Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-04-19

That's bad. Any delay Is full of
danger. The inquest Is this afternc on,
you know"
"Ahw
The exclamation seemed 20 be wrung
from her, despite her will. Then she
looked again at Gorringo, this time
with an almost implcr;nR expression,
| while her eyes Travelled again TO the
terrible evidence Of the murder which
he held in his hand.
Tie understood the look.
"You think no mention need be made
OF this to-day2'
Need it?"
mo, think perhaps not. Little
more than Is absolutely necessary will
be done to-day to enable the funeral 10
take place"
"Thnnls you" said Mary, gratefully,
Interpreting this as an indication that
he would keep the secret for time.
Delay meant hope for her.
Then an idea occurred TO her, and,
supplying a purpose, gave n direction
TO her thoughts, and In this way re-
stored somewhat her self-control.
She rose from her chair, firm In her
bhI'NNt hh'l bl INC
sudden change she showed.
81 was overcome and scared at the
sight of such n thing as that" she said,
pointing TO the weapon with shuddcr;
but am better I found IL here be-
hind these books. They are Toms.
No one goes to them except him.
don't know what II means, but what
over the truth mny bc IL must come
ont. IL frightens me now when think
Of IL; bot IL would kill me II were TO
try and keep such II matter secret"
GnrrinPe looked at her, but she met
Tho look without flinching.
"Du You mean you will tell the cor
"nrr's jay thGt you found mis- thing
hctc among Toms boolSs?" he said, e.
test what She meant.
M necessary, yes" she answered.
Not to-day, uuless necessary; but
whenever II must he done | will say
how ! found IT, II IL means what at
Grst I thought H. meant II win kill me
20 have To say IT," She sighed deeply
and put her hand to her eyes, and
added, in very low tone: "liut IL
would kin me as surely TO keep silent"
Wy l'bI HlTl4 hhltl nc Hlutls ltn-
derby. at Is a fearful time for you"
"Nou will spare me IRON having to
speak OF thi7 to-day, then" she said,
with n wan and feeble suite as she
held out her hBnd 10 him. "Nuu ;~,
good 10 me, Mr.. G1ringo."
lie laid the paper with It's ghastlJ
contents ON the table as he took her
hand and pressed 1t.
81 will do all in my power for YOU,
Mary" he said, earnestly.
1--WE had better leave It H. exactly
the place where 1t was found" said
Mary, quietly.
"llad not better take Il with me?"
asked the man.
"Why? The truth has 20 be told,
and thus It Is better placed where Il
was found"
lie did not press the matter aud Ne.
fore he could say anything further the
girl took his hand ~ hers and thanked
him again for sparlng her the nccd Of
speaking about shc discovery at once.
YOU will ell ne all thnt happens,
or that you hcnr?" she said, ms ihcy
separated at the door; and he promised.
t'lA' Nl'nih Allt NbfT bl III 'ONldNe
and locked Il, as soon rs he had
gone, and went straight back into he
parlor to carry out her plan. She lid
not stop TO think, but took he parcel
from its place Immediately, and going
into the KITCHEN thrust IL, without On
folding the paper, into The middle Of
the fire CRATE, and watched the flames
as they consumed the paper.
Then II occurred 20 her that she was
making n blunder. Ifthe whole II the
bar We're burned, II might alter It's APP
pcarance so much as TO defeat The very
object she had.
Ter plan was to lead Gorringe to
think he had mistaken paint for blood;
II he found the whole bar had been
thus treated he would Immediately see
he had been triclsed, She pulled the
bar ont again with .he tongs, there.
fore, and stripping off the charred
paper, left only the stained portion In
the fire.
Then she began to think Of other
matters
The story she meant TO manufacture
must he circumstantial, and must be
supported by details. For this pur-
pose, there must be something In the
house amongst Toms belongings
which would bear II out, She de-
termiued, therefore, that she would get
some red paint and leave II about In
Toms bedroom, together with such
odds and ends as would suggest that
he had been usinr IL.
While she was thus engaged she was
kept from thinking too closely OF what
the discovery OF the weapon really
meant, and partly with this object, she
hurried on with this work as quickly
ms possible, and did not rest until II
was completed, and she had replaced
the short bar Of steel, changed as she
had designed, and wrapped in sheet
Of foolscap paper, taken from some she
found In Toms bedroom, which had no
connection with the accounts Of the
sick fund, and had certainly never
been ut the mill.
When she had finished, further idea
struck her-to add to the complication |
by giving tho bar thus changed into
Reuben Gorringe's own hands for him |
80 l,aep; and She saw at once the sooner
this was done the better. She had |
taken very short time 70 do what she |
had planned, and she wrapped up the |
bar at once and carried IL TO the mill, !
hoping to fad the manager there.
Reuben Gorringe was there and came
out to her.
81 have thought, after all, that 1t
IL 4.