Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1904-06-11

CHAPTER XVIII.
DARREL.s noIrRI.E

have caused greater CONSERVATION than
the furious words of Murgatroyd. The
| case had been proved against Murga-
troyd, then shifted to McCloud. and
now McCloud was said to be Darrell
and Darrell was known to be inno-
cent
! Merrick, as soon as he had recovered
himself little. gave vent to a hollow
groan. Lenyard stared at Darrell like
one in trance.
Gentlemen" said Darrell, who was
the first to speak, "if Mr.. Merrick will
put the irons on Murgatroyd, we will
make him prove what he says"
Merrick would not leave barrels
side, but tossed the handouts to Glenn.
SNAP 'em onto him, Glenn" said
he, "I'll stay right here until we can
get head and tail to this Chinese puz-
zle Different things have been hap
pening so quick that I'm blamed If
know whether I'm afoot or horseback.
Mebby Sturgis wasn't killed at all; and
If he was, here's Doc and me left yet.
I'm expecting some one to blow in and
prove that we did It."
In some trepidation, Jim Glenn
snapped the bracelets about his en-
ployers wrists. Murgatroyd was then
seated near the light and Merrick
handed one of his reyolvers to Len
yard.
Get close to him." said the mar
shall, land If he makes a move to bolt,
shoot him"
i Like one In dream Lenyard took
the revolver and placed himself at Muir
gatroyd's side. Murgatroyd was deep
ly perplexed. Darrell himself seemed
| to be the only one in the Office who
had kept his head.
"You say I am Nate Darrell, Murga-
troyd," said he. How can you prove
| it?"
Hold up your left hand" said Muir
gatroyd, there, in the lights"
Darrell did so.
Anyone who knows Darrell" went
on Murgatroyd, will know that ring.
There isn't another like it in the
United States"
'Tt's-it's Darrels ring" gasped Len
yard. "I saw it that night in Hawk
bills when Darrell played that game
for me-"
He took haIf-step towards Darrell,
his face bloodless and his eyes bright.
"Watch your man, Lenyard," said
the marshal gruffiy.
keep back, Roy" said Dr. Payton.
'This man may be McCloud, after all.
The testimony of the ring is not suffi-
cient. 1t may have been stolen"
Then" said Darrell calmly, "iet me
shield McCloud's reputation to the ex-
tent of saying the ring was not stolen.
1t is, perhaps, the only ring of its kind
in the United States, and it has not
been out of my possession during the
last six years"
Then you are Nate Darrell" asked
Lenyard huskily.
Eyes"
This avowal sent the marshal off on
another tack.
Sure he says he's Darrell. Why
not? AS McCloud he stands convicted
of the murder of Sturgis. Under those
circumstances most anyone would
rather be Darrell than McCloud.
Wen have to have better proof than
the ring Murgatroyd knows the ring,
and Lenyard seems to; but the balance
of us don't"
"Supposing you are Darrell" said
Payton, why did you assume that dis
guise?"
'It was convenient" answered OAR
rel; "and besides, directly after that
explosion, it was hardly safe for me to
go anywhere as my true self"
How did you escape the giant pow
der?'
Darrell eased their minds in this re-
spect.
Jupiter" muttered the marshal,
wagging his head. That's too mirac-
lous to be true"
Now tell us how you came to pose
as MeCloud," said Payton.
Darrell did SO, at length, and on his
auditors the wonder grew. The mar
shall was derisive in his unbelief
Now, look" said he, expatiating
Here goes off a powder explosion, out
of which Mr.. Man, there, is snaked by
lllC AtASS anu Dtlo VI Nlt IuHdWdy
bronks. That's hard one to take
down, but it amt the hardest. He's
in pretty bad shape, you see. with peo-
pie hunting after him 10 lynch him,
but pursnading themselves that he was
ground into powder and scattered over
about all outdoors.
TITS a pretty hard row of stumps
for this man Darrell, but he walks from
the powder explosion right into an
old shanty where there's a dead man
"a complete stranger. mind you, but
lookin' enough like that same Darrell
to be the other half of a twin combina-
ton Not only is barrels double in
the shanty, but they's letters to show
who he is, and shaving things for OAR
rel to fix himself up with, and clothes
for him TO wear, and cayuse for him
to ride. The whole layout couldn't
have been made to order any better,
could 1t, now? 1t was altogether too
NEAT and things don't hannah that