Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-11-09
traced and captured that it sounded al

most like confession of G1ilt.
"You're not condemned yet" he
coldly answered. "You re only arrested
on suspicion. If you can prove an
alibi"--
~ can't You know | can't
81 know nothing of the kipd."
"Look here l Il tell you all.
81 strongly advise you, for your own
sake, to wait until you're calmer,
Darrent observed, pausing in the work
of iotting down in very prOsaic way
| Astray rambling statements.
81 mean to tell You all that happened
that night, and You can do what you
choose with it and bring me to the scat
fold if you like. "
My dear sir, you are talking wildly.
The law has no desire to bring you to
the scaiiold if you're innocent.
al swear | ann
"Thcn. if you are and can put me on
the track OF the guilty party, so much
| the better. Darrent replied, seating
/ himself and preparing to listen to the
weak story of defense, which he was
sure would only be like many others
| that he had so often heard.
"On the night Of the 10th Of Janu-
arv, just a week ago, ] returned to Chi
cago from South Africa
| "And travelled To Barnstaple by the
8 o'clock train next day" Darcnt in
tcrjected
eyes; hadn't seen my guardian for
two years When left him in 1891 it
la, 4 odd
me to marry one girl, and | wouldn t
because ! loved another, Astray con
tinued. with stronger look in his face
than he had worn throughout the inter
view.
"Woll?"
81 returned to The Grange, and he
welcomed me
"You entered the library and stood
on the left hand side of the fireplace, as
you were standing when | came into
the room. with your elbow resting ON
the mantelpiecc. Da1Tcnt continued
land then you quarrelcd about the lady
again. Your uncle asked you if you had
outgrown your mad infatuation, and
you answered No. Then he asked,
VIII you marry the wife have chosen
for you 2 and yOu said, No, no, no.
and emphasized each word by blow of
your fist on the mantelsholfE"
Astray glared at Darrcnt in astonish-
ment. "Ilow do You know" he asked.
because I'm bloodhound of the
law, Darrent replied, sncering i'll his
excitement. Then you both got more
and more heated in the discussion, and
at last the old man, overwrought with
excitement, became faint and asked
you to reach him some brandy from the
sideboard and You did so.
eyes; that's right
"prcsently he grew calmcr, and Won
settled down and talked of other
things"
''Ycs, Of my travels
Gle became interested and asked you
to tell him more You drew mp youl
chair opposite him and lighted youl
pipe, meerschdum.
YES
at wouldn't draw. You took ont
your knife and cleared the dry, hare
tobacco away from the bottom of the
bowl, refilled it and tried again, but
the stciu was choked. Old Marsdcn of.
fered YOU a cigar. You got out a box. q
fresh and unopened box. from the side.
board. and pried it open with youl
knife, a Norwegian knife--this one.
And Darrent suddenly displayed the
knife, with the letter "A' burned int,
it, before Astray' 5 eyes.
"Yes: it's trne. That's it,.
Il know it's true know this is tn,
knife and that this knife killed ole
Marsden "
600 on. hang mel Tou mean to-"
"You quarreled again. Old men al
WAYS get back 70 the same tonic. anc
he brought you back. Nou got angry
lost all control of your temper and -
Darent shrugged his shoulders.
And left | swear it. | left in
rage turned the wrong way by mis-
take -
And you know the country b,
heart. -
IL was blind with rage. | did no
know where was walking. | wake,
for miles Then the snow came down
and took shelter in a shed and whel
the storm was over went back to tn,
Village hotel. "
at quarter past .. NEXT dav Chic
Dobson called and showed You the IA
per You said Won would see him later
and then Won fled "