The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-07-01
BY
FERGUS
HUME

but only George Kerris. He is innocent
and Sir Lewis is guilty. / believe he
killed his cousin with the pistol Sir Les
lie gave him."
What % you know about that pis-
toll"
why. explained Laura quietly. Il
went to Welby park with father to pay
the rent AMI in the library, on the ia
BILE, there was a pistol with silver
plate on it. Sir Lewis-he was not the
baronet then-told me that Sir Leslie
had given 1t to him, and showed me
his own name on the plate. AS Sir Les
lie was shot with pistol, l believe Sir
Lewis did it,
But had not George Kerris a pistol
also?"
YES; an old thing that wouldn't fire
straight. / tried 1t myself at a target
which George set up on the farm
THE pistol isn't in Georges house"
81 don't know where it is, then" said
the girl, indifferently; but l am sure
of one thing, that George is innocent.
Oh, try and get him out of jal,'
"And Sir Lewis hanged?" said Hagar
dryly.
"Yes," cried Laura f1ercely; hes a
numbering beast: / should like to see
him dead!''
Rather wondering at the fierceness of
the girl. Hagar left her and went on to
the Jail In which Kerris was lncarcer-
ated. The game-keeper was a huge
blond man, with fresh, handsome face
Usually his expression was frank and
kindly, but now, owing to recent events,
he looked sullen. In spite of all Hagar S
questioning, he persisted in declining an
explanation.
''Ill say neither one thing nor an
other" he declared; eff I did kill Sir
Leslie, or l didn't, is my business. Any
how. he deserved to be killed"
who are you screenings" asked Ha
gar. changing her tactics.
mo one" replied Kerris, a color ris-
ing on his face.
Yes you are. else you would not je-
opardiZe your neck. But you shall be
saved in spite of yourself. 1 know who
killed Sir Leslie
"You do?" asked the man. looking I'D
anxiously.
Eyes, his cousin, Sir Lewis. We have
found his pistol concealed where the
murder took place; he stole your boots
10 wear them and throw the blame on
you. You came out of Welby park at
10 o'clock. after the murder was COM
mitted. Did you not see Sir LeWis?"
mo. l didn't" replied Kerrjs, hast
lily. II saw no one I heard a shot
and thought poachers might be about,
but as Sir Leslie had discharged me
didn't think it was my business to see
after them"
Sir Lewis paid you a visit shortly
before the murder?"
Yes he did; to see me about some
game
Did you miss the boots after he
left?"
II never missed them till the night
of the murder. when | wanted to put
'en on" said kerris. 'I hadn't worn
them for some days. as they were new
boots and rather hurt my feet"
''Then no doubt Sir Lewis stole them
for his own purposes" said Hagar tri-
umphantly. He is guilty. and you"
II am Innocent" cried Kerris. proud
ly. Il don't mind saying it now. l
never killed Sir Leslie; l never laid
finger on him.
And you did not say so before be-
cause you are screening some one Who
is it,"
Kerris made no reply but looked I'M
easy.
Before Hagar could repeat her ques-
ton, the answer thereto came from a
most unexpected quarter The door of
the cell was opened and Julf entered,
with an expression of profound aston
ishment on his face.
Here's a gol" he cried to Hagar.
"Micky has arrived, and has told me
from whom he received the boots!'
'Sir Lewis?'
NO! have seen Sir Lewis and he
denies his guilt; also, he tells me
story which corroborates Micky's evil
dence. and explains why Kerris here
holds his tongue"
kerris rose from his seat on the bed
with bound and STROBE toward Julf,
looking worried and fierce
Not a word; not a word" he said.
between HE clenched teeth. Spare
her.
Her" cried Hagar, a light breaking
in on her. Laura Brenton?"
Yes, Laura Brenton," replied Julf,
shaking off the gamekeeper. "Micky
has seen her; it was she who gave him
the boots"
II told her to! 1 told her to-" in
terrupted Kerris In despair.
NONSENSE You wish to screen her.
as you have tried to do all along. But
you are wrong. Laura Brenton is not
worth your sacrificing your life, my
man. She is the guilty person who
killed Sir Leslie. And why? Because
he had cast her off and was about to
marry another woman"
Kerris gave a great cry. 1T is false
false! She loved me!''
''She loved herself" retorted Julf,
sharply. ''Sir Leslie promised to marry
her, and because she could not force
him to keep that promise she killed him.
1t was to throw the blame on you that
she stole the boots and wore them on
the night she met Sir Leslie by the
Queens pool 1t was to get Sir Lewis
into trouble that she stole his pistol to
kill his cousin"
And did she hide it in the urn?'
asked Hagar, astOnished by these reve-
lations
mo; Sir Lewis did so. He knew that
Laura committed the crime
How so?"
He heard the shot and went to see
who had fired it, BY the Queens pool
he found his cousins dead body and
picked up his own pistol on the bank.
AS Laura, 20 his knowledge, had taken
it away from the library on the day she
came with her father to pay rent. ne
knew that she had killed Sir Leslie
To screen her. and not thinking of mis-
own danger should the pistol with his
name on it be found, he hid it in the
urn where you found it. SO, you see,
two men have tried TO screen this wo-