Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-09-26

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Come, Charles tusGi;ns TO the latter,
who was n9T Sitting oFeet viii, flashing
eyes, tell III aSon5 IL. What were You
doing wieF liiild!aton saw you?"
Il was coming up tairs, said Charles,
haushtily
From tia lll9r3.y" ash. 1 Sir George.
Charles b.tisis iipand remained silent.
would not have spoken to him for a
good deal at that moment. He looked
positively dangerous.
From the library, of course he said
at last, controlling himself and speaking
with something Of his old careless man
ner, "ladcn with the spoils of my mid
night dopredations. Parental fondness
will supply all minor details, no doubt;
SO, es the subject is Il delicate ono for
me, will withdraw that it may be dis
cussed moro fully in my absence"
step. Charles' said Marston; "the
case is too serious for banter of this
kind. My dear boy, he added, kindly,
81 ain glad to see You angry, but never
theless you nust condescend to explain.
Tho longer you allow suspicion to rest on
yourself the longer it will be before 1t
falls on the right person. Come, what
were yon doing in the passage at that
time Of night
Charles WAS touched, could see. A
very little kindness was too much for
him.
at is no good, Afarston," he said, in
quite different voice: II am not be-
lieved in this house
lie turned away and leant against the
mantel piece, looking into the fire.
Ralph cleared his throat once or twice,
and then suddenly Went up to him, and
lail his hand affectionately ON his
shoulder.
Fire away. old boy" he said, in
constrained tone, and he choked again.
Charles turned round and faced his
brother with the saddest smile ever
saw.
We'll, Ralph, said he, ~ will tell you
everything, and then You can believe me
or not, as you like. have never told
You lie, have r"
Not often, replied Ralph, unwill-
ingly.
You at least are truth ITSELF" said
Charles, Ieddeniag; and If you are BIZ
ased in Your opinion OF me, perhaps it is
more the fault of that exemplary Chris
tian, Aunt Mary, than your own. Ac-
coriing TO her haze told lies enough to
float company OF carry m election,
and never like to disnppoint her expec-
tations of Inc in that respect; but you
have never to my knowledge, deceived,
and am not going to begin now"
You will be a Clergyman yet" whis
pered the sick parent. There is q good
living in the family, Charles shall
live to see the Rev. Charles Danvers in
Il surplice, preaching his first sermon on
the Ninth commandment
"At any rate lie is practicing the fifth
under difficulties at this moment said
Marston, as Charles WINGED and turned
his back on the parental sick bed.
Come, my boy, we are losing time
"Will somebody have the goodness to
restrain Middleton if he gets excited"
said Charles. II am afraid he won't
like part of what have got to say"
Nonsense, sir" replied with warmth.
81 hope can restrain myself as we'll as
any man, even under such provocation
as have LACEY received. You may de-
pond on me, sir, that
Eve lose time, said Marston, seating
himself by me and cutting short what
was saying in an exceedingly brusque
manner. Come, Charles, you should
not be interrupted"
But he was. interrupted him the
whole timo in spite Of continual efforts
on the part Of Marston to make mo keep
silence. am not the man calmly to let
pass black insinuations against the char.
acter of friend. No; l stood up for
him. lam glad to think how stood up
for him, not only metaphorically, but In
the most literal sense of the term; for
found myself continually getting up
and Marston as often pulling me down
again into my chair.
Gam to speak, or is Middleton said
Charles at last in despair. 81 will do a
solo, or will keep silence; but really l
am unequal to duet"
"Sir George" said Marston, twill you
have the goodness to desire Col. Middle
ton to be silent or to leave the room IN
| til Charles has finished his story?'
/ was justly annoyed at Marston's
manner of speaking Of me, but as had
no intention TO leave the room and miss
what was going on | merely bowed in
| answer to o civil request from Sir George
and took up an attitude of dignified ST.
leuce felt that had done my part in
vindicating my friend, and after all no
one evidently was accustomed to believe
what Charles said.
"As was saying no continued, ~
suspected Carr from tho first. l did not
like the look Of him, and purposely
pumped Middleton about him last night
at supper"
nearly burst out ut the bare idea of
Charles daring to say he had pumped
me; but, as will be seen, he could twist
anything that was said tosuch an extent
that it was perfectly useless to contra
dict him any longer. Isaid not a single
word and no went Oh
"All Middleton told me confirmed me
in my suspicious. Sir John had been
murdered the night before Middleton
sailed for England, q whisper Of the
| jewels having no doubt gone abroad.
| Carr came on board next day and made
friends with Middleton Whether he
| had anything to do with the murder or
not God knows! but he found out-nay,
Middleton openly told him that he had
| jewels of great value in his possession,
which he carried about on his person.
Carr was the only person aware Of
that fact. What follows? Carr has Mid
dleton's address in London Middleton
goes to the house and finds that his sis.
ter has moved to the next street. That
house to which he first went is broken
into and the poor woman in it is
murdered or dies of fright that same
night. mention this as coincidence
number one. The following evening
Middleton, having by chance left the
jewels at home, dimes and goes to the
theatre by appointment with Carr.
| Unique cab accident occurs, in which
Middleton is knocked on tho head and
rendered unconscious. Coincidence num-
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