Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-10-17


heart. of which organ, as a rule. he
as he fully realized this discovery, q
warm flush overspread his pale face,
mounting even to his brow.
He knew now that he was in love
| with 1eonce-had been in love with her
from the first moment he had seen her,
and that was why her pale, beautiful
face and glowing dark eyes came con-
tinually before him, between him and
all other thoughts, haunting him in his
sleep and smiling sadly on him the mo-
ment he opened his eyes.
That is why he had found it impossi-
BILE to concentrate his mind on this case
the most important that he had ever
yet taken charge of-that is why his
heart contracted With pain at the
thought of Leonce being in company
With the superb-looking Italian mar.
quis.
But the mans present companion
was not Leonce. and he must find out,
without delay, who it was. But beyond
doubt it had been Leonce whom Jack
had first seen with the marquis.
Did she, then, love him? Was the
man her lover or that of her mistress?
Had he, Indeed, murdered Philip Gray
son on account of his wife? Or had
Grayson, finding him secreted in the
house. attacked HIM for a supposed
burglar, and so lost his own life in the
struggle?
Numerous ideas. each one of which
contained q possibility which might be
the truth, thronged Hantlin's mind as
he hurried onward; but above all was
the one, to him, vital question: Did
Leonce love this man-this man whose
manly beauty seemed of Heaven itself.
and might have Won it's very angels
only to betray them?
AT least I will Know" Hantlin said
to himself, regist ering the intention as
a sacred, oath. "And if she loves him,
that thought will help me to tighten
the rope about his fire, white throat
Reaching the house in which he lived,
he entered by a private door, and was
soon in his own room. In about fivs
minutes from the time the front dooE
closed on him, the area door opened to
let out miserab le-lookirg tramp,
whose tattered garments scarcely COW
cred him, and whose ungainly, shamb-
ling movements We're supported by
heavy, tiine-worn stick the companion,
apparently, of long years of want and
misery.
When he had about reached the mid
die of the park. fatigue and weakness
him, and he sank with a
moan on one of the benches. supporting
his head as he leaned forward on the
shaking, palsied hands which held the
stick.
His head had fallen forward in such
a manner that the gaze of his inflamed
and bleary eyes was fixed directly on d
lady and gentleman seated at a little
distance, nearly opposite. And it was
such a keen and penetrating gaze that
it also saw. quite distinctly, a hump
backed shoeblack a little further on,
the boots Of a gay youth. who
was. happily, too much absorbed in
himself to see anything else.
Humpy Jack didn't even look at the
tramp. The gentleman, who was ex-
handsome, and the young
lady, who was p:quantly and radiantly
pretty. We're too much absorbed in
each other to notice the tramp. And
the tramp, with the remarkably keen
though bleary eyes, was glad of it, for
just then the eyes looked SO unnatural
ly bright in contrast to the rest of his
appearance that they might have at
tracted attention; for he had recog-
nized the young lady, as we'll as her
companion, the marquis.
Mrs. Martins pretty daughter, by
Jove!" thought Hantlin-"the young
niece of the murdered man-Miss Lefty