Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-03-08

was very pronounced. His hsbitual
,ir Of reserve gave place to state
81 decided confusion.
What are you limiting ats" he
cried, striving hard to govern hts
voice.
We'll. It must out, sooner or later.
Why did you go to meet Miss Helen
Layton in the avenue about 40 am.
soon after Sir Alan g body had been
examined by the doctor?'
ooh. damn It. man, how did you
ascertain that" groaned Hume.
II knew It all along, but I did not
zee that It was very material to the
Ease. and wanted to keep the poor
foung lady's name ont Of the affair
rs far as possible. I did not want to
suggest that she was an accessory
after the crime"
Hume was blushing like a school
Joy. He glanced miserably at Brett,
out the barrister was still putting ar
istic designs in big and little rings.
Very we'll MY reason for con-
.ealment disappears now" ne blurt-
Id out, for the young man was both
'eyed and ashamed. THAT wretched
hight. after she returned home. Hell
IN thought she had behaved foolishly
n creating scene. She put on
cloak, changed her shoes, and slipped
back again to Mrs. Eastham's, where
The met Alan just coming away. She
implored him to make up the quar-
Eel with me. He apologized for his
.onduct. and promised to do the
same to me when we met. He ex-
planned that other matters had upset
his temper that day. and he had mo-
mentarily yielded TO an irritated be-
lief that everything was against him.
Helen watched him enter the park:
she pretended that she was going
In to Mrs. Eastham's. She could see
the lighted windows OF the library,
and she wondered why he did not go
Inside. but imagined that at the dis
lance she might easily be mistaken.
At last she ran off TO the rectory.
Again she fingered in the garden, de-
voutly wishing that all might he we'll
between Alan and me. Then she be-
cane conscious that something I'M
usual had taken place. owing to the
lights and commotion. For long time
she was at loss to conjecture what
could have happened. At last, yield
Ing 70 curiosity. she came back to the
lodge. The gates were wide open.
Mrs. Eastham's dance was still In
progress. She is not umid girl, SO
she walked boldly up the avenue un-
til she met FERGUSON, the butler,
who was then going to tell Mrs. East
ham. When she heard his story she
vas too shocked TO credit II. and
asked him to bring me. came. BY
that time I was beginning TO realize
that J might be implicated in the at
fair. and begged her to return home
at once, alone. She did so. Subse-
Quently she asked me not to refer to
the escapade for various reasons. It
was a woman's little secret, Brett,
and I was compelled to keep It,"
Anything else. Winter" de-
manded the barrister, wrapped in a
cloud OF his own creation.
THAT Is all. sir. except the way
In which ! heard Of Miss Layton's
meeting with Mr.. Hume"
Not through FERGUSON. eh?"
not bit. The old chap is as close
as wax. He seems to think that a
Hume-Frazer must die a violent
death outside that library window.
anfSN the cause OF the trouble is an
other Hume Frazer. 1t is their own
blooming business. and no other
person Most extraordinary old
chap. Have you met HIM"
No. Indeed. am only just be-
ginning TO hear the correct details Of
the story"
Hume WINGED, but passed no re-
mark
We'll, my information came
through an anonymous letter"
You don't say so. How interest
ing, Have YOU got it,"
II brought it with me. for a rea-
son other than that which actuates
me now. I must confess"
He produced small envelope.
frayed at the edges. and closely COM
pressed 1t bore the type written ad-
dress, police Once, Scotland Yard, :"
and the postal stamp was West
Strand. January is, pm
Within. a small slip OF paper, also
typed. gave this message:
About Stowmarket. David Hume
Frazer killed cousin. Cousin talked
girl In road. Girl waited wood. Da-
vid Hume Frazer met girl in wood
after 1 am
Brett jumped up in instant excite
ment He placed the two documents
on a table near the window. where
the afternoon sun fell directly on
them
Written by the murderer" he
cried. The result Of perusing the
evening papers containing a report Of
the hrst proceedings before the mag
istrates. The production of an Hit
crate man. who knew neither the use
Of hyphen nor the correct word to
describe the avenue! Not wholly ex-
act either. II your story he true,
| Hume
"My story is true. Helen herself
will tell it you, word for word"
This is most important, Look at
that broken small C. and the bent
capital d The letter "a TOO, is out
OF gear. and does not register accu-
rately. Do You note the irregular
spacing In market. Frazer, talked?
You got the letter, Winter. and yet