The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-08-23

by Trent himself but deciding
MS fortune, not to you, but to another
woman, whom he designed to marryl For
shat woman's name you substituted your
ewn; and you yourself hid it in the room
at the hotel which, as you happened to
know, Trent had once occupied. By means
OF tnat will and Of the certificate OF mar
riage, also forgery, but written on
printed form which you had procured
while travelling in France, you made good
your claim to the estate. Will you tell
them this!''
81 will report no such foolish tale,'' re-
piled Sallie steadily. "How could l have
forged copy of the genuine will unless l
had had the genuine will TO copy from?
And how could / have become possessed Of
thatl'
81 will tell you, since you have forgot
ter" said the count "You found the gen.
uine will among Harry Trent's papers on
the night that he was murdered"
Indeed | was with him on that night,
then, it appearsr'
"You were, You were the last TO see
him alive. He was alive when you took
the japanese knife from the table and
passed behind him and drove it into his
heart. 1t was you VINO murdered Harry
Trent, Mrs. Matchin!'
She laughed. ''You amuse me-" she
said. "You seem not to be aware that
L,
evidence showed that but one person was
admitted to the house that night, and that
was man-the man who was found guilty
and condemned.n
''Yes, / know the story" reioined the
count. But it was not told in the evil
dence that when the man left the house,
neglecting to latch the door behind him,
another person, who had been hiding in the
shadow OF the porch, slipped in unseen and
went up stairs to the library where Harry
Trent sat. One of the witnesses, think,
testified that she had seen q short man
with dark beard speaking with Trent late
that night"
THAT evidence was not believed But
suppose it were true, how would it affect
me! lear your imagination will get you
into trouble, Count de Lislen'
MEMS clothes are sometimes worn by
women, and false beard is easily come
by," said he, with a slow, inquistorial
smile. with means and a Will one
solves harder riddles than that in three
years, Mrs. Matchin.''
Take care. sirr' she exclaimed, her
eyes flashing in her white face. "You are
saying what you can never prove! l can
only suppose" she went on, controlling her
emotion by desperate effort, THAT you
have been made the victim of a ocx-and-
bull story by a man who is believed to be
dead, but whom | now know to be alive
l-heppel Darke. He is here under your
protection, and is rash enough to play
ghostly pranks on me-witn what purpose
won't attempt to guess. But he is an
escaped convict. Let him look to himself
l will denounce him.
81 give you full leave to do So" the count
answered unconcernedly. But must tell
you that there is only one escaped convict
IN this house and that is myself. Is it pos
! slble you have not recognized me! l am
heppel Darke."
Sallie stood motionless, many thoughts
whirling in her brain.
My claim to be Count de Lisle is also
legitimate, however, as such things go, he
went on. But a woman like you should
have better memory. 1t seems you have
likewise forgotten your friend Alonzo Gar
cha, though you must have known that he
lived many years in India, and became an
adept in Indian magic. But the
denunciationl Let me call an audience"
He stepped to the door and pushed it
open. General Bristowe was passing
talking contidentially to Miss Fitz- Murray,
who was leaning on his arm. From the
distance came the throbbing of music, play
ing a waltz
pardon me-" said the count to the two.
here is a lady who has something to say
to you
''Oh, Mrs. Trent" said the general com
ing forward, ARE we to lose you? You're
ali right, l trustf That iuggler was enough
TO scare anybody"
81 only wanted to say-I didn't mean to
disturb you'll was going-to have little
tea at my house TO morrow afternoon-if
you-and you, too, Miss Fitz- Murray
They bowed and expressed their acl1nowl-
edgments. S8llie drew her cloak round
her, took the counts arm ana went out.