Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1896-05-01
-. ----1a
nd thousand = ANYTHING, svery-


thing
Write Henry Mason, alias Thomas J.
Derwent' said Scott.
The man wrote staggering back from
the table with groan.
Now that part of tho business is fin
ished. Resume your seat, - said Scott. Il
want to do some writing on my own hook,
and these are about AS coy quarters as
can find. You are pretty well known at
home, Henry Mason, if you did shunt that
forgery off on me, and it will add some
what to the interest of my kilograms to
state that they were written in your own
handsomely appointed library. When l
have finished l shall use your telephone "A
moment. The boys at the station know
me pretty well. A special correspondent
comes to know great many people, you
know" he said with short laugh, land
l shall have no difficulty in getting a man
to take charge of you. Whatever else they
know about me they know i am no liar.
After that my game is played.
He wrote on busly for an hour At last
he picked up tho loose sheets and read
aloud what he had written. He had told
the truth when he said ho knew how to
write. The story that he told of his own
suffering for the crime of another would
have made him famous, so full was it of
dramatic power and graphic detail. AT the
first mercilcss headlines Derwent groaned
aloud but Scott went on pitilessly, telling
the whole dark story of the mans crime.
Meanwhile he sat with his head bowed in
his hands, listening He did not raise his
head even when Scott rang the telephone
bell and ordered man up from the sta-
ton. The house of cards which it Lad
taken him 20 years to build had tumbed
about his head, and he sat bowed and
broken among the ruins. The passing
moments seemed hours of agony and de-
spair. In the midst of it all there was
frou of skirts in the hall and the patter of
slippcred feet on the hard wood floor The
door opened softly.
as it you, father, dear?" sweet voice
asked, and Scott looked up to see young
girl standing in the doorway, the brass
bolt still in her small white hand. She
was beautiful, sweet faced young thing
and her dead gold hair was flung loosely
back over her wrappered shoulders, and "a
tender look of sleep was in her blue eyes.
81 am 81 glad you have como, dear, J." she
went on II had guno to bed and was
asleep, but heard the telephone and fan
cied it must he you. am so glad to see
you, you sweet old papa you 'She had
crossed the room and was knceling beside
him, her white arms about his neck.
Derwcnt fancicd he heard click of the
pistol and looked up sharply. But Scott
threw "A newspaper over his left hand and
coughed softly behind his palm.
Oh, beg your pardon, father said
the girl springing to her feet II thought
you were alone"
There was not even glance at Scott as
she turned and left the room.
Derwent uttered IL stifled cry as the door
closed. "Lucu!"
But Scott had sprung to his feet AT
your perilN' he said, jamming the pistol
under Derwent's nose.
your daughter, l SUPPOSE no went
on.
Eyes" Derwent murInured.
"How old is she?''
eighteen years"
"Then She knows nothing of your dirty
past?"
Nothing"
And believes in your"
"Yes And the man groaned.
"Then God help her, said Scott fer
vently.
The heavy tread of the policeman was
heard mounting the stone steps Scott
hesitated ii moment, then whipping the
pistol into his pocket, he snatchrd the
closely written sheets from the table and
tore them into shredS
$50 my game Is ended" he said with a
laugh, rs he stuffed the torn bits into the
blazing CRATE "Open the door and let the
man in "
Derwent hesitated Coward" said
Scott between his teeth, but h0 opened the
door himself.
The big policeman looked from one to
the other in amazcment. You, sir he
said staring ut Scott. They were friends
in queer sort of way.
Yes, Mike, " Scott answered. Gentle
men like that one yonder don't like to be
troubled with wretches like me, 50 guess
you'll have to run me III. n brrtn in ynur
comfortable quarters is not Objectionable
ON night like this"
what is to be the CHARGE: asked Mike
turning to Derwent with no very good
grace
Tho man was silent. He still sat COVER
ing in his chair, dalrd and helpless.
ooh, the gentleman will no doubt be
on hand to prefer charges in the morning, 80
interposed Scott with IA laugh. Lets go,
Mike.
What IA horrid wretch that was " said
Lucie, coming from the back of the hall
and putting her arm through her father :
when the door closed. What did he want
of you, dear
Money, Of course, child" answered her
father huarscy.
/ We'll, I'm glad you telephoned for a
/ policeman to take him away if he was
troubling you.
A man was reported dead at police sta
ton No 10 the next morning Thomas
/ Derwent went into the little whitewAshed,
smoke stained room and stood II moment
/ looking into the pinched face of tho dead
man whose lips were closed forever Then
buttuning up his fur lined overcoat he
went out again, breathing ely.-Lavinia
Ii Egan in Philadelphia Times.
The Simplest Method.
The fashionable fad for artistic expires
sion from u spiritual standpoint, which