
 You seemed to recognize 1t then May ask to whom you thought it be- IongedT'
 So said the lady isughingly, but partly vexed as well. your display of the button was trap laid for mel"
 ''l confess it. Laid on the impulse of the moment"
 ''l have no objections to tell you. had seen similar one worn by Kendrick Noble"
 "Ahr' He was very proud of 1t. as he had inherited it from his grandfather. who had received it from an Italian nobleman In whose family it had been for many