Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-01-22

dQd, u tufu0u d&loT II u always u lit
tle~talent that way1, and was doing
pretty we'll. He pointed out to me-
and wasn't very long in seeing his
point-that was not so much changed
bat what should easily be recognized
by those who had known me during
those wild days when I'd been under
his thumb in San Francisco, and the
authorities there would still be very
glad to hear of me. He didn't happen
TO want anything of me just then. but
he allowed me to understand that it
was to my interest to keep sweet with
him. And from that day to this he's
had his eye on me-
But it was he who was accused OF
that murder, not you," | said.
What"
The man seemed either not to believe
or understand me.
| repeated the statement and then,
when he stammered his establishment,
his ignorance of all that had taken
place in San Francisco after his es-
cape Cat which we had all tacitly con-
nived at the tinlel, went on to ex-
plain the true circumstances of the
case Carson Mildred had deceived
him INTO the belief that he alone had
been suspected-that if he-were caught
he would be promptly hanged.
HE has told this same story to your
sister, | would swear" exclaimed hot.
ly. 1t is for this reason that she has
been persuaded into promising to mar
ry him. Believing that he knows your
whereabouts, and hold it in his power
at any moment to have you punished
as MISUNDERSTANDING too, no doubt
that you did commit the murder-She
has been ready to save your life by the
sacrifice of all that has made hers
dear
Curse him! I'd take my oath you're
right" he asseverated. He's sly
enough and vile enough for anything"
did you ever see Harvey Farnham?"
questioned
Yes, years ago | knew him well, and
liked him immensely-as he did me, l
think. ] was in Tuolumne county, Call
ifornia, where he had a gold mine
the Miss Cunningham. 1t was | who
| named that. oddly enough it may seem
to you, after my sister, of course. He
wasn't aware of that, but thought it
was just within of mine. that proba-
bly, I'd admired some girl called Miss
Cunningham" and wanted TO pay her
a compliment. You see, no one knew
me by my right name even then.
1T was before that hateful time
when | got in with Collins, or Wildred,
whichever you like to call him, and
| not long after I'd run away from homo
and England under the assumed name
of Hartley-it was my mothers maid
en- name. | was only seventeen or
eighteen, but | was pretty sharp for
my years, I'm afraid, for I'd been
among a queer lot already, and one
| night | should have got into a row
with some older man over cards, row
that might have ended badly, If it.
hadn't been for Mr.. Farnham, who had
| dropped into the place to look on, and
who stood by me all he was worth.
1T seemed he noticed me the moment
! he entered the room, thinking that |
looked enough like him to be his own
son. Afterwards he took me up, max
ing lot of me, wanting to find out
where I'd come from, and all that. He
| thought my resemblance to him (Which
! everyone who saw us together invaria-
| bly, remarked a wonderful Joke. and
used to call me his boy and sonny
| getting IL into his head that | was a
sort of Mascot who brought luck to
him in whatever he undertook That
was the principal reason, of course,
+, that he was so keen on having me name
his mine for him. | think, IL | had
sown all my wild oats, and been willing
to settle down bit into a respectable
member Of society, there was a time
when he wouldn't have minded adopt
ing me, for some old unhappy love af-
fair or other had kept him out of the
marriage market, eligible as he was,
and he swore that he never meant to
marry, even for the hope OF having an
! heir to all his money. Yes, | might
have been that heir If hadn't been
fool, for Farnham certainly thought
| the world and all Of me in those days.
AS it was, he did me many kindness"
And now, by way of repaying that
| affection and those kindnesses," l could
not help exclaiming. with a returning
| touch of the old bitter contempt, you
! TO get OF scot free. You've been mas
| querading in the very clothes the poor
! fellow wore, you've been using his lug
! gage. trading on the likeness to him
! which once won for you his regard,
/ frightening it in every way by artif-
| cial means, so that not only shall Car
son Wildred. or Willis Collins. escape
! suspicion, but that he may enrich him
| self on the dead mans millions Yol
/ even set hotel on fire TO finish tn,
whole flendish plot with fine dramatic
effect"
ITO be contiHued)