Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-05-02

I could no longer complain that the
old man made light of my words.
Even by the lantern light, which was
murky and dim, I could see that his
benevolent old face was clouded with
doubt and distress. For long time,
or what seemed to me long time,
I watched him in silence, and then,
suddenly crawling over my mattress
till was near enough to touch him,
I laid one hand upon his arm, and,
supporting myself on the other, raised
my face very near to his and said, in
voice which was hoarse and weak
with my own emotions:
"Doctor, Is he mad?"
The old man started. "A wild look Of
distress flashed 20 suddenly across his
face that YVES sorry that had put
the question 90 abruptly, while at the
Same time was confirmed in my own
suspicion. When he spoke his voice
showed as plainly a. my own the agita-
tion my suggestion had caused him.
"What-what put that into your
head?" he asked, in voice that seemed
suddenly to have become that Of q
very aged man.
what other explanation is posi-
ble?" asked I, earnestly. II know by
your own testimony that he's good
fellow, and yet have indisputable
proof that he has attacked me more
than once"
proof! What proof7" asked the
doctor, sharply.
"In the first place, you remember the
night when I was attacked in my
berth?" said I, with sudden acute sus-
picion darting through my mind that
the doctor must have known something
about the origin of his nephew's "bil-
ious attack"
II remember your complaint, GER
tainly," said DR.. Mullion, gravely. "But
you certainly did not at the time say
that you had been attacked by Dick"
This was undoubtedly true. And,
again, felt uncertain as to the amount
of the Doctors knowledge. 1t occurred
to me that my best plan was to chal-
lenge him boldly, and did so.
did 1t never occur to you to ask how
your nephew received that bullet
wound?" asked him point blank.
But at that the old doctor merely
raised his eyebrows and answered,
dryay.
81 was not aware that he had re-
ceived bullet wound, Mr.. Blair"
| felt that had gone too far, and
that I was raising spirit of antag-
| onism in my old friend.
"You must forgive me If seem to
have come to my conclusions hastily
I said, noting even as spoke that my
voice was growing hoarse and feeble
with the effort Of saying so much
"But one OF the stewards actually saw
your nephew 60 into his cabin after
had fred of my revolver that night
You must admit that was something to
| go upon
But the doctor only said:
1T was not enough to go so far upon
as you have done. If that were true
1t would point rather to the fact that
| you had tried to murder Dick than
that he had tried to murder you"
"What was to do?" said I, feebly
ST had been attacked in my berth
half strangled, in fact-and when my
assailant left me naturally went after
him. It seems to me it was equally
natural that / should fire."
ut doesn't to me seem natural at all
that you should fire at random in the
dark upon that or upon any other pre-.
text" said the doctor, severely. How
ever, that's neither here nor there.
You have established nothing; you
have no proof whatever against my
nephew. Proof Good heavens!"
| And he laughed in derision.
Feeble and half stupid as now was
after the excitement OF this talk, I felt
hopelessly that ell the small points ]
had noted in young Mulhon's general
conduct would count for nothing if re-
lated one by one-would not be evi.
dence at all. After short silence
said hushly:
"Well, don't know how to convince
you, If you need convincing; for must
remind you that you said when first
saw you that you would keep him away
from me If you could. AL ask you
therefore, is to keep that promise
Your nephew is not far of. saw him
just before you came in just now"
The effect of these words upon the
doctor was startling. / had hardly ut.
tered them when he started violently
and the calm look of grave attention
on his face gave placeto intense excite
ment.
"Dick!" cried he. as he made for the
way out of the wagon. where
Where?"
I could not answer. But If had hat
any words ready, the doctor would no
have heard them; he was already OF
the ground.
| ITO be cuntinuedI