San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-09-01
CHAPTER XIII.
A STRANGE CONFESSION.

In the meantime Goringe had fetched
and lighted the lamp from the dining
room and had drawn down the blinds of
the bedroom window, while Briggs, aft
er divesting Steinworth of two heavy
overcoats which he wore inside the long
brown surtout, tried to bring the sense
less man back to life.
When the two officers considered the
young man was sufficiently restored,
they propped him up in an easy chair,
and then placing small table in front
Of him Goringe turned the lamp up to
its full
Steinworth seemed utterly nerveless
as he glanced slowly round the room
Then making strong effort to pull him
self together he muttered, disclosing I'M
der his mustacheless lips set of long,
white, fanglike teeth:
Il see l am trapped. You are very
clever" he added after brief pause,
glaring at Detective Goringe and ignor-
ing the imposing figure of Inspector
Briggs. ut was of you I was afraid
not Of the poor creatures in uniform. F."
"Recollect, said Inspector Briggs,
with dignity, "that whatever you may
say now will be taken down in evidence
against you"
81 believe that is the formula" said
Steinworth, grinning "Why should l
mind what say to you now? Mr.. De-
tective there can tell you all that has
happened He has discovered the secret
of my little puzzle. 1t was so simple it
baff1ed all the poor creatures who strut
about this neighborhood in uniform and
all the miserable donkeys whom the
same police select for coroners' juries
That was the reason 1 first confided my
troubles to policeman. Bahp
Steinworth seemed to speak with diff
ficulty. He was almost choked with rage
rage at being discovered, at his trick
being found out. He did not trouble
himself about the future. 1t was only
the present which for the moment con-
cerned him.
81 will give you credit, too" said
Goringe, "for being very clever young
man, but you selected a bad time to
commit theft-when you were in Sc
rious money difficulties. And then
corpses are extremely kittle cattle"
"That was most unlucky accident
Mrs. Davorn's death" A convulsive
shudder shook Steinworth. at makes
me almost sick to think of it. Every
thing would have gone well but for that,
and the idiot Vickery's confession. You
are puzzled about that confession, Mr..
Detective Come" with q short, I'M
pleasant laugh, edo not deny it. If you
like, will be perfectly candid with you
now. You have discovered my little Sc
cret. You have got hold of the money.
What have to hide? Indeed, it will
help me as much as it will help you
gentlemen and those mutton headed ju-
rymen to let you know what did hap
pen. am only poor player at thiev-
ing, whose first move has landed him
into hideous mess. have lost every
thing. 1 have nothing now to hide,
nothing to seek for, thanks to you, sir"
smiling at Goringe.
Steinworth now seemed an utterly
different person from the voluble and
somewhat slangy young man who had
summoned Constable Metcalf to his as
sistance ON the previous Thursday morn
ing. He spoke in gutteral voice, his
sentences were short, and his staccato
manner of delivering them sounded
strangely in the ears of the two officers
of the law.
"You take it coolly," observed Cor
inge, ''for a new hand. You are Just
after recovering from a fainting fit
you are all unstrung. Do you think you
are wise in making statement just
now which will be used against you?
Take time to consider. Give yourself
chance"
lam quite well-quite myself again.
Thank you for your caution. But you
know my secret. You have the money.
Perhaps the law will take into account
that have helped the inquiry"
"Ah! you are beginning, see, to be
a reasonable human being You were
only the mouthpiece of rage before.
Now You are looking forward and talk
ing sense. All right. The inspector and
VIII oIVShu W yOu' LuhO yOuA OAAAS'
Don't furry yourself. "
Steinworth bit his under lip savagely
with his long wLite teeth. Goringe's
pleasant manner, his cocksureness, the
fact that he had trapped him, were all
biting deeply into the young man s, soul,
and he was about to declare he would
reconsider his decision and remain 81
lent. Then he felt that it would be bet
ter for him to speak. 1t would save
time, and it would prevent him from
lying any longer under the suspicion,
which he knew still chung to him in the |
minds of many, of having in some way,
however mysteriously, contributed to
the death Of Mrs. Davorn. Steinworth
was an arrant coward, and as vain as he
was cowardly. But his vanity did not
reach to the sublime height of wishing
to be regarded as a murderer or an ac-
cessory to murder
"Yes. I will tell you all, he said, |