Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-23

After hearty breakfast he arose, despite all
| Bob's protestations, and dressed himself. To
| the con5tables he said:
''Give me N hour TO arrange my affairs and
then you can call a cab and take me to the sta
| tion.'
The policemen nodded acquiescence glad to
find that their prisoner was behaving so reasona-
! bly,, and then Mark sent Cubby to the railway
| station for his luggage.
While the old man was away Eliot indited the
following message to his grandsire across the
| Atlantic:
"To Paul H. Linwood. City Solicitor. New Or
''Come to me as soon as possible. I am in
great trouble. cannot explain. Come, and
quickly if you wish to see me again.
Warringham, Lancashire
In a few minutes Bob returned and then Mark
and also several gold coins, and told him to
take it to the general postotfice in the town,
where the telegraph department would take the
necessary steps to transmit the message through
one or other of the Atlantic cable agents.
AS Bob turned to rush away on his new errand
Mark cried TO him:
a cab. Then L shall be prepared to go with
these men,
Ten minutes later there was a hurried knock
at the door and the next moment the chief CON
stable of Warringham entered. He knew Marx
Eliot well enough by sight, and was somewhat
surprised to find him afoot.
Al expected to find you in bed-under the doc
tors care, Mr.. Eliot L saw the doctor last
niA hit and he told me you were too unwen to be
moved
II was so much better this morning that de-
cided to give you no further trouble. 1 am
ready to go now-you will not force me to walk
through the streets? have sent for cab-you
will take me to the police station in it?''
Mark pictured himself walking through the
thoroughfares of the town mana, led. with the
coastables on each side of him, and wonder
ing, gaping crowd behind. He feared that
shameful position more than death. and he
implored the chief constable to spare him that
deep indignity.
aYou need not go at all, Mark Eliot. You
are free man, A" the chief constable cried.
.sWhat!'' Mark Eliot almost screamed. You
are not testing with me? For Gods sake tell
me what this means"
ut means what 1 say. You are free. Dan
Ashton is alive. II he dies, and he will, fear,
another man will have to answer for it. Come
along men. Good morning"
The policeman and their chief went out and
Mark flung himself into chair, hoarse sob of
relief wrnng from his soul and tn e tears running
And a minute later Bob cubby tore into the
cottage wild with excitement aud Joy and
scarcely able to control his emotion. He had
Just heard of the strange doings last night at
Westwood house and as he shook Marks hands
again and again he retailed the wonderful news
to the freed man.
CHAPTER INTERPRETATIONS.
1t was evening again, and the whole town was
Ashton, Mark Eliot, Walter Mayhem and the
latter's wife were so strangely mixed up.
All the partiou ara of that chapter of moving
incidents had got abroau and people were dis
GUESSING them with the keenest relish-were
telling one another OF the remarkable fraud
which had been practiced upon Eliot; Marks re-
turn, his iaeeting his old sweetheart, his en-
counter with Dan Ashton; the latter's wonder
full escape from the old pit. his visit to May
hew's house and the deathful blow he had re-
ceived there.
OF all these stirring things the townsfolk con-
versed in the streets, public houses, and at their
homes; and the fact that the four chief actors in
that drama of real life were known to almost
everyone IN Warringham lent additional interest
to the strange affair.
The landlord OF the Star had not yet given up
the ghost, but it WAS matter of common report
that the doctors despaired of saving his life.
That swift cowardly and vengeful blow Walter
Mayhem had struck Dan had crushed in his
skull, and for many hours-until noon on the
scious.
When at last the unfortunate landlord came
back to his senses he was lying in his own bed
| at the Star. and his wife and a couple of med
| ical men were standing by regarding him with
anxious faces.
| From the first the doctors had shaken their
| heads ominously; and even when Ashton re-
gained consciousness their fears for his life did
| not decrease in any material degree. They
knew that his life hung by the slenderest thread
| and that it might snap at any moment.
| In the afternoon the chief constable of the
| town, in company with magistrate, had called
| at the tavern to take the deposition of the
| injured man; and Dan had deposed as follows:
THAT Mark Eliot was not in the slightest
| degree responsible for his present condition;
that he had escaped unhurt from the shaft into
1 which Mark had flung him; that he had after
| wards gone to Westwood house. when Mayhem
| had urged him TO keep out OF the way in order
that ths world might think Eliot had killed him;