The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1898-03-04
CHAPTER III.

w nlQDy went lntO Tic DculOoIu dDONc,
closed the door, threw himself on a
lounge, and shut his eyes. In a few min
utes he began to feel less nervous. A
restful sensation stole over him. and he
felt sleepy. Suddenly his mind re-
verted to what seemed a vague dream of
the night before. Was it dream, or
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-
ton he sat down on the lounge and
buried his face in his hands. Just then
he heard d step in the hall. and some one
raped on his door.
He rose and went to the door. 1t was
Matthews.
Col. Warrenton is downstairs, sir, and
wants to see you"
Send him up here" said WILDLY. Il
don't care to go down."
In a moment Col. Warrenton entered.
He was short, middle-aged man, with
red face and iron-gray hair. He put
his silk hat on table and gave WILDLY
his hand.
81 was dumfounded by the news" he
said. I'VE are such good friends that
L waived all ceremony and came right
round.'
I'm glad you did, old man." returned
WILDLY. 'Sit down, and excuse me if
l am not entertaining. The truth is. l
am badly broken up over this affair.
Something is wrong with me; am not
myself at ALL"
Tho vi rrl,r,. 49,.
lessly about the room in the silence that
followed Whidby's remark. Then the
colonel said:
you need not tell me anything. l
have heard all about it from Capt.
Welsh. He and I have been intimate
friends for years. You have not asked
for my advice, but, l love you like
brother. and don't want to see you run
your head into trouble for the lack of
lawyers opinion
why do 1 need legal advice T' asked
WILDLY. nervously. In what way? 1
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.
he began; but / am obliged.
through the force of habit, to look at
such affairs from Il professional stand
point. l know you are innocent; but
innocent men have been hanged before
this, and l have seen men put on trial
for murder with less circumstantial
evidence against them than there is
against you"
WILDLY brushed back his disheveled
hair with quivering hand, and stared
at his friend.
You mean that I may yet be ac-
cused?'
st all 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 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 l am here. You see, it is we'll
that l 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. 81 am
very much obliged" he sighed. 81
never dreamed of being suspected. Mat
thews said that after 1 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 a mo-
ment: then he said:
Pardon me, my boy, but do you real
ly 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; I did not notice it till l 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 a thing like that; but, old
man, my head is in such a whirl that
l do not know what 1 am saying.
oversight. and feel as if had been
drugged. Besides stopped
at the coloners side and put his hand on
his Observation-Disclosures, to tell the truth,
something has come into my mind since
l have been in this room-something I
did not remember at the inquest. Per-
haps l ought to tell the police. a bout it,
since 1 did not think of it when testi-
flying. AS L was lying down just be-
lore you came up. something flashed
into my mind like dream. Iseemed to