The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-08-29

y
said reprOdclJNLIy.
"You might have trusted me, Briarfeld.
1t would have been better for us all.
Il have no doubt it would" answer
ed Francis gloomily, but was afraid
lest you should think l had killed
Felix "
81 knew you were incapable of such
a thing"
''Thank you," he said gratefully.
Had l known you were so true a
friend, should have made you my con-
fidant AS it was, when l remembered
my wild threats of killing Felix, /
dreaded lest, finding him dead, you
might accuse me of his murder"
'Who killed him?"
II don't know. When l saw him, he
was dead"
"And Strent and Rose?"
''They had left the house"
"What time was this?"
"About 6 in the morning."
"And was not up till 10 o'clock.
You had plenty Of time to fly. But
what put it into your head to place the
dead body of Felix in your bed?"
cts a long story, and 1 hardly
know if you will understand my mo-
I tives. "
Eyes, do. You were afraid of being
accused Of the crime. 1t was foolish of
you to mistrust me. would have aided
rather than blamed you"
II see that now. 1t was kind of you
to try to avenge my death Unfor-
tunately all your industry was danger
GUS to me, and / had to battle it."
"You certainly did so very adroitly.
But tell me the story. am anxious to
know what took place"
Francis was quite unnerved by the
late interview and before continuing
poured himself out glass Of brandy.
Then, pushing the bottle toward me, he
began his strange narrative without fur
ther preamble.
"When went to bed that night" he
said slowly "I could not sleep for ever
so long. / kept wondering If your the
ory could possibly be true about the
treachery Of Felix. If it were, consid-
cred how l should punish my brother.
While thus thinking fell asleep and
didn't wake up till close on o'clock
in the morning. All my troubles came
on me with full force, and you know
how much worse things look at that
hour than in broad daylight. There was
no chance of further sleep, so put ON
my clothes and went down stairs. The
first thing / saw was my brother Felix
lying dead on the floor"
"Had you any idea who killed him?"
"Not the slightest. l thought it was
either Strent or the girl, SO I went in
search of them. They had fled, for I
found my horse gone, so this flight con-
firmed me in my suspicion. AT first l
determined to wake you up and explain
all. but remembering my foolish talk of
the previous night thought you might
think me guilty of my brothers. death "
"That was foolish idea.'
"Well, put yourself in my place, and
you would have thought as /.
''Not bit of 1t. I should have had
more moral courage"
''I hadn't at that moment / thought
you would denounoe me and I would
be hanged, SO took steps to secure my
own safety. went outside and found
my brothers. horse at the side of the
house. Strent and his daughter had tax
en- mine and overlooked my brothers. in
the hurry Of their guilty fight. ! saw
means Of escape and took it. "
"But what about the substitution of
yourself for FelixP'
IT did that 10 throw Off the scent.
guessed that your idea was right, and
that Felix was masquerading as !, 30
thought might 60 back with safety as
myself. Felix was far cleverer than !,
and it was certain that he had provided
some reasons for the absence Of his real
self while he passed himself Off as me.
The whole plot unrolled itself in mo-
ment before me, and saw in carrying it
through lay my only chance Of safety"
"It would have been far easier to
have trusted to my friendship.
II see that now," said Francis peni-
tently, ''but did not then. wanted
to leave the house without your wax,
ing, 50 took the body Of Felix softly up
stairs, undressed it and laid 1t in my
bed Then / folded up my clothes on
the chair heGide the bed and dressed
myself in has suit.
"And the pearl ring?"
II had to part with that so as to car