Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1902-09-05
CHAPTER XVII.

! Now these words, taken with the
tone in which they were spoken, were
strong tests of the lovers trust. But
Clifford did not finch. He told Hem
ming to call the nurse. who was wait
ing outside the door, and at once sent
a message to Nell to ask her to come
and see him.
"And don't tell her." he went on,
with a defiant glance at the detective.
"who it is that wishes to see her."
When Nell came in, therefore, she
was taken by surprise. 1t worried
Clifford to note that she turned very
white and began to tremble violently
when she found who it was that want
ed to speak to her. Hemming came to
the point at once.
do you remember, Miss" said he,
in a very deferential tone, Colonel
Bostal's taking down an old pistol from
a nail in the wall of his house, about
a week ago, and showing 1t to you
and some other ladies?"
Yes, Nell remembered. She threw
frightened glance at Clifford as she
made this admission.
"Can you tell me who the ladies
were?'
'Mrs. Lansdowne and her daughter
and Miss Theodore and--and-I"
1.-THE colonel fired it off, did he notT
EYES,"
"And wanted you ladies to do the
same?'
"Yes."
"And did you do so? Please tell me
what happened"
= "They were all afraid to touch it."
\"An?"
GAIL, except-except me-"
Trembling from head to foot, Nell
cast an imploring glance at her lover.
"You fired it off two or three times,
believe, Miss? And you hit a mark
that you fired at?"
The girl answered almost in shrek
of terror:
81 did not hit it! Who says that I
hit it?"
Clifford started up, leaning on his
arm. In an instant Nell recovered
enough Of her self-possession to tell
him to lie down again. But her voice
shook. Hemming spoke in very gen.
tie and apologize tone as he went on
with his interrogat0ry:
'Is this the pistol you used, Missp
He produced from one of his pockets
khe old cavalry pistol. which he had
brought from Single End.
EYES," replied Nell, not needing Cliff
ford's attempts to bring the examina-
ton to an end, "that is the one"
do you remember what happened
when you had all seen it, and it was
done with"
Eyes. The colonel reloaded it
She stopped short and looked down.
"You are sure that he reloaded itT'
Eyes. He reloaded it, and hung it
upon the nail again."
Have you ever touched the pistol
since"
mo, no."
HAS any one else, to your knowl-
edge, touched it since"
mo"
"What is all this to lead to-" asked
Clifford, impatiently.
"Well, can't tell you yet, sir. But
the colonel says-and the young lady
and Miss Bostal all say the same-that
loaded, week ago; and when took
1t down from It's nail tonight, it had
been discharged. That's all at pres
ent, sir"
For one minute Hemming waited.
expecting to have something said to
him by Clifford King or Nell. AS
they remained silent he took his leave.
with more apologies for his intrusion.
The lovers looked at each other.
Nell" asked Clifford in a whisper,
when they had been alone and silent
for some moments, "is it true that
you fired it OFF,"
"Quite true. Now do you doubt me,
too"
mo. swear don't. But Nell, my
darling, begin to tremble for you all
the same"
The young mans voice shook. Nell
6dheu iulO LIS IdCe Ill al uSOuy VI
horror.
IF knew anything, would tell 1t,
whatever happened" she cried, sud-
denly. ut Is not fair that I should
have to suffer like thisp'
Now this speech was perplexing to
her listener, but she would give no
explanation of it. She only told him
that she wanted time to think, to con-
slider. And on the following morning,
loon after breakfast, she called the
nurse out of the room to ask if she
could go In and say goodbye to Mr..
King.
Clifford stared at her in astonish-
nent. She had on her hat and cloak.
ind was evidently ready for a jour-
aey.
Didn't you know that I was going
70 London yesterday, to my aunt's"
,he asked. "They stopped me, to give
evidence at the inquest. So I am 60
hg to-day, instead"
But" began Clifford, and hesitated.
''You think it looks bad for me to go
tway?" said she impatient!y. "Well,
people must think what they like. If
the police want me, I dare say they
will be able to find me out" she adj
Ted bitterly.
Clifford was shocked.
Don't. child. don't speak like that"