Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-08-22
been. before. Oh. HORRIBLE! She could
not think of the dreadful cause which

been, before. Oh, horrible! She could
not think of the dreadful cause which
had prevented him!
And then, having reverted to 1T. her
thoughts would become fixed in that
direction, and she began to wonder and
speculate as to the preparation of the
murder, and to ask herself yet over and
over again. the perplexing question:
after all, could it have been Robert?
And if so, what had become of him, and
what would be done to him?"
He was a mailman, and, therefore
they could not hang him. No: the worst
they could do would be to put him in a
lunatic asylum for the rest of his days
and bad enough, surely. Poor old Rob-
ert!
But it seemed impossible. He would
have taken no pains to conceal his
crime. Rather, on the contrary. he
would probably have remained, with
the dripping weapon in his hand, stands
ing over the PROSTATE form. ready to
proclaim to all the world the propriety
and justice of the dreadful act.
Besides, where could Robert have
possessed himself of that stiletto:-and
beyond question, with that weapon the
deed had been done. Who then, so like
ly to have done it as Shirley Austin,
surprised and maddened at seeing his
long promised bride leaning, a welded
wife. on a rivals arm?
He, indeed. might have had the
weapon, for had he not held Clarice in
his arms? And from that frantic en-
brace Philip had torn her forcibly,
leaving-what could be more probable?
the stiletto either in Austins hand, If
he had plucked it from her VEIL OF
dropping it at his feet if it had, in the
struggle, fallen out Of the lace folds?
Yes, yes!" Kate Martin exclaimed,
exultantly, sit seems almost a foregone
conclusion. Let me remember, now.
What was it heard that old simpeton,
Mrs. Mowbray, say about the stiletto?
I COULD not have imagined it, though
her husband so quickly hushed her up.
All, now know! The weapon was
gift from Shirley Austin! Yes, 1 re-
member her very words now. Probably
in his rage he tore it from her veil in
the very moment that she lay fainting
in his arms--perhaps with the inten-
ton, even then, of stabbing his success
full rival, and, failing in that, he cams
to the house and lay in wait for Philip.
"Of course he had an accomplishing
Frenchwoman! She must have kr..'Tn
from Clarice of the unhappy love affair,
and, at her mistress orders, shielded
the murderer, red-handed, from his
victim, and enabled him to escape whil>
that sharp-eyed detective and his po-
licemen were safely disposed Of up
stairs, trying to make discoveries-ha,
ha! It's always the way. But the de-
tective is a keen fellow, and I must see
him again"
At this point Mrs. Martins reveries
were brought to an abrupt conclusion
by the stopping of the carriage; and,as
the coachman assisted her to alight,
she found that she was at her own
door.
1t was hurriedly opened before she
could knock or ring the bell, and Bertha
and Lettie both received her with loud
demonstrations of grief and terror and
EXPLANATIONS at her long absence.
ooh, mamma, how dreadful! Poor
Uncle Philip-Poor, dear Uncle Philip!
Who could have been so wicked and so
cruel? We have been so frightened ana
so much alarmed when you didn't come
home!" a
Mrs. Martin kissed both her daugh.
tiers. and soothed and quieted them.
She was fond of all her children, but
Bertha and Lefty were her favorites.
They were both approaching woman,
hoo6-Bertha nearly eighteen and Lefty
just sixteen-and in their youth and
beauty she saw her own happy girlhood
again, and the possibilities Of all the
successes which she had missed or mar
red in her own life.
Don't be noisy, my dear girls! You
have kept this shocking affair from the
Children, hope? That's well. 1 would
not have had you know of it myself un-
til I had time to break the news, at any
rate. How came you to hear of it?"
"Why, mamma, dear, of course, we
followed in our carriage, with the rest
of the guests that had been invited t.
the breakfast. When we arrived there
seemed almost riot in the street, there
was such a crowd, such an excitement.
Policemen were standing about, and
someone said that other policemen We're
already in the house. We We're SO
frightened! But that was nothing to
what followed. When we reached the
door, at length, we learned that nlur>
der had been committed. Oh, mamma,
dear, perhaps it was not so bad! In thu
excitement it may have been exagger
ated! Say it is not true!"
"Too true, unfortunately! My poor
brother is Gead-foully murdered"
Mrs. Martin spoke with solemn en-
phasis, and the two girls broke into
passionate weeping.
Philip Grayson had been the kindest
of uncles to Kate Martins children, ana
he was much loved by all Of them.
For some minutes the two young girls
wept without restraint but their moth
er insisted that they should control
their grief, and not too suddenly alarm
the younger children.
at is terrible enough" she added;
'but, unhappily, your uncle brought it
on himself. 1 almost knelt to him in
my ertreaties to prevent his marriage
with Clarice Mowbray; but nothing
availed. I warned him that the report
of young Austin's death had never been
confirmed by any sufficient proof.
went so far as to Drophesy that the
young man would kill Clarice Now
brays husband, if he should chance to
be alive and ever return. But Philip
was obstinate. I might as well have
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