Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-07-14

quest was held, at which l and all in
my house were examined. The jury re-
turned a verdict of willful murder
against Samuel Fleetwood-against the
man l would have trusted not only with
untold gold, but with my honor and the
honor of those most dear to me.
Sad were the days. There was no talk
of the marriage of Eunice and Harry.
Mr.. Mortlock left my house, but remain
ed in the neighborhood. The police hunt
ed in vain for Samuel Fleetwood. In
conversation with my wife we strove to
discover motive for his crime. He was
man whom we had always thought alb
solutely careless, almost scornful, of
money. l owed him. indeed, a sum of
more than fifty pounds for wages, which
he had begged me to retain until he had
use for it. He had no one dependent
upon him. He bore no grudge against
the murdered man. What, then, could
have been his motive?
A word about my uncle's will None
being found, it was for me, as next of
kin, to take out letters of administration.
But l delayed to do so, and my wife ap-
proved of the delay. We both consid-
cred that any sign Of haste would be in
ward for the apprehension of Samuel
Fleetwood, and the bills We're posted
throughout the country SO things went
on until fatal day arrived.
1t was Thursday. 1t had happened
that on the very day on which my uncle
met his death my half-yearly allowance
was due, and his London lawyers had
sent it to my bank on the previous night
Thus there was to my credit consid-
cradle sum. But l was also largely in
debt. The expenses attendant upon my
uncle's visit and the charges for the fun
eral remained undefrayed. The accounts
for all these had come in. and l resolv-
ed to discharge them on Friday 1t had
ever been a habit of mine to pay what
| owed in cash instead of by check The
bills amounted to a sum of between five
and six hundred pounds, and on Thurs
day | drew out of the bank one thou
sand pounds. Part of the extra money
intended to give my wife toward Eu-
nice's wedding trousseau.
Since the day of my uncle's death l
had not been outside the boundary of my
grounds except to attend the inquest and
the funeral, and had, therefore, not mixed
as usual with the townspeople On my
way / exchanged salutations with one
and another, and it struck me that there
was a lack of cordiality in their greet
ings; in some of my acquaintances, in
deed, there seemed to be a certain avoid
ance. This impression followed me TO
the bank, with the manager of which |
generally spent few moments nj pleas
ant conversation when | had transacted
my business there. i wrote out my check
for one thousand pounds. and passed il
across the counter to the cashier, who
took it into the managers room. | was
not surprised at this deviation from ordi-
nary custom, the check being the largest
had ever drawn. The cashier returned.
asked how l would take the money, and
paid it to me. l inquired if the manager
was in, and was informed that he was.
As he did not come out to shake hands
with me l concluded that he was too
busy to see me; but when l left the
bank | was not quite pleased. / may
mention that elected to receive payment
for my check in sovereigns. The eason
for this was that l thought it would
please my wife if 1 gave her the money
for Eunice's trousseau in gold. l did
not intend to give it to her on this day,
bus on Friday or Saturday.
On my road home, with the money in
my pocket, 1 met Mr. Mortlock; he
scowled at me and passed on. This did
not surprise me, but before reaching my
house-to which l did not go direct, hav-
ing something to say to a tradesman-
saw him again, and this time in the
company of the detective who had come
to my house on the morning of the muir
der Turning when l had gone few
steps farther, l saw both of these men
looking after me. My fears awoke; the
ring and the fatal cord were in my peck
ct; they had never left my possession.
AS the day waned my perturbation in
creased: l could not shake off a presage
of coming evil. Locking the door of my
study, | endeayored to cheat the gloom
which oppressed me by arranging the ac-
counts to be paid on the following day
did not succeed; throughout my task
dread possibilities presented themselves
in threatening shape; my nerves were
strung to a high pitch of tension; with a
torturing fear that it needed an extraor-
binary effort TO meet with calmness a
hidden danger, all my senses were alb
normally awake, and it was due to this
condition of mind that l was enabled to
detect what otherwise would have es-
capped my attention-the presence Of
some person outside the door of my
study. With a catlike motion l slid
noiselessly to the door, swiftly unlocked
it, and threw il suddenly open. | saw no
one but Mile. Resale, who must just
have passed. She turned her head and
slightly bowed. l nodded and locked
myself again in my room. There l re-
manned till evening, when my wife knock
ed at the door and called TO me in a
voice of extreme agitation. 1T is com
ing" | thought, with set teeth, as / ad-
mitted her. Her face was white, her
hands trembled, her voice shook as she
spoke.
The detective wishes to see you.
"Riehardr' cried my wife, laying her
hand upon my arm. "What is the mat
terg''
"Nothing-nothing," stammered.
what should be the matter? Let the
officer come in"
In point of fact he was already in
the passage; l heard his footsteps there.
Involuntarily my hand wandered toward
the pocket which contained the ring and
the cord.
L luoA tue Au%Atl OF AoitoNAuS your
wife, sir" said the detective, pushing
open the door, "the business being press
ing"
Leave us" l said TO my wife. She
obeyed. with long, SOLICITORS look at
me. l turned to the detective. Well?"
An important matter. sir" aid the
detective. Samuel Fleetwood Is caught"
CHAPTER NV.
Caught" l echoed, my voice scarcely
rising above whisper. At that moment
l felt my fate was hanging in the bal
ance.
Not exactly caught. sir" said the de-
tective, in a tone Of vexstion. as though
not the matter but the manner of the
incident displeased him. He has given
himself up"
How did il happenT
Il was in the police station with the
inspector when a man came n, or rather
staggered in. We had to catcE Linn to
nreveur him from falling His fa. was