Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-03-16

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so, and when called again l received
the money. almost q hundred thousand
dollars.
As to what did with it. few words
viii tell the story. Iplayed away some
Of 1t, spent nome and sank the bulk Of
it in mining claims in Colorado. There
was a chance, or there seemed to be, Of
making millions out of some Of these
claims, and did sell some Of them at
profit. Some others sold at loss, and
some ] haven't yet been able to sell
Those that are left | have told the in
spector will turn over TO my cousin at
any time. Perhaps he may have more
luck with them than / have had.
As to Mrs. Gregory, my story is a
simple one, though am we'll aware that
1t is not likely to be believed. All the
world knows that her husband, now
dead for several years, was fast man
and rather dissipated. All the world,
however, does not know what hap
pened to-that he was legally married
and had wife living when he married
the wo::ar Tho was known as his wild
5w. The first wife was a devil ipcar-
nate. / knew her well. In fact in
troduced Gregory to her. but I did not
suppose that he would marry her. He
did, however, and they told me of it, or
rather she did, and he acknowledged it
to me after she had shown me the proofs.
He realized that he could not ac-
knowledge her as his wife, and she was
willing to keep shady as long as he gave
her money enough to buy all the drink
she wanted. She was drinking herself
to death when he married again. He
always swore to me that he thought she
was dead. Perhaps he did, for he hadn't
seen her for year, and she actually did
die soon after, but that was nothing to
me. knew that he was a bigamist, and
he knew that knew it.
had no object in telling anybody
while he lived, for he was a very liberal
man, but after he died determined to
see if the secret was not worth more to
Mrs. Gregory than to anybody else.
found 1t was, and we had several inter-
views that were very satisfactory to me.
After awhile it occurred to me that
the most sensible thing for me to do was
to marry and settle down, especially as
had astrong admiration, and even more
than that, for Mrs. Gregory.
When / saw her at the charity ball
was so struck with her beauty that l de-
!, termined to do this, so found chance
. to speak to her and told her that would
, like to escort her home, as had some
: thing particular to say. She did not
dream of what it was, but she did not
dare to refuse to see me, though she did
= refuse my escort, so she told me to call
on her next day.
called and proposed marriage. OF
course knew that she would be furious,
for she knew that was gambler, and
besides that she hated and feared me.
, But l kept cool and assured her positive
, ly that if she did not marry me would
!. : certainly reveal her secret. She tried to
!. buy me off, but told her that the only
price would accept was her hand and
fortune together. / was playing for the
. highest stakes had ever played for, and
: was determined to take all or moth
= ing.
= Her fury changed to Mysteries, but ]
was entirely cool and told her that
meant every word I said, and after Ihad,
4 as believed, sufficiently impressed her
= with my determination told her that ]
would give her week to think it over
), and would then call for an answer.
4 In week called. could see when
: entered her drawing room that she was
tremendously excited, but had expected
that.
She pleaded with me, and I laughed at
= her.
= She raved at me, and was silent.
!. She wept, and looked at my watch.
a She threatened me, and l reminded
Il her that she had everything to LOSE
q nothing.
Finally, fairly desperate, she drew a
n small dagger from her dress and sprang
at me.
"a Icaught her wrist, held it moment
/ or two while looked coolly in her eye
,s and then let her go, stepping back as
o did so, but looking steadily at her.
I Then to my utter amazement she ex
!. claimed, II will die sooner than marry
n you" and before could catch her hanG
\ again she had stabbed herself.
Twas almost as quick as she, but mo-
a quite. / seized the dagger and drew il
"a out as she was falling, SO quickly that
4 was net stained with her blood. The
= weapon, a tiny Italian stiletto, remained
n in my hand.
N Again had to think quickly. knew
q that none of the servants knew who
was. And knew that an explanation
n would be remarkably ugly for me if
= had to make one. There was chanc,
N of her dying, though thought probably
y she might recover.
% decided to go out quietly and die
"a 80. passed o footman in the hall ant
a. tipped him when he helped me on will
Va my overcoat and handed me my hat ant
4 stick. That was about ten o'clock. TIL,
n next morning read in the papers tina
she was found dead about one o'clocl
a next morning.
~ AS matter of course would not tel
20 these facts if the inspector did not al
" ready know that was the last persol
y who saw her alive. As that is known,
,a am necessarily on my defense, and an
h thoroughly convinced that the simpl
"a truth is the best defense an innocent per
], son can offer. know that q lawyer,
n consult one, will try to prevent M
N from telling this story, but have a pro
h found distrust Of lawyers, having beel
n educated for one myself. My education
I, was my sole inheritance.
MIR. FAIRLEGH's CONCLUSIONS.
20 suppose that mo young woman wa
= ever brought to a higher pitch of bump