The Irish standard., 1903-06-13
Mystery of the
Bayou Woods
BY WALKER KENNEDY.
Copyright, 1913, by A. N. Kellogg Newspaper Co.
CHAPTER l.


in Nilus, unbuttoned his overcoat,
shook he snow from his large SLOUGH
hat, and, warming his thin, trembling
fingers before the fire, confronted the
chief of police. The latter made a
casual but not careless examination
Of the newcomer, and saw that he was
a young man of good appearance
whose face wore an expression of be-
wilderment and horror. AS the snow
melted from his overcoat, it was seen
to be very much the worse for wear,
and the clothing under it was thread
bare in the extreme. The mans shoes
were pitifu.y thin and insufficient.
and the wearing of such malleshifts
was little more than a mere observe
nnce OF custom. Suffering of an acute
kind had drawn it's traceiy over the
young mans countenance. Deep lines
showed beneath the eyes, which were
unnatUraliy lustrous, and the skin
was drawn tightly over the pale, de-
faint face. creating at once the inn
preston that starvation had perhaps
been at work there. Despite the gem
eral shabbiness of the mans apparel
there was an unmistakabie air of gen
tility about him; and there could be
little doubt that a history. possibly Il
romance. WAS hidden beneath the tat
tered clothes and the suffering face.
The manner of the newcomer was
nervous, suspicious and eager. and
the chief ri police was satisfied that
developments of Importance were
about to he made.
You have a communication to
make to mc?' he asked, after direct
ing his visitor to a chair.
Yes"
The response was prompt, and given
with an air Of relief that the officer
had OWNED his errand.
lust then the door opened and an
other young man entered. He saluted
the chief aifabiy and W; 5 about to re-
tire, when something in The attitude
of the officer and the visitor caused
him to hesitate. He was he chief re-
porter on one of the Nilus papers,
and he shifted the aroma of news in
the air.
cam ] interrllpting you?" he asked
in way inlimating the hope that he
was not.
''This gentleman is about to make a
statement to me. Whether it is Of
private nat,ue-"
by no means" quickly interrupted
the person referred to. Il do not
imagine that it would do any good to
keep it pirate. BESIDES, the news
papers will have it tomorrow"
NJ. =.
on the Gazette said the officer.
Il have no objection to his hearing
what | have to say
Irving Warde, the newspaper man,
bowed and took his seat. He never
missed an opportunity to learn any
thing that was apt to make its way
into the newspapers.
The stranger began his story at
once. MY name is Herbert Wright,
and am the son of John Il. Wright"
THE Cotton Iing!" said the chief
in evident surprise.
"Of course you are surprised to see
IL son of his reduced to such straits
as | am. but that has nothing to dc
with my coming here. may us well
SAY at the start that differences have
Sisted brtwrcn MY father and my
self. but they are wiped out now, for
he is dead"
"Dead"" said the chief, nov
thoroughly aroused. "When did he
de"
That ! cannot say exactly. His
Luty was found this morning."
Nnr,c. vino had been listening will
au air of Indifference. now became
,,aipaly Interested.
Then your father was kiIled?'
"; ls'd the chief.
~ here can be no doubt of it,
"Wilere did this happcn:'
lin the Bayou Woods about three
miles below the city
"Wl.at DO you know of the case?
II jn,i"c that he had gone ont hunt
inn and that he WAS waylaiL in tn
woods. | know that he intended sc
ing lc liked ii in this kind o
weather. He was a great hunter
indeed il was the thing which Sccme
to afford him The most pleasure. III
was killed white limiting. and TIL
wounds ON his head Indicate that h
was killed with a bludgcon. Possibl
he may have been shot as well; l di
not look for that
"Who discovered the body?" aske'
the chief incidentally.
81 did, said Wright.
''Under what circumstances
'Well, you see" said the youn
man. who was slightly embarrassc
by the question. Il live Just beyon
the Bayou Woods, aud usually pas
through them on my way to the city.
"You have employment in Nius,
presumed" said the chief.
NO; | am sorry to say that a
present am entirely without employ
ment.'
"Wcll, as you were saying, yo
were coming in town for the purpos
"No, you are mistal>en; I didn
say what my purpose was, or that
had a purpose at all. and as that ha
no possible bearing on the case l d
not care to go into it,
S'Just as you please" answered til
chief; "bnt sometimes II frank stat
ment saves a man Il great deal {
trouble. Resume your story, if yo
please"
"This morning as l was passir
through the woods my attentic
was attracted to Il heap of sno
in the pathway through the fores
I at first thought a dead animal |: