Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1904-06-22
! THE MURDER THAT WAS
NOT COMMITTED.
By Martin Burke.

hWHAr[ ,s are the chances Decor?
essary?
DR.. Scott, seated ~ the patients
bedside, looked down alto the anxious
on his clear cut face.
Were it not necessary, Fenton, l
should not advise it," he said. ''As to
the result, you need have no anxiety,
for if feared failure would rather
let things run their inevitable course
than shorten your life by day, and
risk, at the same time, my reputation"
The doctor spoke in tones SO full
of assurance that the anxiety swept
out of Fenton's heart.
yours is peculiar case," DR.. Scott
went on, "but it presents no difficult
ties for me. l have watched it's pro-
gress day by day with the closest at
tention, and to delay the operation any
longer might be fatal. AS it is,
promise you you will be as we'll as I
am in four months" And he meant
truly every word he uttered
THANK God!" Fenton said, sincere
ly. cts not that l am afraid Of
DEATH he fastened to adj. Don't
think it holds any terrors for me, or
that am a coward. My anxiety is for
anOther-a woman; the best woman
on earth. She belived me innocent, as
I was, and has suffered for her faith;
but, there, it's a long story, Doctor
fo1 tn &oJ
get better and go into the world again
to find her"
"You will get better, right enough"
the doctor answered, rising. But you
must not talk now; the throat wants
all the rest it can get. Later, perhaps,
you can tell me your story; but don't
let this trouble prey on your mind.
Any mental worry on your part will
not hasten your recovery after the
operation has been performed.
He took Fenton's frail hand and babe
him good morning, then made his way
from the ward, with word here and
there to nurse, going straight to his
apartments.
The case Of George Fenton was q
peculiar one, into the medical details
OF which it is not necessary to enter
Suffice it TO explain that to beat off
certain death and effect a permanent
cure an operation On the throat was es-
sential. More peculiar still was the
position of George Fenton.
Four years previously he had been
secretary of large commercial COM
pany. Comfortably off, he had married
shortly after his appointment. Three
months later he was arrested on the
charge of appropriating huge sums be-
longing to the company, and, notwith-
standing brilliant defense, found
guilty. Two years penal servitude was
the sentence he received. though he
was as innocent of the crime as the
Judge who had sentenced him.
No one but his wife believed in his
protestations, the evidence against him
was so clear and deadly. And the YER
dict left her penniless, homeless, and
friendless, for the costs of the defense
had necessitated even the selling Of
their home.
Fenton worked out his sentence for
IA months-a most exemplary convict.
For the first eight he had heard from
his wife as frequently as the regula-
tons permitted; then her letters
ceased, and the doubt and fear that
filled his mind on her account drove
him well-nigh mad. Six months
later he was set at liberty, given a
free pardon for a crime he had never
committed; for the trusted manager Of
the company confessed he was the gull
ty man and blew out his brains. Nat
urally, Fenton was handsomely COM
pensated by the company; he was
offered, too, the position left vacant
by the managers death, which, how
ever, he refused. ~ !.
But of his wife he could learn moth.
ing. All he knew and that he had
learned from her letters to him was
that she had been governess. He