The evening world., 1894-05-30
he looks at me like that!"

The sick man raved on:
Back, Donald. back into your grave!
Don't don't do that! You're staring at
See! see," shrieked the tortured man
In his delirnm; There i is; Strokes
See! My hands are crimson with his
blood, yet his blood did not stain them!
Mns,a, It's there; ret, rs there! oh! Great God!
Great beads of perspiration stood out
on the mans pallid brow, touched with
the hand Of death mercifu.ly near. as
he gazed at his uplifted hands. Then he
suddenly collapsed, falling into the arms
OF his Mortified son. who had been strug
Cling with the dying maniac. his ears
ringing with the echoes of the terrible
self-accusations.
The awful cries of the dying soldier
had reached the ears OF the physician
and nurse outside. Both hastily entered
the room at the moment OF the collapse.
An opiate was administered to the pa
ticnt by the physician, who said
" He may regain consciousness for a
moment before death, but he's nearly
gone.
An instant later. Col. Cation opened
his almost sightless eyes. They wan
dered from one face to another. and
then rested fxediy upon that of
Forgive me, my boy, and may God
forgive met! whispered he I'm going
twas -I-killed Col: not -Don-ld.
.
With look Of agony pictured ON his
dying face, which to his last moments
will ever haunt him, so terrible was IT.
Harry Cation witnessed the life spark
as II fed from his fathers tortured
body
Dead, yes, Harry Cations father was
dead. The young man realized the
awful truth. but that did not appear to
disturb him Ringing in his ears were
the deliriCus cries OF his dying father,
:" 1t was l who killed Stroke, and not
Donald"
/ And then the agonizing remorse which
had seized upon his father! What could
II mean? the young man mUaned pi,-
eously, as he staggered from the death,
chamber into the open air. His dazed
brain refused to analyZe the situation.
For an hour he walked the lawn, terribly
agitatei, his mental capabilities seeming
ly stunned for the time being,
Harry at last seated himself on the
porch The awful scene which occurred
at the moment his fathers spirit passed
upon his bewildered brain, until he was
almost beside himself with grief and
nervous horror
Then the words last to fall from his
''The secret box!" What was that, and
why did his father refer 10 il in his
delirium? Almost unconsciously Harry
arose and sought the library so recently
occupied by him who would never again
cross its threshold. Scattered over Col.
Cations desk lay many 4 his private
lying about that morning, having been
suddenly summoned to the CITY Hall on
the business matters already referred
TO-
Harry gathered up the papers and
thrust them In the desk drawer and
closed II, but as be did so he discovered
among the documents peculiarly
formed box made OF brass and wood.
He had never seen this before, hence
his attention was much accused. In
quisitiyely he examined the little affair.
1t was evidently separated into two
sections, but securely held together by a
pair OF small brass hinges and II diminu-
tive paddock. There was a tiny. hole in
the lower part Of the lock which resem-
bled a pin-head in size, and hardly gave
the impression that II was intended for
"A key-hole.
In tiny drawer that he found open
recently disturbed, the young man came
across narrow strip OF gold one
OF its ends was finely tapered - a
point
This will open the paddock" he OK.
He inserted the tapered point Of the
and pressed gently but firmly, Almost
simultaneously thn lid few open, revealing
within small cavity carefully fold
young man saw at once was the familiar
chirography OF his father.
with stiL greater interest, Harry un-
folded the paper and perused it's con-
tents. He had read only few lines