The Red Cloud chief., 1896-01-10


came to mo. You arranged with
Conrad Gardner. n poor weak fool. to
exchange the infants, he taking your
daughter, you his SON. You did thus
to save yourself from threatened dis.
g~race-vou knew you could hush. Mary
Calder's tongue Il know all about that
affair but . the doctor. lie could
not be so easily managed. You knew
the notebook contained the record of
the births and sex of the children. You
made up your mind To obtain posses
sion of L.. You followed DR.. Wilbur,
you met him returning to Gardner's
mouse. You set upon him to obtain
possession of the book, and. probably,
in your dcspcration, struck the blow
that ended his life. You got what you
had sinned for, the notebooks. !: was
missing, you know. II could not have
been of value to any one but you-and
in order to the robbery, you rifcd
the pockets of the corpse to make IL
appear that IL was for that purpose
that the crime had been committed.
That is my ground for belief. II IL
were told a jury, they would hang
YOU"
With dilatcd eyes, Adrian Dyke hears
his brother through. Then as he fin.
ishcs, as he stands with an expression
of convincing belief upon his countc.
nance, his breast hcaving, his hands
working, he says fcebly:
1T is surely dainning evidence, but,
Franklin, you are wrong. Right I'm one
thing, wrong in another. am guilty
of the crime of exchanging my child
for that Of Conrad Gardner. Iou know
why | was tempted to do that: !
will confess to you that | did follow
DR.. Wilbur to Gardncr's cot
tagc that night, not to do him
harm, tod knows | did not intend
to injurc him, but to sec, if | could not
in some way obtain possession of the
book, and change the entries. They
were written in lead pencil. When |
reached the cottage DR.. Wilbur had
gone. i followed II IN II short distance
up the road, but as | hurried along.
the thought anne To me, Suppose |
ovcrtakc him. what then. 1t will be
useless. cannot force the book from
him With IL heavy heart: | rctraccd
my footsteps. | went homo. | felt
that all was over, that in the morning
all would be known.
In the morning | heard ofthc II
der. The thought o Cured TO me that
YOU had committed il. | remembered
your words, your desperation. Going
into my library orstudy, | founs that
some had made a forcihlc entry in
through the window. Several articles
of silverwarc had been stolen from the
dining-room which ad~Joinsthe library.
"'Franklin's work. ! said, with a
heavy feeling at my heart. ia ucs
Potter, who had shown curious aglta.
finn tlA niuht hnfA,, In,.l ,,. ...,
tered words. lie fell on his knees he.
fore mt and begged me not to punish
you. | forced from him the fact that
.yon had been seen by him at about
midnight, near the house. lie said YOU
had nothing with You ut that time. |
concluded that you had hidden your
plundcr, but had returned for it, and
made away with it. after he had left
YOU. later in the day. An hour or SO
after this, | found | was right
IN n thing. wrong in an.
other. The plate was found tied
up in u tablc-cloth in the recess Of n
cellar window. near the spot where
you were standing. lou had not re-
turned for your plumber. You know
what happened at the inquest. at
least. You have said 81. did not
mention the fact Of my house having
been ~burglarilcd. | did not wisl, ia
max YOU out Such u desperate wretch
as all that. Up to this time. ] did not
know that the notebook was missing
When heard of it joy filled my heart
] could still carry out my plans. The
do tor was dead, the note book miss.
ing! That night the children were
changed
Not until the night after the mur-
No; ] felt assured that YOU had the
note book. ! ever thought il was To
negotiate with me in some way for
that book tn t you had sent for me to
visit you today
Then you claim that you actually
thought me guilty.
Up to the time ] heard YOU speak
mp to the time you accused mc-until
this morning.
The brothers are silent Adrian
looking upon his brothers face
with eager a. cs; Franklin Dyke, with
! grave face, II look OF bcwildermcnt
N his eyes. Had his brother spoken
ne truth" Can il he possible that he
$ innocent? His action, when nc-
used of the crime, had bccn one of
iorror. Was il one of guilt?
You say you do not know ANYTHING
bout this murder" he asks ut last,
deliberately.
Nothing
Yen arc in no way concerned in
t"' Ills voice is doubtful.
The brother stl etches out one hand
% heaven.
"As God is my judge. and is looking
Town upon me where | stand, ! am In
10 way concerned in the death of Ezra
Wilbur. ] knew nothing of it until
he following morning"
Iii lone is impressive.
To he Continued.
THE story of a Norwegian servant, who.
asked by a German housekecper to
ate her qualifications. naively men
toned her ability 10 milk rainlnnrs Inns