Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-10-06

Copyright 1900. Daily Story Pub Coz
II had just returned to my home in a
southern village. after spending three
years abroad perfecting myself in my
and Germany salt my friend. DR..
Dunbar. .
MY welcome after years Of student
life was a warm one from kindred and
friends, but there was a sorrow to bear
also, as my brother had been killed two
months before. it was claimed. in a
meeting with his rival, for the hand
of : a beautiful girl, a one-time little
sweetheart of mine
my brother had met Ralph Herndon,
by appointment In the village cemetery.
and that was the last seen of him alive.
Ralph Herndon had later appeared be-
fore the village constable and reported
that whilst. he and Morace (my brother)
were walking together in the graveyard.
just after sunset, a shot had been fired
from some one concealed behind a tomb.
A bullet had entered my brothers heart
and he had dropped dead at his feet.
Furthermore. Herndon had said that
he AAdu 6CCA IL i 6lA4AAi6 away IL tllC
~semi-darkness and fired a shot at it,
after which he had gone for help.
HE admitted that he had written a
note to Horace, asking him to meet him
in the graveyard. and, as he once owed
his life to my brother, he told him he
would yield all claim to the hand of
Natalie Milbank and go away, for. he
had already made his arrangements to
do so.
(Which one Of tie rivals held the
warmest spot in the heart Of Natalie no
one knew save herself. But 1t was sus-
pected that my brother was the favored
one.
THE story of Ralph Herndon was not
believed, for all knew that the two were
not friendly. and, instead of allowing
him to leave the village he was ar
rested and thrown into prison. Appear
ances were decidedly against him, for
n shot had been fired from his revol-
yer, he had gone to the cemetery armed,
my brother had not. and he had written
asking for the meeting. his letter being
found upon tine body.
Then. too, several had heard a shot
fired in h direction of the cemetery,
yet only one, the fatal one and no the
other which Ralph Herndon had as
serted he had discharged at the f1yinc
murderer MY brother was in his grave,
my good boyhood friend, Ralph Harn-
don. In Jail, with the chances that he
would be hanged as a murderer. Such
was the situation that greeted me upon
my return home. F,
Il was much distressed and I visited
Natalie Milhank and found her in the
deepest grief. ,-Na 3D., IT, ,
- do not believe Ralph guilty, Noel.
she said to me.
He came 80 see me, told me he was
going away for a long time, made ms
goodby and a few hours after he was
arrested" =
Il found 1t hard to believe nv old
friend guilty, and I went to see him in
Jail. He greeted me calmly enough
told me his story and added: Noel. ]
Will doubtless be hanged, but I am no,
guilty.
That night as I lay in bed, gazine
out of the window which overlooked
the cemetery, I could see in the moon
light our family monument, in the shad-
ow of which was my brothers grave
something fmpelled me to get up and
go to the cemetery, and as I drew nea,
the I was startled to hnhold
a shostiy FORM revealed distinctly in thu
moonlight.
The form and face was my brothers
ana with no dread of ghosts, I advanced