Rocky Ford enterprise., 1904-02-26
CHAPTER XIII.
Cominq Home.


friend goodbye" as he saw him OF
from the station.
The train pufIed slowly out OF tho
station. and the last view Ted had
OF the little man showed him stand
Ing Mt the end OF the platform and
waving his spcctnclcS after him. He
gave him parting salute out OF the
window Of the carriage and then drew
In his head. sank back into his seat
with "A sigh and began to review tho
events OF the last few days. H
"Wilfui murder against some person
or persons unknown"
And he had To break this, as well
as nll that went before II, To those
two women ut home. a .rcwsomo
task.
Well. 10 much the worse for tho
man who had been the cause of II all.
So much the worse for him when tho
day came for reckoning up accounts:
the day that. would sec him In tho
criminals dock: the day that would
place n moose round his neck. And
the young man felt that that would
be day well worth waiting for. even
though II might be indefinitely pro.
lonscd.
But he would never rest. and never
give up. until he hnd helped To bring
II about: for II seemed to him that
revenge would be incomplete and
robbed OF half It's sweetness unless Il
wcrc his foot that helped To dog tho
murderer and his hand that helped
tn hurry him Ia. n foion'R doom. oh.
yes. he must be an agent. II not the
chief. Mt any rate an Important; one.
He hoped among his fathers letters
and papcrs-containcd In a sealed
packet. which he carried about his
pcrson-to come upon something
which might help To set his feet In
the right track.
Then the thought struck him, II he
could find that letter. The one that
came less than n week ago, II II had
not been destroyed. And why should
II have been? unlcss-and he re.
called that, ut tho time. dis,nstcfui nj.
lusion OF DR.. Cartwright's-unless
there were something compromising
In It!
But he rejected the idea now. as
he had then. No doubt he would be
able to find the letter. II was most
probable that It was Included among
those othcc papers which were even
now In his possession.
Meanwhile. at Magnolia Lodge. the
days had dragged heavily along. Mrs.
Burritt having once taken to her bed
Ia rccumbent position being looked
upon by her as the most proper and
becoming one In which to encounter
afl'iction) Immediately upon receipt
OF the sad tidings had not since sufii-
ciently recovered herself to leave II
again. Grief" she said. always had
n peculiar effect upon her spine. and
she didn't know whether II was the
blinds being down. or the sight of her
widows cap. but she couldn't help
feeling that she was not long for this
world. Anyhow. they must not grievc,
but be sure and bury her by the side
OF their dear father" All this could
scarcely be said TO add to her daugh-
ter's spirits. only. there was so much
to be done, that she had, fortunately,
little time in which to indulge In
morbid reflections on her own behalf
There were letters to be written.
drcssmakers to be interviewed, and n
host OF other things. which must bc
done whether the house be one of
JOY or mourning. .. "H
It was about half.past seven on
Tuesday evening when she heard the
sound OF wheels. She hastened into
the hall and met her brother. The
first glance showed her the alteration
that had taken place in him. He
looked very worn and full of trouble.
much older, and she thought, much
stcrner. She had been in the habit
of regarding him as a. boy-was he
not barely three years her senior?-
now he looked n man, every inch of
him. A hasty greeting passed be-
tween them, and then she went to
prepare her mother for his arrival.
Mrs. Burrltt was dozing, and her
daughter hesitated for moment be.
fore rousing her. As she stood, wait.
ing. she heard heavy footsteps ascend.
ing the staircase-footsteps OF men.
who were carrying something of great
weight. She knew what It was. They
came on slowly past the door of the
room in which she was. Then, after
short time, she heard them descend.
ing the stairs again; the door Of the
house was closed, and at the same
moment her mother woke.
Ito be continued.)