Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-11-02

y
money-they generally do--and the old
man refused tainted him. You know
old men can taunt Thompson. The
words got higher and higher the young
mans temper hotter and hotter, and
then he launched into q furious out
burst, emphasizing each point by bring
ing his fist down upon the oak mantel-
shelf. Three times he did that Thomp-
son. You see three marks made by the
conclusion as his ring struck the wood.
The strength in that blow would kill a
man. so be careful if you ever have to
deal with young Marsden. The old man
was frightened and faint and over
turned the board with the pieces upon
it as he started to his feet, and Astray
gave him some brandy in that little
glass from the decanter on tho side
board. AS he handed it TO him he placed
his hand upon the mantelshelf, this
time the right hand. You see by the
impression the foreflnger was bound up.
Dust is very valuable thing, Thomp-
SON. don't forget that. Then young
Marsden collected the chessmen and
placed them in the box again.
L ne Oiu man III EHb lldNt bput uliflus
Thompson exclaimed, anxious to test
the skill with which the puzzle was be-
ing put together.
THE young man did it, Thompson.
One had rolled under the sideboard
Old Marsden would never have shut up
the box and put it away with one miss
ing. The chessmen are put away, the
old man becomes more amiable, and
they sit down again He goes so far as
to offer young Marsden a cigar. You
I see one has been taken from this box, a
new box, which young Marsden opened
with his clasp knife--you know the
ugly kind of knife, Thompson The
murder was committed with the same
weapon. IGe opens the box, takes ont
cigar and lights it, then puts the knife
here by his side and sits on the edge of
the table.
again they talk, again the old man
taunts, and again the young man loses
his temper and crashes his hand down
upon the table. His fingers touch that
awful knife and in second if is over.
For a moment he is paralyzed with fear
and, rushing to the sidehoard, pours
ont glass of the brandy for himself
this time, splitting it upon the wood
work and the carpet, and then stands
and hesitates. He dare not leave Ivy the
front door in case he is seen. Suddenly
he remembers the passage through the
roCkery on to the river No doubt the
water at the bottom of the tunnel would
be frozen. and he could escape that
way. With one glance over his shoulder
he leaves the library, rushes across the
/ hall through the opposite room and the
/ conservatory, then ont into the grounds
/ along the covered walk and by the tun-
mel ON to the frozen river
"Old Marsdcn, left for dead, comes
slowly back to semiconsciousncss He is
dying, and he knows it, hut be swears
the guilty shall not escape, and even
with his failing strength he will de-
nounce the murderer.
Darrent finished his dramatic word
picture and then, taking the slip of pa
per from his pocket, held it before the
face of his comrade
Il am dying, murdered by Astray,
gasped Thompson.
| interrupted.
Thompson could only stolidly nod in
acquicscence. Loath as he was to be-
lievc that Astray Mar>den, whom he
remembered in years back always had
a kindly word for every one, was muir
dorer, he had been led away by Oar
rents dramatic recital, and the paper
written by the dying man seemed to
c Ach the matter Yes, there could be
no question about it now. Astray must
have done il.
ut looks rather black against young
Marsdcn, " ne said, at last finding his
tongue
"NOu suspect him %
Thompson nodded modify.
"Well, look here, Thompson, - sud
denly snapped Darrent. "Don you be
in such COMPOUNDED hurry to jump at
conclusions Now, if we find presently
that Astray Marsden can prove an alb
solute alibi, what becomes of these de-
auctions, Ell? Astray MaIsden is not
the only man in the world who stands
six feet high, wears a rough homespun
suit, carries Norwegian knife and
likes to have his signet ring on the lit
tie finger of his left hand"
But the paper?"
"Well, what of that? 4 am dying,
murdered by Astra - The ~ is miss
ing, and You jump to the conclusion it
must be Astray. Now, suppose, Thomp-
son, that the mystery has a deeper root +;
that it concerns Astray all the same,
but not as a murderer Suppose old
Marsden intended, for example, to write
murdered by Astray's brother or any
other relative, and died before he could
write the last word. What becomes of
your evidence Them
And, having calmly and deliberately
demolished the structure that he had so
carefully and deliberately constructed,
Darrent took cigarette from his case
and, lighting it, strolled over to the
window
II told you, he said between the
whitfs, "that the man stood with his
elbow on the mantelshelf. Well 50 he
did. That 5 obvious. And then | showed
you three dents that looked compare
lively fresh, and | said that they had
been made by the ring on the little
finger of the mans hand, Well, perhaps
they We're and perhaps they were done