The Newark journal., 1905-03-24
tCopyright. lsOs. by William Wallace CookI

marshal. "It would take strong proofs to make me believe anything like that"
 "Gentlemen. resumed Darrel 1 happen to know that Nate Darrel came to this town on the day the murder was committed He came to Sandy Bar to settle his differences with Mur- gatroyd and, directly after he reached the camp, made straight for this office
 "Murgatroyd was out in the hills and Darrel went into that private office and wrote a line for him. Murgatroyd had forgotten his revolver and left it behind-it was lying on the desk in front of Darrel as he wrote his note.
 Before leaving the room Darrel marked every cartridge in that gun"
 It was then the doctors turn to leap from his chair.
 You know Darrel did that?" he in- terrupted.
 "I do."
 Why did he do it?' Because he feared Murgatroyd would shoot him down from behind Still" returned the doctor, sinking back into his chair, II cant see"
 Tn his pocket-book Darrel placed slip of paper stating that, if he met with foul play, the coroner would please recall that Lester Murgatroyd had sworn to shoot him on sight; and that, if the bullet that took Darrels life bore the letter NJ it would be found to correspond with other car tridges in Murgatroyd's revolver"
 Dr. Payton drew a deep breath and Merrick strengthened out in his chair, thrust his hands into his trousers pockets and peered at Darrel through half-closed eyes.
 "The bullet that killed Sturgis bore such a mark" said Payton, slowly. "I probed for it myself and it hasn't been out of my possession since.
 Why in the fiend's name didn't you tell me something about that?" asked Merrick, his indignant eyes on the doc tor.
 "The jury knew of it." answered Payton We all kept quiet about it. hoping that something like this might l develop"
 But what do we know about this fellow?" queried Merrick, jerking his head toward Darrell; he's a stranger 1 in camp and his story may be cut out 1 of whole cloth"
 "A month has elapsed since the shooting" went on Payton, addressing Darrel Why have you kept silent SC long?"
 The delay was unavoidable, replied l Darrell
 Possibly, but the chances are it has defeated the ends of justice providing what you say is true. If we can find MurgaToyd's revolver in his posses sion, Merrick," {" the doctor added, turn ing to the marshal, and if the re- volver after these four weeks, is found to contain the marked cartridges, this man proves his case
 Barrels heart leaped in his breast. He was sure of Murgatroyds S guilt and the fact that the revolver would now be found upon him-barring the tech nical point that it had been out of his possession for the four weeks-would prove his guilt
 The technical point, which Murga troyd could not prove without Darrel's help was the only thing that could throw cloud over Darrel's theory. Darrel was just asking himself how he should proceed in dealing with that phase of the question when another diversion occurred.
 Roy Lenyard stepped into the room and moved resolutely toward the group sitting around the lamp on the desk.
 'Mr. Merrick," said he, sharply, T requested you to wait below until I rejoined you and the doctor.'
 Things happened up here, Lem yard, returned the marshal, that we had to look after There was a fight of some kind. as you can see, ,''-Mer- rick nodded toward the overturned cabinet-"and Doc and I breezed in. But that don't make no difference. Here we are and if yon'Ve got a card up your sleeve now's yoar chance to play it."
 Then" cried Lenyard, whirling on Darrel and leveling a foreinger in his direction, that man is Junius McCloud and I demand that you put him under arrest. It was he, and not Nate Darrel, that killed the man you know as Jack l Sturgis!"
 Holy Smoke!" roared the marshal, on his feet in a second. Why, he's all but proved that Murgatroyd did it. First thing I know you fellows Il have l it on to me-or Doc, there"
 CHAPTER XVII.
 DARRELL UNMASKED.