The Lamar register., 1904-04-20

was an upright article and was divld- |
ed into two portions, the lower con-
tanning drawers and the upper being
shut in with doors, which were fitted
with brass lock and fastening
1t was old and much scratched, and
had apparently seen considerable use;
but must have been a good article
originally. He took the candle in his
hand and crossing the room, inspect
ed it closely. There is look about
it''-holding the candle up higher
"as though it might have a history
attached to it, 1t looks"-with a sud-
den impulse-"as though it might be
trusted to keep a secret" He put the
candle upon the mantelpiece close by
and again resumed his burglarious
operations. Il shall soon be able to
pass muster as an experienced house
breaker. at this rate" he remarked to
himself. with grim irony. as the lock
turned traitor, and the door, swinging
open, revealed a number of drawers
within. each garnished with a lock
and brass handle. Which should he
attack first? Much time had already
been wasted, and at that moment, as
though in answer, the clock on the
mantelpiece chimed three, while the
clock in the hall without repeated the
hour after it,
II will try the third first" he said,
and inserted one of his skeleton keys
into the lock. This drawer-the
third in order from the toS-on being
opened showed itself. strangely
enough to contain three articles. all
of widely different character.
These were large and bulky en-
velope, revolver and small bottle
of colorless fiuiu. The young man
could not repress an exclamation of
surprise and triumph as his eye fell
upon these.
The secret he had been in search of
so long lay ready to his hand-the
proofs of the crime were there wait
ing for him to grasp them He knew
it, and yet hesitated. The shock of
the discovery seemed to paralyze his
hand so that for an instant he was
unable to stretch forth and take pos
session of what he believed would
nake him master of a mans fate.
At last he put out his hand. which
trembled as he did so. and took up the
revolver. 1t was a six-chamber revol-
yer. and glance showed that one
ony of the chambers had been dis
charged.
A fierce hungry look came over his
face as he noticed this, and, laying the
weapon down, he searched for some
thing which he always carried about
him-the conical shaped bullet which
had been discovered in the stuffing OF
the fourth carriage from the engine
He dropped it into the empty cham.
ber. which it fitted exactly.
Proof number one!" he said, with
grim joy, as he felt the dreadful thirst
for blood return upon him with all its
former strength. He laid the revolver
down and took up the small stoppered
bottle. What was this, and what bear
ing had its contents upon the matter!
He removed the stopper and inhaled
the contents carefully. A strong and
unmistakable odor of bitter almonds
greeted him. Prussic acid. beyond
doubt, What did this point to? There
seemed to be only one answer pos
sible-Sucide. A means of escape
provided in case of the worst happen
ing. He replaced the stopper and
placed the bottle by the side of the
revolver. while he took up the third
and last article. This was the enTel-
one before mentioned. 1t was la'ga
and thick and sealed in no less than
three places. On IL. in place of al
address, were written the strange
words: "To be burned. unopened
after my death"
To be burned. unopened. after his
death!-what did that mean? Why
if ii were to be burned, unopened, had
he put himself to the pains of writine
it? For that the envelope contained
the completed copy of the true narra
tive and confession of the strange
tragedy" he had not the least doubt
But why had he described it as the
strange tragedy? Cowardly and de-
testable it might well be-but why
strange?
AT any rate. so far from its being
burned. unopened" he said, aloud. u
will now myself"
He held the letter in one hand and
with the other he was about to breas
the seals. when a voice cried:
Stop"
ITO be continued.)