The Globe-republican., 1892-04-18

| mOuey u6U Deeu kSpG III uAo pEAt0te
safe which stood IN the rear apartment
of the brokers' office, which it seemed
the assassin had not opened.
This, we remember, was precisely the
information she had given Jason CARR
son.
Marion also in the course of the inter-
view found occasion to reiterate her con-
viction in terms most positive that
Stuart Harland was entirely innocent
of all knowledge Of the terrible crime.
So very confident was she on this
point that Stanmore thought:
"One would surmise that she has some
proof Of Harland's innocence which she
does not care to reveal.
Permit me to inquire, Miss Oakburn,
II can be Of assistance to you in any
way?" Stanmore asked, as the thought
that she might be in need of financial
help entered his mind.
Thanks, need no help at present,
sir" answered Marion, and flush of
color stole into her pale cheeks.
Pardon me. I was in former days
your fathers friend, and if at any time
you should find yourself in need Of a
friend upon whose fidelity you could de-
pend against all the world, call on Rich
ard Stanmore, said the old gentleman,
| and he placed card on which was writ
| ten his address In Marion's hand.
Then bowling low, after the manner Of
the gallants Of the Olden time, he pressed
| the hand Marion had given him to his
| lips and took his departure.
Stanmore's features were unusually
| pale during the interview which had
| just ended, and keen observer would
have suspected he was fighting battle
! with most powerful secret emotions
which were struggling for the mastery.
Once out upon the street he reeled as
though he was the victim of sudden
vertigo and muttered in broken
| voice:
Poor girl! Poor Marion! There is q
| mystery here that must be solved.
Fates! How weak am. The old spell
| came upon me. It was an ordeal, but it
Is past. How beautiful she is, but how
troubled and haggard her lovely features
| are. Oh, Marion! Marion!"
When the cashiers daughter found
herself alone after StanmOre's depart
ure the agitation which she had repressed
during the interview just concluded be-
trayed ITSELF
The excited girl trembled nervously.
Il feel that he is an honest man," she
thought, and I will trust him. Who
can tell? The time may yet come
when shall be glad to remind him Of
the promise to befriend me in the hour
of dire extremity"
Then she drew lOcket from a chain
about her neck, and, opening it, pressed
to her lips a miniature which it con-
tanned.
1T was the glance of this strange gen.
tleman's eye that unnerved me. felt
the same when I saw him in the office.
His eyes are like those Of poor Donald's.
Yes, feel that he is honorable and
true, she said, and gazed lovingly upon
the portrait in the locket.
Meanwhile, after leaving Marion,
Richard Stanmore repaired to the office
Of Paxton. the detective.
At this hour the detective was seated
at his Office desk reading and bordering
upon the contents Of the letter which he
had distracted from the package Of cor
respondence found in John Oakburn's
safe.
The letter was rather lengthy one,
but one particular passage seemed to
fasten Paxton's attention, and he read
it carefully several times.
The passage which the detective was
apparently endeavOring to impress upon
his memory was as follows:
The hour shall come, John Oakburn,
when you will be sorry for the great
wrong you have done me-"
The letter was signed Donald Way
burn"
Paxton had not been idle since the
COroner's inquest had ended. He had
procured casts of the footprints which
h. ~
dow Of GarrisOn's Office, and he had in
stituted diligent search for the stranger
who had exchanged OvercOats with
Stuart Harland.
Despite all the efforts Of the detective
and his expert auxiliaries, the quest for
the man who had in his pocket the skele-
ton keys and the wax Impressions Of the
safe and door locks Of Garrison's Office
Not one solitary clue either to the iden-
tity or whereabouts Of this mysterious
parsonage was discovered.
When Harland explained to the Coro-
ner that the stranger had exchanged
overcoats with him, he had not neglect.
ed to give an accurate and minute de-
scriptiOn Of the unknown.
Paxton had the word picture of this
man in his mind, and he was confident
that he should recognize him at a
glance.
The detective believed that Stuart
Harland told the truth, and therefore he
naturally formed the theory that the man
who carried the skeleton keys was either
John Oakburn's assassin or a confede-
rate of the criminal.
Paxton had never hoped for such a
perfect clue as was furnished him by
Stuart Harland's description Of the as
sassin.
The tone Of this letter is certainly
rather threatening" said Paxton as he
read the passage from the letter signed
by Donald Wayburn, which we have
produced.
Il must ascertain who Donald Way
burn Is, and his antecedents must be
looked up. 1t is possible that robbery
was not the only motive for this crime.
Revenge may have played part in it.
The idea has occurred to me that it may
possibly turn out that Donald Wayburn
Is the name Of the man who carried the
skeleton keys. We have learned that
the name the fellow gave Harland was