The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-02-02

and his Wife lived alone in the house,
and she kept his secret. 1t was not till
you came to Paris to see me after my
fathers death that he knew Of the MUIR
der. and then he dared not speak. only
he begged that he might accompany me-
and his wish was granted. Now / know
that / was mad then, and that l murder
ed my own father in fit of insanity"
And you remember nothing about it?''
"Nothingi'
With a desperate effort the doctor grew
calm. You remember nothing of it, my
dear Lord Templecombe, because il never
happened. This poor fellow is the mad
man-not you. This absurd confession is
the work of a disordered brain. There
is not an atom OF truth in itr'
You believe that2"
believe it! I'll swear it, if you likei
I tell you, at the time your father was
killed you were safe in Paris, and the doc
tor was there with you, and he'll tell
you the same. The man who undoubted-
ly caused your fathers death was man
whom he had convicted for poaching, a
violent ruffian, who declared on the day Of
his trial that he would be revenged on
him. Forget about this absurd story
/ tell you IL Is the hallucination of a
man who has lost his reason.
He tossed the papers into the hre. The
earl made a movement to recover them,
but the doctor seized his wrist.
NO, he said, they are better de
stroyed. Stay here-I'n send the countess
to you while / go upstairs, and see Pierre.
But not a word to her-she has suffered
enough, poor ladyw
the countess was with her son.
Then the doctor went upstairs to the
room of the dying man.
He had recovered consciousness, and
looked eagerly at the door as the doctor
my letter" he gasped, sit was here
it is gone-yOu have itY'-
YES. Is it true?"
Every word, as I hope for pardon
hereafter"
arrived. DR. Swanson took him aside.
The man is dying" he said. How long
do you give him?"
1T may be a day-it may be a week.
There is old heart mischief-he will go
off in a fainting fit"
"Ah! Then no one by the persons at
tending him ought to see him or converse
None. He should be kept absolutely
quiet The least shock or excitement now
would mean the end"
The doctor gave a few directions, and
Dr.. Swanson went back into the room.
The patient was alone. his eyes ha ar CLOS los
ed Dr. Swanson went quietly to his bed
side and touched him on the shoulder.
The man opened his eyes
"That letter you wrote was for me?'
said the local doctor.
Yes"
The earl found it and read it. He
knows now that he murdered his father.
He has sent for the police TO give MINI
The 60 old Frenchman gave a cry of hor-
ror, and threw up MS arms.
Then he fell back-dead!
The next day the earl and DIR. Swanson
left for Paris together 1t was the doc
tors wish He took Lord Templecombe to
the house where he had been a private pa
tent and the French doctor assured the
earl that he had never left him alone with
the Frenchman and his wife-that at the
time of his fathers death he was there.
The old lady-the widOw-assured him the
same thing DR.. Swanson explained that
the poor old man had become affected in
his mind and had told some absurd story
about his lordship having escaped and gone
"Absurd!'' said the French doctor.
They would have told mel"
And they had but Dr. Swanson had writ
ten to his French confrere and explained
to him how necessary it was to ease the
young earPs mind.
DIR. Swanson kept his secret to the end.
Lord Templecombe was safe, of that he
felt sure. He lived ten years and saw no
symptoms Of a relapse at any time And
to-day Lord Templecombe looks back upon
that CHASTITY chapter in his life and won
ders how he could ever have believed such
a thing He has taken his seat in the
House of Lords, is a model landowner,
and beloved by all his people.
But he has never married. He had al
ways told DR.. Swanson that he should
live and die a bachelor. Perhaps it was
his firm belief that the early would keep
his word that induced the doctor to keep
his secret.