The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-04-06

| he gave me snaT p look, anu theu spoAe yer J
quiet and hushed.
'She was cruelty killed by highwaymen at
| the Three Cups inn, some miles out Of Hun
gerford The date given me is the Sd Of
December last"
With this great Joy came over me, and
blurted out, delighted:
There, sir, you are wrongl Her father
was killed on the night Of which you speak
! cruelty enough, as YOU say; but Mistress
! Della Killigrew escaped, and, after the most
| incredible adventures'-
| was expecting him to start up With joy
at my announcement; but, instead of this, he
| gazed at me very sorrowfuliy and shook his
head, which brought me to stand.
Sir" l said changing my tone, Il speak
! but what know; for twas l had the happy
! fortune to help her TO escape, and, under
! Gods hand, to bring her safe 10 Cornwall"
| Then, where is she nOw!"
Now, this was just what could not tell
! So, standing before him. gave him my name
| and history Of all my adventures in my
/ dear comrades company, from the hour when
! | saw her first in the inn at Hungerford. Still
! keeping his finger on the page, he heard me
to the end attentively, but with curling of
the lips towards the close, such as | did not
Ike. And when had DONE to Ply amaze he
spoke out sharply, and as if to whipped
schoolboy.
'''Tis a cock and bull story, sir, Of which
could hope to make you ashamed. Six weeks
in your company! and in boys habit! Sure
~ twas enough the pure, unhappy maid
should be dead-without such vile SANDER or
her fame, end from you, that were known
sir, TO have been at that inn, and on that
night, with her murderers. Boy, | have evil
dence that, taken with your confession, would
weave you halter; and am a justice Of the
peace. Be thankful, then, that | am mercl-
fui man; yet be abashed."
Abashed, indeed, was; or, at least, taken
aback, to see his holy Indignation and the
flush on his waxen cheek. Like a fool stood
staggered, and wondered dimly where had
heard that thin voice before. In the cOnfu-
sion of my senses heard it say, solemnly:
"The sins Of her fathers have overtaken
her, as the Book of Exodus proclaimed;
therefore IS her Inheritance wasted, and G<Ivo0
% the satyr and the wild sss."
sand which OF the twain be you, sirT
/ cannot tell what forced this violent rude
ness from me, for he seemed an honest, good
man; but my heart was boiling that any
should put so i'll a construction on my Della.
As for him, he had risen, and was moving
with dignity to the door-to show me out, as
I guess. When suddenly /, that had been
staring stupidity, leaped upon him and hurled
him back into his chair.
For l had marked his left foot trailing and,
by the token, knew him for the white haired
man Of the bowling green.
Master Hannibal TingcOmb,n spoke in his
ear, dog and murderer What did you
in Oxford last November9 And how Of Capt
Lucius Higgs, otherwise Capt. Luke Settle,
otherwise Mr.. X? Speak, before / serve
you as the dog was served that night"
l dream yet, in my sick nights, of the
change that came over the vile, hypocriticaI
lnave at these words of mine. To see his
pale, venerable face turn green and livid, his
eyebalI start, his hands clutch at ART
frightened ME.
Brandy" he gasped. Brandy! there
quick-for Gods sake!"
And the next moment he had slipped from
my grasp, and was wallowing in a fit on the
floor. ran to the cupboard at which he had
pointed, and, finding there a bottle of strong
waters, forced some drops between his teeth:
ana hard work it was, he crashing at me all
the time and foaming at the mouth.
Presently he ceased to writhe and bite;
and, lifting, set him in his chair, where he
lay, a mere limp bundle, staring and blink
ing. So sat down facing him and waited
his recovery.
Dear young sir" he began at length,
feebly, his fingers searching the Bible before
him from force of habit. "Kind young sir
i am an old, dying man, and my sins have
found me out Only yesterday the physician
,+ p-lr,.,, tgll hot Iov-c
bered. This is the second attack, and the
third will XIII me-
''Well:' said l.
eff Mistress Della be alive las. indeed
did not think will make resttution-L will
confess-onlv tell me what TO do, that l may
die in peace"
Indeed, he looked pitiable, sitting there
and stammering; but l hardened my heart
TO say:
Il must have a confession, then, written
before l leave the room"
But, dear young friend, you viii not use
tiff give up all! You will not seek my
life, that is already worthless, as you seezn
why, It's what you deserve. But Della
shall say when | find her-as | shall 90
straight to seek her. If she be lost, l shall
use it-never fear; if she is found it shall be
hers to say what mercy she can discover in
her heart; but promise you l shall advise
none"
The tears by this We're coursing down his
shrunken cheeks, but | observed him watch
me narrowly, as though TO find ont how
much | knew. So l pulled out my pistol,
and setting pen and paper before him, Oh
tanned, at the end of an hour, very pretty
confession Of his sins which lies among my
papers to this day. When twas written and
signed, in a weak, rambling hand, l read it
through, folded Is, placed it inside my coat
and prepared to take my leave.
But he called out an order to the old serv-
ant 10 saddle my mare, and stood softly pray
ing and beSeeching me in the courtyard TIL
the last moment. Nor when ! was mounted
would anything serve but he must follow at
my stirrup To the gate. But when l had
briefly taken leave, and the heavy doors had
creaked behind me. 1 heard a voice calling
after me down the road:
Dear Young sir. Dear friendi had for
gotten sOmewba
Returning, I found the gate fastened, and
the iron shutter slipped back.
We'll" asked, leaning towards it.
Dear young friend, l pity thee, for thy
paper is worthless. Today by my adviceS.
the army Of our most Christian parliament.
more than twenty thousand strong. under
the Earl Of Stamford. have overtaken thy
friends the malignant gentry, near Stratton
Heath. IN the northeast. They are more than
two to one. BY this hour tomorrow the
PapstS all VIII be running like COMES TO their
burrows, and little chance wilt thou have 10
seek Della kiliErew. much less TO find her
And remember, I know enough Of thy late
services TO hang thee; mercy then viii lie in
thy friends hands; but De sure l shall advise
none"
And with knocking laugh he clapped to
the grating III my face.