The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-07

the taller raised no objection. Finally she
left and the old turnkey was shocked at
her pallor, Ter quiVering lips and her
deep-sunlIen eyes. His first thought was
that Davis was guilty and had confessed
to his wife. He wanted to speak to her
hut she hurried by and the opportunity
was lost. He turned toward the door for
a glimpse of Davis and saw him stretched
full length on his narrow bed, his whole
frame couvulsed with sobs. Since he had
been the turnkey ne had witnessed many
such scenes, but he was not hardened YET
and he turned aside hastily before his
own eyes grew dim.
Mary was not at home that night, nor
for the next four days and nights, but on
the fifth evening she returned. She was
dreadfully careworn, looked so unlike her
self that her friends were frightened. Nat
uraly they attributed it to her husbands
Imprisonment and the accusation of the
terrible crime That was quite enough to
uubalanoe her mind, and they thought of
nothing else. Yet that was the ightest
of her burdensi
That evening several of the ranchmen
called as they Were in the habit of doing
chatted an rOur or so and then left her.
She made a sign to Young to remain and
ne did so. Bob Young was near her faith
er's age aud had been a close friend Of
both of them. When all the others were
out of hearing she drew her chair nearer
his and said:
Il have much to tell you, and since it is
killing me, 1 may as well have il over and
be done with it forever. I am not the wife
of Harry Davis and never have been,
though l only knew it five days ago. When
we were married he had a wife living She
died about year ago. He says he would
have told me, but he could not. He had
fallen in love with a girl at Raymond S
ranch, and that prevented his making
right his false vows to me. He says
there is only one man who can clear him,
and that is Charlie Carpenter. On the
night of the murder both of them had been
to a dance at Raymonds, and did not
leave for home until fully four hours after
Wilkins was killed. But Charlie is one of
his enemies, therefore he has nothing to
hope for from him. Well, l have seen
both the girl and Charlie. The cost is
severe. To see him was nothing, but the
girl could hardly bear it. She is beau
tiful, a perfect picture, so 1 cannot blame
Harry for loving her. 1 told her everything
about him, but it had no effect. She is
blind TO every fault and is determined 10
marry him.
"She asked who 1 was, 1 was nearly
overcome, but 1 choked back the sob in
my heart and answered, "A friend in
stead of saying, Your mother. For it
is May-none other than my stolen child.
1 dared not tell her. She knows nothing
of her mothers love- therefore does not
miss it. She is happier as she is than she
could be if she knew all and came back
home 10 live. 1t was hard, but 1 turned
away and left her On my way home 1
saw Charlie. At first he refused to have
| anything to do with the case, but he loves
| money and l bought him. For $500 he
is to tell all he knows. If he does this 1
want you 10 hand him the money. Be
| sides this, here is five hundred more. If
| Harry is cleared carry this to May and
say to her it was sent by friend, the
| woman who called on hef, ana sent as
| a wedding present"
| Young was shocked and grieved at what
| ne had heard, and words failed him. Fin
! ally he said a few cheering words and left
| her, hoping she would at once seek the
rest she was so greatly in need of. The
next day was the trial. Bob Young and a
| dozen of the other ranchmen went into
| town for the occasion, though more
| through curiosity than anything else, for
| they cared little about the fate of Davis.
| They expected to see Mary there, but
| were disappointed. The trial was over in
| a few hours and Davis cleared. Although
| it was quite late when they returned to
| the ranch, they stopped at Mary's door to
I tell her the result. But there was no
| response to their call. They called several
times during the following three days, and
Jared no better Then they broke open
| the house and searched it from top 20
bottom, but Mary was not there. They
grew uneasy and dragged the creek, but
| found nothing. For months the ranchmen
| left no stone unturned-advertised offered
| a reward, spent time and money freely
| but without meeting with any success. Ii
was a long while before they could bring
| themselves to believe she was dead They
thought she would come back, and they
looked for her day after day. Finally
| they gave up in despair, but never ceased
| to speak of her. But from that day until
| three days ago, which has been fully fiji
| teen years. nothing was seen or heard OF
| her. The skeleton is proven to be her $,
identified by the necklace and rings on
| her finger. She evidently concealed her
self in the attic on the night before the
trial and killed herself. And thus at last
is cleared a mystery that has hung like
a pail over this place for many years. And
il ends also a squabbe over the lumber
for since the hud no one wants splinter
| from the old dwelling.
THE FORMIDABLE.