The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-29


VINO ought TO apologize to YOU he said
II Il fear We have been keeping the fire
want no fire." returned the stran-
sST: mere Is a fire in my own breast
Mnlen Keeps me always warm. l ought
4oI TO nave listened" he repeated, but
am interested in the subject of Your
conversation, and I could not help it, NV
nlule Is Ingersoli, sir and l am an old
man III, as You see. ] am old and for TWEEN
" years L am homeless. 1 have wander
ca mere tonight, I scarcely know how
O u why. 1 wander everywhere in search,
~, IN search OF my enemy. When / have
tracked him and slain him 1 shall die
put not befOre-not before"
LOOT old lunatic! thought Crawley,
surveying the colorless face and blanched
Ups or Ingerson and considering that
the sands of his hour glass must be
very nearly spent. when YOU have
SIAM your enemy. sir, you will assuredlv
by the hand of the hangma1 YOU
mean, l daresay. / should not flee from
nli9 SUI go on talking about yourself
and your grandmother. sir" said Tnrer-
SOIL. should like, if 1 may, to hear
more ABOUT your great gift"
My friend thinks it is a great mad
ress, SAID Crawley, nodding toward Bal
a great madness! The gentleman is
mad TO think it. 1t is an uncomfortable
talent. 1t would make YOU the Greatest
detective in the world. Perhaps. indeed +"
ne SAID, suddenly, you are one already"
Crawley shook his hand. Luckily for
- sunny am TOO lnQOlent, ne said.
nave married rich wife, and that is
Iar better than practicing the detection
OF crime. Billy, you'd better so to bed
he said, gently kicking Baltisconb's shfns
cure asleep, old man"
BUT Baltiscomb only dropped his pipe
slightly.
rs he really asleep. or only feigning2''
asked IngersOn. peering at him anxious
" II ne is really asleep / should like
20 , tatk 10 YOU sir, if you will spare me
a little time. / think that. with your
remarkable gift, you might help me. If
you would ! would make it worth your
while, sir. Though I look such poor old
cause I care for nobody. and nobody cares
Tor me. But / am rich" he reiterated
l am very rich. 1 can pay you a thou
SAND pounds a week-more, If you choose"
20, 1 don't sell my gift" said Crawley,
IN an easy and superior tone I'm small
way, ! should be happy to be at your SER
vice; but mind you, sir, won't help you
10 md this enemy you want to slay. If
l did, and If you slew him, and if you
came to the, ,gallows,. as you certainly
would, l should feel as If / were your muir
derer and 1 shouldn't like that"
But-but-if you only knew" began
the old man, rising from his seat and
shaking with eagerness.
back again.
''Nonsenser' he said. 81 know quite
enough-merely from your physiogno-
my-to be sure that. If / did track your
enemy for you, you'd kill him to a dead
certainly if you got the chance, so. as
1 don't want to have his blood on yours
on my head, / refuse to lend you my
aid. But Wen talk, if you like. 1 never
sleep OF an evening like that lazy fellow
opposite, my brother-in-law. That's one
OF the men whom l saw distinctly under
his hat before ever l had met him in
the flesh. l went trembling to call on
his married sister, with whom the lady
in the hall hung a hat. Preoccupied as
l was, for / was in love. and I doubted
how the lady's relations would receive
me, and quickly as l followed the ser
want, 1 remarked the hat and 1 saw
Billy BaltiscOmb under it-even to an
abominable pair of checked trousers that
of his room and gave away to an old
cabman, as distinctly as / see him now.
But you don't look well, sir.
Il am actually disappointed" said In
gersoll, in a low tone. when 1 heard
you talking to your friend a great joy
convulsed me-. l almost felt as if my
enemy were in Sight-at least that,
through you, I was within appreciable
distance of him. am rich, l tell you,
and l thought l could have arranged to
accompany you from place to place, visit
clubs and private houses till at last-at
last" cried Ingerson, springing to his
feet with the exultation of a boy, you
saw him! You would not have been COM
promised" he said, more quietly. No
one would ever have known how l tracked
him. 1t would have done no harm. He
is a bad man and unfit to live. and I am
old and my days are numbered. Why
would you not help me?" he exclaimed,
passionately., It's nothing TO you if
But it may be a great deal to me if
lose my own, and you must remember that
if conceive at a murder, 1 am myself a
murderer said Crawley, gravely 81
could not be an accomplish in the design
YOU mediate. Whatever injury this man
may nave lnnlcted on you, mad you not
better leave his punishment to the Higher
Powers?"
IT would if ] could growled IngersolI.
but it is impossible. The dog robbed me
ness. He found me full and smiling; he
left me dismantled, swept and naked.
have never been able to hold UP my head
since 1 have never been able to look any
one in the face. For twenty years my
meat and drink has been bitter and my
pillow has been of thorns. Do you, who
speak of your wife, and smile fondly as
you speak, do you know what he did to
mo. sir, but I can guess" said Craw-
ley with sympathy.
i'He took my wife sir-the young wife
whom I idOlized. l would have given him
gold, l would have got him preferment,
l would have given him anything but the
one thing he wantonly took-her love.
was a fool to marry her-I forty-five and
she nineteen, but / was a greater fool
still 10 let this serpent crawl about my
house What she saw in him heaven alone
knows; his youth, l suppose, for he was
not handsome or witty. only young. There
he had the advantage OF ne--ile was young
and I was old. For four years / loved
and trusted her. / never suspected guile.
l thought she was as pure as the newly
fallen snow. I never dreamed that all the
time she was treacherously deceiving me.
that in my absence his arms were round
her, his kisses on her lips. More than
that"
The old man covered his face. and a
great sob burst from him Crawley gaz-
ed upon him, fascinated. 1t was the first
time that the younger man had stood face
to face with agony and passion
Il cannot speak it, resumed Ingersoll. 1
at is too hard, for 1 was her husband
YOU understand, and I loved her. / can
not tell you all, but she confessed, and /
drove her from me- Yes, / turned her out
of my house l gave her money. and
babe her go. She obeyed me-" said In
gersoll slowly. 1T was winter after
noon. cold and silent. The trees in the
drive were bare and l watched her walk
between them: she Wept as she went. but
I don't know if It was repentance or COM
passion for me or her own wretchedness !
mat made her cry. / stood and watched |
mad with modification and grief. I can (
see the whole scene now, / can feel the cold /
air I can hear her little footsteps on the /