Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1894-02-22

tossing on miserable bed, and be-
side him woman, whose rags betok-
ened her poverty.
The patient complained Of intense
pain, and blythe light of tiny can
die the doctor came across traces of
wound just above the hip.
How did you get this?"
The mans answer came readily
enough.
He had been handling an old pistol,
and 1t had gone of and wounded him,
and, although he lost deal OF blood
at first, the wound had healed and he
was able to get about. Soon, how
ever, he felt intense pain whenever he
tried to move, and now was mortal
bad.
The Doctors practised fingers soon
found swelling on the mans back,
and putting together what he had
heard and what he learnt from his
manipulation, he came to the con-
clusion that under that swelling lay
the charge that the pistol had con-
tanned.
He hurried home, and bringing
back a pocket case and chloroform,
explained to the wife that he could
soon relieve her husband.
1t was, however, a longer task than
he had anticipated, and when at
length his forceps closed on the for
eign body, he found it of such size
that he had to enlarge the primary
opening. Then when he had drawn
it out, and laid it on the table, he
found to his surprise that at the bot
tom of the wound lay another hard
substance. This time he had little
difficulty in the extraction. Taking
up what he supposed to be the fiat
tened bullets, he dipped them into
some water, but when he took them
out they were still red.
He dipped them again, and rubbing
them well, brought them close to the
candle. The blaze of light that
flashed at him almost took away his
senses. They were jewels, and, even
to his inexperienced eye, very yalu-
able. He almost reeled as the truth
suddenly came to him With trem-
bling fingers he dressed the wound,
and telling the woman he would call
again, hurried home.
Long he sat and stared at the gilt
tering stones.
They were rubies, and from the de-
scription given by the elder Carlton
were the very jewels that had disap-
peared on the night of the 3D. of Nov
ember.
How had they come where he had
found them?
Was Jack Cartons story OF the
man in the room true?
Did he hold the clue that, if fol-
lowed up, might prove his rival inno-
cent?
Should he follow it up?
Then began the fiercest fight with
his conscience that Frank had ever
fought.
Let him hold his peace, and Carlton
would be lost to society for years,
perhaps. Then, as time went by,
might not his devotion be rewarded?
Would that proud girl unite herself
to man who had been publicly
branded as thief, and would she
take to herself dishonored name?
Little by little the tempter's whis-
pers grew louder, until they swelled
into tones that were likely to drown
for ever the "still, small voice of con-
science"
And SO the struggle swayed on all
through the long night, until at last
nobility of soul triumphed, and in
humble imitation of Him who had
once been so sorely tempted and had
so gloriously conquered, Frank Cas-
tell cast Satan behind him! And the
first rays of Gods sun shone athwart
the room and rested tenderly on his
bent head, while from each of the
jewels that lay on the table there
flashed up an answering ray as il
were of triumph!
The courthouse was crowded. The
jury had retired to consider their ver-
dict, and none doubted what that
verdict would be.
Hush! Here they come!
Gentlemen of the jury" the clerk
was beginning, when there was a
sudden hustle at the door of the
court. Then voices were heard and
man was seen pushing his way to the
front. 1t was Castell. A rumor
went rcand that unexpected evidence
had turned up, and the rumor was
turned into certainty when a few
minutes later the doctor was seen
standing in the witness-box. This
was his evidence: First of all, he
gave an account of how he had found
the jewels, and two people in that
court hung upon his words. Alma
Talbot and James Carlton had never
believed the prisoner guilty. Breath
lessly they listened as the story went
on. In q clear, steady voice that
could be heard by the farthest listener
in that eager crowd, the witness told
how he had gone back to GREEN'S
Alley and found the man dying; how
he had implored him to confess that
he knew; and how, at last, he had
obtained the confession in the pres
ence of reliable witness.
William Bly, had entered the Carl
tons house on the night of the Bird
of November, and had made his way
to the fathers bedroom. He (Bly)
was standing in the shadow OF the
bed curtains when suddenly the old
man had risen and, with bunch Of
keys in his hand, walked toward the
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