Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1890-05-17

had not succeeded in eliciting anything
Of value from Flora, he would give up
the whole matter and confess himself
beaten.
The first ten minutes after tired man
wakes in the morning and faces the
fresh difficulties of the day are the bluest
Of the twenty-four hours, and on this
particular morning Tom answered with
emphasis the old German philosophers
famous question. Life was not worth
living. He broke hair brush in endeav-
oring to give the answer additional en-
phasis.
But by the time that he had disposed
of his matutinal cup Of coffee and lit
his cigar the mental horizon cleared
somewhat and the vapors began to dis
appear.
BY the time he had walked half
dozen blocks and felt the joy of exer-
else, he began to pluck up some hope
and to manifest q curiosity as to what
Holbrook might have to tell him.
He by no means anticipated such
sensation as he was to experience.
w Hell lOLu eutcIcu OiICc
the lawyer was staring out of the win
dow.
The only return he made to Toms salu-
tation was to hand him the document
which had overwhelmed him without q
word.
Tom took it, turned the paper over and
read the signature and date.
"The deucew he exclaimed, and de-
voured it rapidly.
"Holy jumping Jehosaphat!" he cried.
"What an old scamp! How unblushing-
ly he writes of his villainy!
"And yet tries to make amends at the
close of long and evil life." commented
Holbrook.
"Well." said Tom. hardly recovered
from his astonishment, "the motive ly-
ing at the bottom of the murder is clear
enough"
"But who Is the murderer"
"There lies the information" replied
Tom. striking the paper he had laid upon
Holbrook's desk. "But which? 1t was
not Templeton, for he didn't kill himself
for his own benefit. 1t was not Fountain
for we know he didn't do it. 1t is either
Wessing. the woman Simpson or Pres
ton"
Preston. What Preston?"
"Why, James Preston-the old drunk
ard"
"Yes. but where is he? Who ever
heard Of him?"
"Who ever heard-why-hold hard
say. didn't I?-why, bless my soul! but
did tell you. didn't I?'
"You are particularly lucid and in
telligent this morning, not to say ejacu-
latory."
"But l say, didn't ever tell your?
"In the course of our somewhat ex-
tended and frequent intimacy you have
told me many things and left untold
many others. suppose. But which
particular piece of information you are
referring to in your usual peBpicuous
manner, l am unable to ascertain with
out little more light"
"Oh, stow that gliding! you are never
% uninteresting as when you think you
are sarcastic. But | say. didn't ! ever
tell you what the Shadow reported to
me about an old man Preston and
Parker
"Never, my royal youth"
Tom, who was too seriously intent
over the discovery of the paper to fall
into the vein Of Holbrook, told with
brevity the scene in the old house in
Varick street.
The recital soon won Holbrook's close
attention.
"If you had told me this" he said at
Its conclusion, 1--WE would have been
well along in the quest without the aid
Of this document"
II cannot for the life of me tell how j
came to neglect it, but you see, on my
side never knew, for you never told
me, that the name Of Mrs. Templeton's
father was Carroll Preston"
However, we have the connecting
link now, and the question as to who Is
the person is narrowed to very few"
"True. 1t must be either Messing, the
woman Simpson. or Preston"
"Or Parker"
'Ah, by George, he comes into the
game. too. doesn't her"