Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1892-03-24
CHAPTER III.

At last the direct accusation which
Marion Oakburn dreaded. and TO pre-
vent which she had besought Judith
kredge 20 preserve silence regarding the
unexplained departure OF Stuart Har-
land, was made.
The police sergeant was responsible
for formulating the dreadful arraign-
ment into words, but in the minds OF the
others present it could scarcely be
doubted that the same suspicion had
found a Judgment
1t is an age of distrust No mans
past is regarded as a bond for his
future. Men whose regulations were
spOtless yesterday are buried in the
mire to-day. The temptation of gold
Outweighs the honor ana honesty of men
who until the denOuement comes are re-
garded as above suspicion
But Jason Garrison would have staked
his life upon the innocence and honor Of
the man to whom he meant TO intruSt
the future happiness of his only child
As the police sergeant pronounced the
name of Stuart Harland the broker
leaIed TO his feet.
Never, sir! Never! Do not dare to
couple Stuart Harland's name with a
crime in my presence" he cried.
stuart Har and is as innocent as l
am 1 know it, 1 feel it. He is not capa-
BILE of a shonorable deed, said Marion,
earnestly seeking to exculIate the sus-
pected one.
-Yol see, sir, even the daughter of
the victim OF this tragedy is assured OF
the limo -ence Of the man you accuse, F"
said Garrison.
@And permit me to say that you are
entirely wrong in thinking tiat 1 share
your suspicion of Stuart Harland, said
Paxton, the detective, smiling blandly
Indeed, under the circumstances, l am
convinced of his innocence" he added
The police sergeant seemed amazed.
@The circumstances are all against
him; it cannot be any one else, he said,
deiantly.
@Good. keep on thinking so and work
on that line. The way viii be clear to
enable me TO secure the real assassin, &"
said Paxton pleasantly
ave shall see l have placed a shrewd
man on Harlands track ana he will be
arrested before morning
Il wish you Joy of your capture, I am
sure, " retOrted Paxton.
Jason Garrison turned his back upon
the detective and the police sergeant
with an expressive gesture. and strobe
10 the side of the dead man.
Long and earnestly he gaZed upon the
face of the dead, and the man of the
world was deeply moved as he thought
that this poor man, who had served him
with surprising fidelity for long years,
had perhaps met his fate in defense of
his property
GPoor John, poor JohniP he said. @He
was one Of the few men who are honest
from principle alone He was hOnOred
by all, and he leaves behind him a repu-
tatiOn OF which any man might well be
proud"
Then, turning to Marion, he added:
~Miss Oakburn, the memory OF your
father will be respected by all who knew
him. He died as he had lived-faithful
to his duty and an honest man"
The dead cashiers daughter was
strangely agitated, but her face became
transformed with a look OF heroic re-
solve as she said:
-Niy father so lived that when he was
dead men might speak of him as you
have done His soul would have revolt
ed at any other destiny. His memory
shall be revered-"
There was something fierce and
startling in the intensity of the girls
voice, and her manner was that of one
in a strangely excited mental state.
But her hearers. with perhaps one ex-
ception. attributed her excitement and
her strange manner TO emotions Occa-
stoned by the discovery Of her fathers
murder alone
Paxton was the only one present not
OF this opinion, and he cOVertly watched
the cashiers daughter with a sudden
augmentation OF interest The detective
possessed many SerViceable qualidca-
lions for the vocation he had adopted,
not the least valuable of which was the
faculty of discerning the cause of human
emotions, and he felt that Marion Oak
burn was now actuated by some power
full feeling which the others did not sus-
pect.
But even his acumen could not deter
mine what the secret feeling was.
-If am any judge OF character, this
/ young woman possesses rare strength
OF will and tenacity of purpose.
/ When she declared that her fathers
memory should be revered she spoke
as though there was a danger that
it might be reviled - as though she
/ felt called upon to protect his
memory from odium. All, If you
hold a secret, Marion Oakburn, you will
know how to preserve it inyiolate, re-
fiected Paxton.
There was nothing more to be done
now, and the police sergeant stated that
his mea would guard the Office until
morning, and that nothing should be