Evening journal., 1891-08-11

His back was toward me now. He was
getting out his writing desk from the sec
retary. and looked up as l said. Horace
Traversi'
He did not move. He was silent a long
time, and when he turned to me his facs
was no paler than usual. His tone, too,
was deliberately careless when he AT length
said: Horace TraversS | do not know
himtn
That same evening we spent with my
father and mother We had arranged 70
start the next day. AT the last Mr.. Hatch
tried to persuade me to remain al home.
but told him frankly that would not
forego the opportunity Of making inquiries
for my missing friend, and that would 90.
l brought the subject up before my
father and mother again, and Mr. Hatch
showed quite plainly that he was annoyed
by it.
"You speak Of your friend so often that
he must have been a dear one"
In the midst OF the dead hush which fol
lowed the half angry words / replied: "Ht
was dear friend. was to have married
him."
Mr.. Hatchs face grew livid, but he con
trolled himself almost instantly and said
with the careless air which was habitual
with him in moments of suppressed pas
sion. $50 supposed from your constant
recurrence to the subject" And without
waiting reply, spoke Of something else.
The next day our journey began.
c. was large town. crowded and
busy | made no Inquiries for Horace
Trayers the FIRST day Of our stay Edward
took me directly 20 his house, a large
handsome building in q retired part OF the
IL IA IL e. 4 . 4
secretly wondered how an unmarried man
came to be possessed OF so comfortable
dwelling. fancied he might have been
married before. but dismissed the thought
as impossible.
A man might conceal the knowledge OF
a dead love, but dead wife always takes
an honorable place in bis memory.
Edward left me alone a great deal He
said he had been trying to sell some prop.
erty Of which he had found it Troublesome
TO take care, and he meant to stay in c.
until he was rid of It,
Naturally, Of course, took to the library
in his absence.
There was a curious old secretary in one
corner. ] runmaged this in search of
sensation, for the days dragged on heavily.
and at last found sensation little ex.
pected. There was drawer in il which
had never succeeded in opening, aud my
curiosity was reused to such pitch that
broke it open. | doubted if Mr. Hatch
would ever know or care what had done.
There was a folded newspaper in the
drawer II was yellow with age, and when
/ lifted it | saw under IL small hammer.
Tho newspaper was printed in aaown east
OF c. at least a hundred mifes. / won
dered II ! were 10 make any discoveries
was trembling all over and felt that moth
ing would seem strange now, and, as | took
up the paper, began with the first page
and read It carefully. Then | turned tc
the second, and half way down the first
column read;
Melancholy Accident-The body OF
young man was run over by the night ex
press The deceased was stranger in the
place, and there was nothing upon his per
son to identify him except a small Testa
ment, with Laura to Horace on the hy
leaf. The remains will be buried tomor
row, after the inquest, as their dreadfully
mangled condition renders early interment
necessary"
When l became conscious again my
mother was with me. When l was well
enough 20 travel she took me home.
dSheu lof my husband, ana tney rOlu
me at last that he was dead. Ny mother
admitted that he had killed himself; but
why | never knew until years after. Then
came across it in paper
He had killed Horace Travers. They
were partners.
Quite unexpectedly he met Horace at
that little wayside station.
Hatch was an adept in crime then, and
his confusion and guilt were only too eyi.
dent to Horace, who comprehended ere
long that the friend he had trusted had
robbed him Of everything, and was on his
way TO leave the country with his i'll gotten
gains.
Horace sprang at him, seized him by the
collar and called loudly FOR help, but the
engine was blowing and whistling in the
station and no one heard the cry. He was
repeating it, trying 70 drag Hatch Will
him, when the latter, rendered desperate
by the attack and his probable arrest
seized a hammer off pile Of lumber and.
quick as thought, struck him with the i'm.
plement on the back of the head.
1t killed him Instantly.
And that was the way my darling died.
-Courier-Journal.