Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-11-24
THE LAST CONFESSION.
Ey HALL GAME,
Author "The Scapegoat Bondman, sThe Demse &C.
ghs eserved)


form the ministers ana cOQSulS VI lOi-
eign countries of the murder Of the
American in the streets of Fee.
That theory partly reconciled me to
the mans presence. Let him watch.
His constant company was in its tor
menting way my best security. l
should go to no minister and no con-
sui should see me. l had too much
reason to think of my own living af-
fairs to busy myself with those OF
the dead American.
But such poor JUNCTION as this re-
Election brought me was dissipated by
second thought What security for
the man himself, or TOR the authorl-
ties who might have bribed him-or
perhaps menaced him-tO watch me
would lie in the fact that had passed
out of the country without revealing
the facts of the crime which | had
witnessed? Safely back in England, l
might tell all with safety. Once let me
leave Morocco with their secret in my
breast and both the penalties these
people dreaded might be upon them.
Merely to watch me was wasted labor.
They meant to do more, or they would
have done nothing.
Thinking so, another idea took pos
session of with a shock OF terror
the man was following me to kill me as
the sole Christian witness of the crime
that had been committed. By the light
of that theory everything became plain.
When visited the Kasbah nothing was
known of my acquaintance with the
murdered man. My brides were taken,
and | was allowed to leave Fee in spite
of public orders But then came Larby
with alarming intelligence. l had been
friend of the American, and had been
seen to speak with him in the public
streets. Perhaps Larby himself had seen
me or perhaps my own guide, Alec, had
betrayed me to his friend and brother"
At that the Kaid or his Kaleefa had
raised their eyebrows and sworn at
each other for simpletons and fools. To
think that the very man who intended
to betray them had come with an limo
cent face and a tale of a sick child in
England! To think that they had
suffered to slip through their fingers
and leave them some paltry brides of
fifty pounds! Fifty pounds taken by
stealth against twenty thousand dollars
to be pumped down after the Chris
tan had told his story! These Naza-
renes were SO subtle, and the sons of
Ishmael were so simple. But diamond
cut diaond. Everything was not yet
lost One hundred and twenty-five
miles this Christian had still to travel
before he could sail from Barbary, and
not another Christian could he encoun-
ter on that journey. fThen up, Larby,
and after him, God make your way
easy. Remember, Larby, remember,
ic,
of the people Of Fee that are in danger
if that Christian should escape. Let him
leave the Gharb alive, and your own
neck is in peril. You were the spy, you
were the informer, you were the hot
headed mailman who lead the attack
that ended in the splitting Of Christian
blood. If the Sultan should have to pay
twenty thousand dollars to the Minister
for America at Tangier for the life Of
this dead dog whom we have grubbed
into the earth in a garden; if the Basha
Of Fee should have to pay forty thou
sand dollars to the Sultan, if the people
should have to pay eighty thousand dol
lars to the Basha, then, you, Larby,
you in your turn will have to pay with
your life to the people. 1t is your life
against the life of the Christian. So
follow him, watch him, silence him, he
knows your secret-awayi
Such was my notion of what had hap
pened at the Kasbah of Fee after | had
passed the gates of the city. 1t was a
wild vision, but to my distempered i'm
agination it seemed to be a plausible
theory. And now, Larby, the spy upon
the American, Larby, my assassin-elect,
Larby, who to save his own life must
take mine, Larby was with me, was
beside me, was behind me constantly.
What was l to do? Open my heart
to Larby, tell him it was a blunder;
that I meant no man mischief; that [
was merely Fastening back to my sick
boy who was dying for want OF me?
That was impossible; Larby would
laugh in my face and still follow me.
Bride him? That was useless; Larby
would take my money and make the
surer of his victim. 1t was a difficult
problem, but at length | hit on a solu-
ton. Father, you will pity me for
fool when you hear it. | would bar
gain with Larby as Faust bargained
with the Devil. He should give me two
weeks of life, and come with me to
England. | should do my work here,
and Larby should never leave my side
My boys life should be saved by that
operation which | alone knew how to
perform. After that Larby and should
square accounts together. He should
have all the money | had in the world,
and the passport Of my name and in
tiuence for his return to his own coun-
try. Ishould write a confession of sui
eide, and then hen-only then-at
home-here in my room-Larby should
kill me in order 10 satisfy himself that
his own secret and the secret OF bis peo-
pie must be safe for ever.
1t was mad dream. bur what dream
of dear life is not mad. that comes TO
the man whom death dogs like a blood
hound? And mad as it was
tried to make it come true. The man
was constantly near me, and on the
third morning of our journey drew up
sharply. and said
"Larby!'
sid" he answered.
Would you not like TO go on with
NE to England"