The Indianapolis journal., 1899-12-10


lameness of his late. masters horse. which
had prevented the Inflated man from driv-
ing himself home on that fatal night. But
it was a mere rumor. Shortly afterwards
the man emigrated to Australia and no
more was heard of the insinuation. The
baronet was In few months as popular
as he had ever been He was now a rich
man. for his cousin had died interstate and
the mortgages on the abbey estate were
a thing Of the past.
Before many months had gone by 1t was
known that Sir Gaspard was to succeed
to his cousins matrimonial as we'll as his
financial interests. In other words, Juliet
Etheridge had been ordered by her parents
to transfer her affections to the inheritor
of the late Jermyn stocks and shares.
The marriage was announced to take
place in the last week Of January, just
twelve months after the accident which had
deprived the bride-elect of her former lover
Some were of opinion that it would have
been but decent had a longer interval been
allowed to elapse, but the baronet was inn
natient the bride offered no objection
none at least that reached the ears OF
tbe outside world-and the brides parents
were not unnatural,J anxious to have the
affair settled
For nv part 1 had avoided the baronet
since the accident at the bridge. l had
never been able to rid my mind Of the
memory of the conversation about murder;
and could not help connecting that con-
versation with what had happened at the
river that cold December night. l kept my
suspicious to myself, for proof L had none.
and I had no mind to be prosecuted for
libel
made a point, as / have said of avoid
ing the baronet whenever 1t was possible
to do so without remark; but sometimes 1T
was not practicable to do this. L was sor-
ry, but scarcely surprised, 10 find that he.
as well as myself, was TO dine at Coulton
Hall on the 31st of December. Coulton Hall
is Colonel Dents place. 1t lies some miles
beyond Bourne Abbey, on the borders of
shire.
I saw little of Sir Gaspard during the
evening, but when the hour of leavetaking
came 1 learned to my profound annoyance
that the fly 1 had ordered had not turned
up, and that unless intended to walk the
eight or nine miles that lay between me
and my home I must accept the offer of
lift which unknown to mel my host had
begged for me from Sir Gaspard Hawke.
l did not like lying under even such
trihing obligation TO the man; but in the
circumstances there was nothing to do but
to thank my host and the late baronet and
take my seat in the dogcart in which Sir
Gaspard had driven over. The baronet
climbed up beside me, the groom jumped
up behind. and in another moment we were
off,
The frost was biting, and there was
keen, searching wind In our faces which
made conversation difficult. Little was said
on the way. Sir Gaspard drove, as he al
ways did, at breakneck speed and the
wheels of the dog cart flew round on the
hard frozen road
When we reached point about half way
between my house and the abbey 1 offered
TO get down. but the baron answered i'm
patiently. NO no. L will put you across
the Brent" and turned sharply into the
| road that led down to the bridge. 1t was
the very same road ne had travelled on
that fatal night. 1 wondered If he had re-
membered it when he proposed to take me
across the bridge.
Having dropped the groom at the top Of
the hill. TO find his way nome on foot, we
proceeded to make the descent to the river
bank. At first all went well. The two pow
rful horses Sir Gaspard was driving
ettled down steadily to push back against
the heavy four-wheeled dog cart behind