Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-01-17
"Ask Jim there; it's his case. a"

"You mean Templeton's?" asked the
one referred to. "On the morning of the
eighteenth, an hour after midnight"
"Great hcavens!" cried Tom.
They all stared at him.
He took the photographs out of his
pocket and handed them to the first
speaker
"Was this the mantle Fountain who
was with yout'
"The very same. These are good pict-
ures of him?"
"Was he never away from you during
the trip:'
"Never, from the time he joined us on
the fourteenth"
Tom stood like one rooted to the spot.
In the meantime the others looked
upon him amazed. Finally Tom said:
81 do not think 1 want to see the dis
trict attorney after all"
He turned on his heel without word
and walked out, leaving them wonder
ing at his strange manner and questions.
Hes been drinking" he heard one
say.
cone would suppose he thought Foun-
taln lldu COllulnleu lndJ nluTuCT, lIOiu
another.
He paid no heed, but passed on and
descended the stairs like one who had
met with distressful blow of misfor-
tune.
He walked along the street dazed I'M
heedful of all about him. Without
knowing just how he had gotten there
he found himself III Broadway, opposite
the postof1Ce.
His emotions were difficult to analvze.
Heartfelt gratitude and thankfulness
that the story had been told him before
he had gone in to the district attorney
possessed him, but dominating every
other sentiment was MS feeling of keen
and bitter disappointment. His quest
had ended in failure, his triumph had
turned to ashes.
He made his way hurriedly to Hol-
brook. The lawyer was engaged with a
client, and Tom paced the outer Office in
a fever of disappointment, thankfuness,
humiliation and even anger. How could
he have been such an idiot as to have
supposed Fountain could have been
guilty of such Il crime? he asked himself,
and then in the most illogical way he
found himself growing angry with Foun-
tain for going off on that yachting trip,
and thus making it impossible for him
to have committed the deed.
Unable to contain himself longer, he
sent his card, on which was scrubbed
Important. All the fats in the fire, to
Holbrook
Holbrook came out Immediately.
lie looked wonderingly at Tom, who
bore the visible traces of his crushing de-
feat
whats the matter, MANI" asked Hol-
brook.
Harry Fountain didn't commit the
murder
Holbrook could not have suppressed
his surprise if he had desired, nor his
evident relief at the information.
! That increased Toms bitterness.
Why asked Holbrook. do they
| know who did it,"
NO
Glow do you know, then, that he
didn't
'He was not within hundred miles
of Union square when the deed was
| done"
Holbrook told him to wait a moment
and he would dismiss his client at once.
This he did speedily, and calling Tom in
made him tell all that had occurred.
There was silence at the conclusion.
After a moment Tom said
eve are just where we We're ten days
ago. We've been on false scent"
NO" said Holbrook, mot quite.
There is the motive we reasoned out this
morning. We must now follow up the
Pierson inquiry"
Until we get near the finish, when I
suppose you'll baulk again" replied Tom
bitterly.
Holbrook laughed.
"Be reasonable, Tom. You know il
was hard thing to bring Flora Ash
grove into the matter, and am sincerely
glad she is out of it."
"Unless," said Tom, Fountain hired
some one to do it..
sob, dismiss that idea" replied Hol.
brook. "Our suspicious of Fountain
were caused wholly from our belief that
Flora thought FQu.tain had himself
done the deed. y her manner and words
did not mean this, they meant nothing.
No, the handsome Flora herself has
been on a wrong scent"
"But she didn't think SO without there
was II reason for it,"
you're right there, Tom. Now what
was that reason:"
"To find that out would put us on the
right track again. BY Joye, Holbrook
I've an idea"
LET us have it, then"
"See. The Ashgrove girl thinks Foun
tain did the murder. She hasn't told hin
of her belief, nor wou't-you remember
the conversation. Now, she still labor!
under that belief. You can go to he
and earn her undying gratitude by dis
abusing her mind of that error"
"Well, what them
Gin her joy at finding that the obiec
of her love is not a guilty man, she vii
tell you her reason for supposing he was.
"Nou have an idea, Tom
1