Daily camera., 1897-07-16
CHAPTER LII.

the hall, Matthews admitted one OF the
undertakers and his assistants and
showed them into Strong's room.
WILDLY went into the bedroom above,
closed the door, threw himself ON a
lounge, and shut his eyes In few min
utes he began to feel less nervous. A
restfuI sensation stole over him, and ne
felt sleepy. Suddenly his mind re-
verted to what seemed vague dream of
the night before. Was it dream, OF
could it have been reality? He sprang
up, quivering all Over with excitement
but the more he thought of it the more
the memory evaded him, till in despera-
tion lie sat down on the lounge and
buried his face in his hands. Just then
he heard step in the hall, and some one
raped on his door.
He Pose and went to the door. Itwas
Matthews.
"Col. WaErenton is downstairs, sir, and
wants to see you"
Send him up here" said WILDLY. 81
don't care to go down."
In moment Col. Warrenton entered.
He was a short, middle-aged man, with
a red face and iron-gray hair. He put
his silk hat on table and gave WILDLY
his hand
Il Vas dumfounded by the news he
said. eve are such good friends that
/ waived all ceremony and came right
round"
I'm glad you did, old man. returned
WILDLY. '.Sit down, and excuse me if
| am not entertaining. The truth is, I
am badlys broken up over this affair.
Something is wrong with me- I am not
myself at ALL"
The visitors GLANCE wandered aim
lessly about the room in the silencet nat
followed Whidbys remark. Then tn
colonel said:
"You need not tsl me anything I
have heard all about it from Capt.
Welsh. He and | have been intimate
friends for years. You have not asked
for my advieess but, / love you like a
brother and I don't want to see you run
your head into trouble for the lack of
lawyers opinion
"Why do [ need legal advice? asked
WILDLY, nervously. ''In what way? l
don't understand"
The lawyer drew his chair nearer to
the young man, who was seated on the
lounge, and laid his hand on his knee.
'Of course it is absurd to think of
YOUR being concerned in Strong's death,
Alfresl," he began: "but | am obliged,
through the iorce of habit, to look at
such affairsfrom a professional stand
point. | know you are innocent: but
innocent men have been hanged before
this, and Iahave seen men put on trial
for murdd. with less circumstantial
evidence against them than there is
against yofl."
WILDLY Brushed back his disheveled
hair with quivering hand, and stared
at his friend.
"You mean that / may yet be ac-
cused.?"
at sall depends on Hendricks" the
colonel interrupted. HE is the bright
est man in his line in the world. If he
gets On the track of the real criminal,
YOU are all right, and not Il soul will
accuse you: but if his Investigations
should be confined to this house it might
grow very unpleasant for you. 1t
struck me that this view of the case
might not occur to you, and that is the
reason | am here. You see, it is well
that / came of my own accord, for If
you had sent for me it might have an
ugly look"
The young man rose and began to
walk to and fro across the room. II am
very much obliged" he sighed. Il
never dreamed of being suspected. Mat
thews said that after l left the room
during the inquest something was
brought up about the blood stain on my
hand and uncle's will; but that did not
trouble me-
Col. Warrenton's glance followed his
friends form back and forth for mo-
ment; then he said:
pardon me, my boy, but do you real
lv know if you got the blood on your
hand from the sheet, or from the Por-
there? Is your memory clear on that
point?"
"No; did not notice it till started
to wash my hands, In fact, the detec-
tive called my attention to it. l must
have been very much excited, or would
have noticed thing like that; but, old
man, my head is in such whirl that
\ do not know what | am saying.
Sverslept, and feel as if l had been
drugged. Besides'-Whidby stopped
at the coloners side and put his hand on
his shoulder" besides, to tell the truth,
something has come into my mind since
l have been in this room-something
did not remember at the inquest. Per-
haps l ought to tell the police about 1t,
since l did not think of it when testi-
fying. AS ] was lying down just be-
fore you came up, something flashed
into my mind like dream. seemed t1
recall walking about my room and be-
ing half walked by stumbling over q