The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-02-02

remember the Lynde street job in Bos-
ton. Well, they hang folks in Massa-
chusetts and they don't in Maine. You
tell me all about this case, and / give
you my word of honor that I'll let you
be tried here, instead of taking you
back. Is it bargain?"
Frank Ames white lips moved but no
words came from them.
Doctor said the detective, "have
you a drop of brandy? It'll do him
good"
The wretch swallowed the spirits
greedily and revived somewhat
ITS bargain" he said, though l
deny that Lynde street job But I'm
done up. There is no hope for me. and
l might as well speak out for at least l
wish to deny that l mean to murder
that poor girl.
You are right in all that you have
said. 1t was l to whom she fled. She
thought it was simply secret mar
riage. / deceived her by the usual sto-
ries. l had another wife living and
Charlotte found it out too late. She
was afraid to come home then. Let me
pass over all that. Her story is too
common, suppose. OF course l wearied
of her, but | would have provided
for her always, and would have kept
her near me, if l had not learned 10
love her sister. That was two years
ago, and from that moment l schemed
to be rid of Charlotte.
"She was wholly under my influence.
/ intended to use her to break MaXwelrs
engagement with Anna. My plan was
to have Charlotte come home and refuse
to tell her story. Then | would have
thrown the blame on Maxwell.
1T suited my convenience to bring
her here when | sprung that plot to
save my brother from arrest. Charlotte
came by means which / provided. She
went to her fathers house, and looked
in upon him through the window. She
could not. bear to face him. She re-
turned to me at my fathers house. !
feared what she would do and so l
drugged my father lest he should see
her
when she came back l took her to
the room where lay the coffin. had re-
moved my father in his stupor to an
other room. Charlotte and / quarreled
l tried to force her to carry out her in
tention of going to her father, and
somehow don't know howl let her
see the real secret, that | loved Anna.
Anna.
Her wrath was terrible. In an in
stant she would have alarmed the
house. l sprang upon her to stihe her
screamS-for | knew she would scream
in a second. She fell with my weight
against her, and her head struck one of
the heavy metal handles of the coffin. /
had no idea that she was much hurt.
My horror and remorse We're terrible
when found that she was dead
"Then the scheme of hiding the body
came to me. | wrenched open the coffin;
/ took out the paper books with which
it was weighted and burned them in
the fire; put her body in and closed
the coffin as best / could. That is the
whole story. Do you believe me?"
II do" said Mulligan, "and I will keep
my word. Ny curiosoty. l think. has
saved your neck Is there anything
more, DR.. MAXWELL"
Nothing. May l go to Anna now?
l must have her help in breaking the
news to this wretched creatures pa
rents"
MY mothers beyond knowing 1t,
thank God" said Ames. AS for my IA
ther. he is man of iron. He can bear
anything"
He spoke so calmly that even the ex-
perienced detective was deceived, and
believed that this was the confession of
despairing and beaten man.
But Frank Ames was not that kind of
a man, by any means. He was watch
ing his chance. AS Maxwell turned to
leave the room the detectives atten-
tion was distracted for moment 1t
was time enough for the desperate
criminal.
In flash he had leaped upon Multi
gan, and had got his hands upon the
revolver. There was a struggle, violent
but so brief that before Maxwell could
interfere 1t was over. Ames had secured
| possession of the revolver; he had
pulled the trigger intending to send a
bullet through his adversary's heart
But the observation-disclosures saved him.
He struck up the barrel of his pistol
The weapon was discharged in an al
most perpendicular position, and the
bullet. striking the murderer under the
chin, passed entirely through his head.
He was dead before his body touched
| the floor.
(Which was better than he deserved"
observed Detective Mulligan, in relat-
| ing this adventure to the present writer.
(The End
| For a Russian Canal.
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