The Caldwell tribune., 1905-11-25
CHAPTER YYuI

y
sideote, or any festivities at ,aIl--rno+
even wedding cake. George drove bis
bride and his mother hone of+or +be
sesDu seeDlte' ana presently they had dinner
.osetneE' ana George kissed his wife.
an nnu MS mother cried, so that there was
,,ttle outward show Of rejoicing, Yet
tney all three rejoiced In their he,rts.
ana teit stronger and more hopeful. fV,st
because they could now stand togetb or.
In the afternoon Mary asked George TO
go out with her. "
"a must go and see my uncle" she.
Said' Il cannot bear to think Of him
alohe. Let US ask him to keep his money.
but to let US part friends"
!hey walked hand In hand across the
Feuooie fields, and through the lanes
Where the blackberry leaves were putting
on tnelr autumn tints Of red and gold
ana the berries of the hedge were all ripe
ana red-the purple honeysuckIe. the
FINK yewberry, the blackberry. rowan.
NIP and haw-to Gratnor.
Strange, George, that w~ nbslJ 90
away, and never see the dear old nlace
again" said Mary, with a sigh "Let
u. uS ~ aS soon as we can, so as to Aeave
1t Dehore the trees are stripped. and
hills" "po~- OAie
In the parlor Mr.. Leighan was .strg
sleeping, though it was past his walking
time: Mary touched George by the
hand and they sat down behind hiru in
the window and waited. They waited
for a quarter of an hour. Then they
heard a step outside.
1T Is David" George whispered. "He
will rouse his uncle. Is he come alrea DIV
ito ask for his fortune l wonder?"
Just then Mr.. Leighan awoke, perha ps
disturbed by David's heavy step, and ! lie
awoke just as he had done twice befor e
namely, suddenly and with a startle 4
shrek OF terror. Just as he had doner
twice before he sat up in his chair, with
horror and fright in his eyes, glaring
wildly about the room.
Mary, accustomed to witness +h;s
nightmare, looked to see the terror
change into bswilderment. But It did
not.
For awhile his mind was full of hir
dream; while he yet remembered the
place, the time, and the man, and before
the vision had time to fade and disap
pear the very man himself of whom he
had dreamed stood before him at the
open door. Then he No longer forgot:
his dream became a memory: he was
riding across Heytree Down in the even
ing; and hS was met by his nephew with
cudgel, and the nephew cried ont.
Who robbed me of my land7' and
struck him across the temples so that he
fell.
Murderer! Robert" he cried. "Help!
helpl l am murdered and robbed!'
And thea, 10! miracle. For the par
alytic, who had had no power in his legs
Tor six long years, sprang to his feet and
stood with outstretched arms, crying for
help to seize the murderer. And David
stood before him with such a look Of
hatred and revenge as he wore on that
night, and In his trembling right hand
the cudgel ready to uplift and to strike,
1t was over In moment, for the old
man fell helpless and senseleSs upon the
floor, though David did not strike. The
skull cap was knocked of by the fall
and exposed the angry red scar of the
old wound. He lay upon his back, his
arms extended In the fashion of a cross,
as he had fallen upon Heytree Down:
and as he lay there, so he lay here
with parted lips, streaming hair, and eyes
wide open, which saw nothing though
they gazed reproachfully upon his mur-
derer. Then for a space no one spoke:
but David bent over his uncle, Breathing
hard, and George and Mary looked on
wondering and awe-stricken.
"a second time, David?"
David started, and turned. It was his
German protector, Baron Sergius Won
Holstein, and the tall figure of the baron
stood In the door, accompanied by my
self. But on this occasion I counted for
nothing.
"a second time, David?'
David gasped, but made no reply.
"You came home, David" said the
baron, 'to give yourself In charge for
numbering and robbing your uncle. You
struck him over the head with your
cudgeI, so that he fell dead at your feet.
You robbed him Of a box of papers and
a bag of money. The thought of the
crime gave you no rest by day, and at
night the ghost of your uncle came to
your bedside and ordered you to go home
and give yourself up. You came home.
Your uncle was not dead. Have you con-
fessed the crimef"
David made no reply.
"Have you restored the papersT
Again he made no reply.
'"This Is your uncle; he looks as IL
you had killed him a second time. Mad
ame''-he addressed Mary-"I am sorry
to speak of such things In the presence of
a lady, but l have in my pocket the con-
tession of David I.eighan."
HE was not killed, after ALL" said
David. "What matters the confessiOn?
"But he was robbed. Where are the
papers?"
''Here they are-all that are left" l
observed that he had big book Of some
kind under his arm; he laid this on tn"
table. "There are his papers. Now
what's the odds of a confession or twoT
ISIS this mans presence desired by his
uncleY the baron asked.
"No," said Mary. He comes every
and drives him nearly mad. He
had some power over him know moi
what. He has made my uncle's life mis-
arable for three months"
"My duty seems plain" said the baron
"T shall 20 to the nearest police station
and deposit this confession. They will, |