The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1892-07-08


CHAPTER XV.-CoETIEUED
''Ah, sir, you have taken n load off
my mind. Now hear my story. My
name is Aaron Gore. 1 was born on
Sir Harry's estate, played with him
when boy. served him as a man, and
traitorOusly sold him to his enemies,
when he had none near him but my
self ia whom TO put his trust
Beads of agony stood on the mans
brow, as he uttered these words
you see, SIR" he continued, est all
came about of the doings Of Capt
Frank Archer"
Frank Archer! Who is hep
Sometimes I thinlc he is only a man
like the rest Of us, but ut other times I
believe he is a devil in human shape,
Tor surely no ficnd could have wrought
more mischief than he has done. He
has been at the bottom Of all my
misery. II he were to show himself in
this room do not know that dare tell
you what has happened"
"Well, he is not here and should not
harm you If hc were. Speak ont, man, -
Arthur said, impatientiy.
Eyes, 1 must be quick" the man
groaned. II feel already weaker ~
then, evidently nerviug himself for the
supreme effort, he poured forth his
story OF crime in hurried words, some
times unintelliEible, but conveying to
his breathlcss listener its full meaning.
81 must write this down, If can only
find means to do so, and you must sign
it." Arthur said, when he had finished,
Aaron Cores reply was to the point:
You viii find several lead pencils
with the package Of papers under my
pillow, sir"
''Ah, yes, here they are. Now you
lie back and rest, whilst I write you
deposition"
And this is what Arthcr Dunbar
wrote, casting every now and then AZ
anxious glance at the sick man, whC
lay watching his pencil as it moved
rapidly over the paper:
-, Aaron Gore, believing myself OF
the point of death, do make the follow
ing statement, which I solemnly de
clare to be true: That I was in the serv
ice of Sir Harry Grahane as valet whcI
that gentleman was taken sick of tht
fever ut Kistmun, in India, during tn,
early part Of January of last year; tina
there was also in attendance on tn
sick barOnet his friend, Capt. Franl
Archer; that Sir Harry Grahume hai
prepared Il viii leaving tho create
part of his fortune to Miss Kate Ora
-hame, his adopted daughter; that
entered into conspiracy with Capt
frank Archer to prevent the accom-
plishmeut of this act; that Capt. Archie
induced me TO aid him in this fraud b.
a bride of one hundred pounds and
promise of n thousand pounds If on
scheme proved successful; that,
pursuance of this plan, a groom /
Sir Uarry's service who lay on tn
point of death stricken with q feve
contractcd ut the same time as hi
master, on u hunting expedition in tn
jungles, was Palmcd Off on the doctc
of the Forty seventh regiment as th
baronct; that this doctor gave the eel
tidcate of cuuse Of death and burial pc
NIT, fully believing that the dead ma
was Sir Harry Grahamc; that the sic
baronct was carried by US to the sc
coast and shipped in charge of Cap
Archer to Colombo. whence he was r
moved to the interior of CGylon; that
acting under orders of Capt. Archer, r
manned ut Fistmuu in charge of Il
supposed deceased baroaet's effect
that / received a telegram from job
Colbu-u, an attorney in London, WI
was also in the conspiracy, ordering n
to proceed at once to Colombo. " here