Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-05-17

KNOW OF Ine uepfauallOn INTO WlllCn ne
had plunged her thought they were
indeed welded as they pretended to
he. If had known the truth, | would
have killed him"
Poor fellow. How you have suf-
fered"
The weeks and the months rolled
by. slippery Sam. one of my trusted
friends, from time to time occupied n
room in the same house in which Lii.
ian lived He did this at my request
to bring me reliable news Of all that
occurred. had a sort of prescntiment
that some day she would need my aid
The time came at length. One night |
was with slippery Sam in his room
when | heard noise below. | listened
and felt sure that some one was NOV
ing about in Iilians room | went
back and brought out n candle By its
dim light | saw "A man hurrylng down
stairs, carrying n bundle. hastily
followed. He walked swiftly through
the dark streets, but | kept him in
view. Finally he reached an old grave
yard and with difficulty climbed over
tho fence. Then I discovered his pur-
pose. lie had stolen Lilian's child. |
saw him strip Off tho single garment
in which it was clad, and saw him
deposit the infant in the high grass.
81 was leaning against the wall, I'M
der the protecting shadow of a door
way next TO the rail fence, when he
lcapcd back into the street and hurried
up town. ! imagined that this was the
husband, who thus took the first step
toward abandoning poor Lillian. was
Conyulscd with rage and sncaked along
behind him. heSitating whether or not
10 strike him dead AS these thoughts
were surgng in my brain the man
ahead of me stepped into the light of
IN electric lamp at Chatham square,
and an instant later saw his face and
recognized it say recognized it, for
inow him. II was Matthew Mora. the
ldcr."
80 the ord man had stolen the sons
'hild in repayment Of the blow which
40 had received"
Perhaps. ! knew nothing of that
1t the time | was overcome by the
Intensity Of the emotions that surged
mp about my heart. My brain seemed
IN fire. My eyes became blind, so that
he old man disappeared from my
1iew. Everything was red before me,
>lood color Blood seemed to flow
shout me. The streets were covered
With it. and it ran about in a rapid
!ood. Now it rose to my knees; now
reached to my waist to my shout
lers. to my neck. | experienced a
ienCe OF strangulation. gaSpcd. |
>eeled. and then in an instant all be-
lume clear again, My senses returned,
md I ran forward to seize the fend
Who was little ahead of me. He was
'ushng up the steps of the elevated
railroad. | ran after him, mounting
three steps at time, but | reached
he platform only in time to see him
enter train and to have the gate
Manned in my face as the guard pull
IA the signal cord. Well, | was pow
orless for the moment. but the craving
Tor blood was in my heart and would
not he appeased. The first reckless
impulse of madness, however had
passed and now gave place to cunning.
went back to the house where Nor
/
j suit Of clothing which would serve
rs n disguise. ! found what you all
now know as the plaid suit My OBJ
Ject in wearing that was to create the
suspicion of Morton's guilt. for | had
determined to kill old Mora. and the
deed was already accomplished in my
mind. He would be shown to have
Lad provocaton by the clever detect
ives who would investigate the case.
1t would be discovered that the old
man had stolen and abandoned the
infant, and that would suffice as a
motive. So ! wore the suit and has
tened to Mora's house. the location OF
which was we'll known to me.
81 saw the Waterman and did not
consider at the time why 1t was thai
he made no protest when | deity un
locked the door with what he prob
ably thought was a key. or course he
imagined that was the son. | went
In and soon found old Mora's room
He was in bed. Ifr had the club be
side him and sat up as | entered In
stantly he began TO abuse me. to taun
me with the loss of the child. which h,
boosted of having put out of the way
II was then am from the words which
he addressed to me in the darkness
gupposing that | was his son. that
discovered his relationship to my Lii
lan's lover. This was new and terri
bic shock TO me. Again a turbid sei
of blood engulfed me. The room seem
ed Illuminated az with a glare of rec
fire, ] saw the old man sitting there il
his bed, | saw the club at his side. ant
! Sprang suddenly upon him and seize,
it. Then a desperate struggle began
He. too, caught hold of the club.
wrestlcd with him and finally over
powered him. He fell to his knees, an,
] swung the club upward and swift,
downward. Whether struck him one
or many times | will never know. an,
it is immaterial. The first blow prob
ably ended all As soon as he wa
Stll I lighted the gas and ransacke,
his desk. | found the will and immo
dlately realized that it would be a pow
ertul weapon in certain emergencies
II could he used to blackmail youn
Mora in case he should escape the sus
picion Of this crime. This brings M
TO the plaid suit, | put it on over IN,
own clothing, but after entering tn
house | slipped it off, lest blood Shout,