The times., 1897-09-26
PART IL.

be fell bound To suspect, I became eX-
ceedinlIy angry. ], seemed 70 me that
people even the kindest aud most hon
orahIe-wrrc -acking their brains to
make horrors 9at OF trifles- I concealed
my feelings as wen as could, for / did
not wlsa 20 quarrel. Gut with the intent
TO p=oye 10 Alr. shallcross that the blow
he had summoned out Of the regions OF
his imagination could not have been
made Ui'h an adze, ! went 10 q hard
ware sore. There 1 found that the
adze Leads We're sold separately from
the handles, and while / was looking
a. some Of the former, / noticed that
the:r hammer ends had square surfaces.
iOvked a. Others ana others: the hammer
ends were all square. Then I asked the
dealer If he had any with round hammer
ends, 20 Which he replied that they were
not II de in that way.
At another place " here they sold hard
ware, / examined adZe-heads, their ha mIaer
euds were square. l went into carpeu-
ter's shop and talked TO tie man aboat
putting Tp some shelves in my office.
While W. weae speaking nay eyes rambied
about ia searah Of AIDES. ] saw one; its
hammer enc was square
1 di4 not return TO Ar. Shallcross'
office DC ETcSsed instead OF encouraged
went 10 my own. From what had seen
OF adzes aud from what l knew OF the
length OF heir handles, CoUld not hut be
Hcve tt.at strong Hlan could reach out
Of the window and strike falling blow
with one il was certain that Mr. Archi-
hald Eaffcrd owned IL adze, the hammer
end Of which hac round surface about
unlike any other in the town. Foran hour
at leas: : sat and thought. To suspect the
father OF Natalie Of a mUrdeTous assault
was impossible for me. bat it was a plain
as da yl,chr tnat other people were doing
that thing. The consequences Of their
suspicious wrJld be terrible. would be awful
beyond c-,uprehensiou If Reuben Farris
should die.
In ,he case Of this assault it was not
probable that 7 would be asked to take
part IN any way, but IL it I determined
TO take part. I would devote myself en-
tirely and wholly, by night and by day.
with RAND and body with even money, if
necess ary to the discovery OF Reuben
Farris' assassin, and 10 the removal OF
every suspicion from the father Of Natalie.
] knew well I knew anything that
these t:yo o. )iecJS We're the same.
The business Of q detective is fascinating
To great many people and it has always
been so 10 me. hut now il possessed an liz
terest which overshadowed every other
earthly purpose Apart from my desire to
further Cue ends o. justice I was going to
enter tie field in defense of the future OF
Natalie, in defens- OF nay own future.
II unjust f;'te crushed her father, ii would,
through her, crush me. She might never
know it, but I should be crushed. / rose 60
my feet and swOre that I would find the
man ~bC haC committed the iastardiy
crime
In planning ny search for the assassin
my mind naturally inclined in the direc-
tion of DT. T-atiruer. but reason soon told
me TINS was foolish. The man had baenat
home IA Sathury during the whole of the
night Of the assault; but he might have
employed some oLe to do the deeI. This,
10 nay mind, was the most natura! aspect
of the case.
As probable instrument Of Larnner's
viIlainy | thought Of the man Hatch. l.
would have heeE gc,'d scheme for Hatch
to station hims elf in the back office OF
Mr.. Ketfprd, INTO which he could easily
have elimbed from outside, and il would
have very prudent for him to supply him
self with a peCuliai adze belonging to Mr.
Kefr0rd. OF cogrSet Re wouIdhave returned
il after he had used II, SO that If a i'm
mediate search were made it would ha We
been found in Mr. Kerford's possession.
But Z also considered that a little later
LatImer may have thought it wise to
prevent Mr, Kefford from concealiug
this adZe and TO have il removed to
Hatchs house 1shere il woulG be Eept
IL in hfr ia
be i'r' ught 10 trial for the assault upon
Farris.
That afternoon walked out to Hatch's
house He was not at home but in the
back yerd there W as log. one side partly
hewn, and by II stood the adze which he
had borrowed went to 1t, / examined
it: measured the diameter of its hammer
heac. AIr. ShaIIcross had been correct
that diameter W as about two inches.
] stood and looked at the adze. The
thought came into my mind that per
haps II would be q good thing to take
il and harl il into creek which ran
nearby. TO do anything; 10 hide it and
get rid "a tit. Bat a moments reflection
told me that this we Uld be foolish, and ia
TIE next moment. an incident male me un-
derstand that it would be impossible. 4
man, dressed in orGihai Y clothes, but whose
face was familiar 10 me as a rg6Ceman,
approached me and Carelessly remarked
that hp supposed I had come out to look at
that adze. Tie lawyers had been talking
o good deal about il. he said, ana that he
had hea- sent ont tneTatD keep an eve on il.
There is nobody at home now" said he,
but stall stay around here keepin out
OF sight, and watch for anybody who comes
70 talk about it. guess there viii lie
somebody or other who VIII take enough
Interest in that adze 20 come soon and see
Hatch atnut il: at least, that is the opinion
IN town"
7 made some casual remarks about the
advisabHity OF keeping an eye upon every
thing hat nigh I possibly be connected with
tie caSe. but ! said nothing which might
help anyone who had suspicious OF Hatch.
If he had anything 10 DO with the assault
wanted TO he the man 10 find it out and
fix the crime upon hiTn. l spoke as if 1
thought The adze OF little Importance, and
soon left the place.
/ COM inued 10 walk for 9 little distance,
and lien crossed the creek by q bridge,
In order that ] might return 10 towp
through the woods. on the bridge was
q 10y fishing. From nay early youth
had been fond OF fishing, and / Stopped
70 watch him. Tie stream was cutie
deep here, aGJ he wEs fishing for cai fish,
which swim near the lottom.
Presently he felt bite and gave JERK.
Ha