The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-05-28

pushed through the trees and saw George.
de had leaped up with the shot, and was
Just falling. | rushed to his side and
said, who did this, GeorgeN
"Welll' demanded Sir Henry. sharply
Horace BERTHE, " he replied. He had
seen him take aim and deliberately fire
upon him.
BERTHE, you!" cried Sir Henry and
Boyd in breath.
On my honor" replied BERTHE, ener-
getlcally, all his scattered nerves recover
ing tone at the accusation. there is a
great mistake here Miss Milly. you misun-
derstOod him. l heard the report and the
scream, but L was unconnected with them
l had fired my last shot some minutes
previously"
If your gun was TO blame am sure it
was an accident" declared Sir Henry,
warmly.
1t was notmy gun at all, either in acct
dent or design, and that l will swear"
There is something strange about the
natter spoke up Mark Boyd. This
poor fellow''-pointing to the dead man
must have had some warrant for saying
he saw you fire, BERTHE. He asserted it
with his dying lips. Somebody must
have shot him, that's certain, else he
would never be lying there unable to pro
claim his murderer"
heard. They proceeded from Milly. Her
father tried to persuade her to retire
from the scene, so horrible a one to them
all, but more so to her. Mark Boyd left
them. He strobe fercely homeward.
Roy met him ere he got out of the woods.
What is this tale they are telling2' he
asked, agitatedly. f'Soames says some
thing about Treveryan being killed"
killed. retorted Boyd scornfully
Murdered ! should call it"
Bless my soul" burst from Roy in
horror. Murdered. What do you mean?
Who would harm George Treveryan! Not
a soul living, l should say"
But BERTHE has shot him"
BERTHE Impossible"
''Bertie has Poor Treveryan declared
it to be so with his dying breath. Ask
your sister Milly."
cit seems Incredible. l know there was
slight animus between them-a natural
antipathY as rivals-but that BERTHE
would deliberately shoot Treveryan
cannot yet believe. in fact, nothing shall
make me believe he is guilty, How comes
Milly to know anything about it?'
She was the only one to reach Trever-
yam before he expired. I was further off,
but FASTENED with all speed to the spot
from whence the sound proceeded. l came
upon Mr.. Berthe before l reached there,
and / must admit that his appearance
told against him. He was CHASTITY pale,
and trembling. think he was about to
hurry off in another direction, but could
not for very shame bolt when he saw me.
I'm hurrying to your house for assist
ance."
Assistance! Surely there are plenty of
SOames men about to do that. Besides,
of what avail can any assistance beI
say, Boyd, this is a fearful and sudden
blow. l can hardly relate it yet. Poor
Maisie! She will be heart-broken."
miss Maisie will Treveryaps death
specially affect her2n
He was her favored lover. / thought
all the world knew that proceeded Roy,
as if merely continuing his speech. "They
had waited so patiently for his fortune to
arrive, and now, just as it has come, he's
gone; dear. dear"
''You surprise me, " said Mark, raising
his eyes innOcently.
All, you would not have wasted your
caution on BERTHE. then"
What cautiOni'
THAT you gave him as to his arousing
Treveryau's ieal---n
Il swear [ never uttered any word to
BERTHE or any one" burst in Mark, indig-
nantly IF he told you | did he lied. All,
now, l begin to comprehend the situation.
BERTHE had motive. He knew his
chances were small. Treveryan removed
from his path the coast would be clear"
Roy disliked that speech. He detected
false ring in it, and yet he could not
quite tell in what it lay He had never
felt any liking for his brothers friend
and though he blamed hims If for giving
way to prejudice, it did not alter the
sentiment, though it helped to keep back
all display of it.
Mark on his part always feared Roy
Gunton. He could not have explained
why. The fact was, his craven nature
was conscious of the others superiority
If he could impose on Roy he knew he
might hope to impose on any.
Pardon me, Mr.. Boyd, he said, coldly,
as he allowed his eyes to rest on the 9th
cr'S excited counteuanCc, you speak not
only with unwarrantable rancor, but
also with unmistakable ignorance of Hor-
ace Bertie's character. He is gentle
man, 'Sans peur and sans reprOche,' far
above committing so daStardly an act as
that with which you accredit him. There
is no small meanness or murderous igno-
miny lurking in his breast"
Now you are vexed with me- cried
Mark, feeling the implied reproof Il
know how it will be- | shall come in for
Mr. Bertie's act. Appearances tell dead
against me in every way-my quarrel
with Treveryan yesterday-my outburst
of passion against him to your sister this
morning Unfortunate scapegOat that |
am She will charge me straight off.
said would kill him. love her, and"
You know Of her engagement" broke
in Roy, raising his eyebrows. yet you
implied, or led me to imply, that you knew
nothing about the engagement"
lit was cowardly fear, which need
never have imposed on you, because did
you not separate poor Treveryan and me
yesterday Would that the time could
come over again. for none regret my I'M
Just temper now as do. But / did not
shoot George, and Miss Milly can prove
my innocence. You may Judge me harshly,
Mr.. Gunton. but can you wonder that,
with d strong circumstantial evidence
against me, | should seize desperately
on what seemed to me positive proof Of
guilt in anotherl"
Roy felt he ought to be generous, but
could not.
81 assure YOU" declared Mark, warm
ing with his subject that though for
your sisters sake ] disliked Treveryan
and quarreled with him, feel his death
most keenly, the more SO that we did
quarrel, Apart from jealousy, | cannot
but own his manly character, and admire
the many admirable traits he possessed"
Roy could hold out no longer The
question put as Boyd put it appeared
most probable.
There is a mystery about the whole
concern which viii have to BIO cleared"
he said, but your innocence, remember,