Mexico Missouri message., 1906-04-05
lcOpyright, BY The casssll Publishing Co.
CHAPTER XVI.-CoNr1NUED.

you don't imagine, Inomas, nc
questioned below his breath, that she
had been secretly married to this man
Eetridge previous to his departure for
australia"
What an ideal" cried Thomas,
amused. you seem anxious to give her
monomania on the marriage question.
If married already to Fetridge what
earthly reason could induce her to mar
ry Stackhouse? 1t seems to me that you
have got a complication there not likely
to arise in any well-regulated family"
Perhaps. But Eve gone far enough
In this case to know that there is some
thing different behind 1t than anything
ever met with in all my life before.
But to go on. OF course Stella is fright
ened to death by Msrion's reference to
the grave, aud RETAINED from telling
anybody whese she had seen her, until
you got It out of her"
so you might know by the way
things have gone on. She was scared
enough that aight you may be sure, but
the next day when the news came of the
murder you can imagine the effect.
There seems to have been great scene
between tho sisters. Stella came out
Mortified at Marion's calmness. Marion
would tell her absolutely nothing ex-
cept such enigmatical sentences as
these: I am not responsible. The af-
Gair is out of my hands. Justice will
overtakethe guilty. Let me alone. II you
betray me l shall kill myself You sure
ly do not believe me capable for any
cause Of killing man who has taken
the place of my own father. loved
Father North; as we'll as you did.
could not have harmed him If had hated
him'-all of which was scarcely calcu-
lated to appease Stella's agony Of appre-
tension. II was not, however, till the
young girl discovered that her sister
was sleeping with her fathers pistol
under her pillow that she quite lost her
head, and believed that Marion was
really guilty" -t e. tti
"What! The weapon that killed Paul
North" asked the detective, almost
helpless with -amazement.
Presumably. ;. since she must have
brought it with her from the Marlboro
street house che night of the murder, and
one Gifts barrels had been recently dis.
charger"
"Whar q nerve that woman has!'
murInured the detective. "And how in
the world did Stella make the discov
ery?"
"TH tell you, Lamm. 1t waa In the
middle of the night on Saturday. The
body of the murdered man had beer
brought home, and it lay in the hall be
low stairs ready for the funeral. YOU
can imagine the effect on this young
girl, who is of an affectionate DISPOSE
tion, and whose life up to this time hat
been one merry smile. Everything goes
to show that she was the petted darling
of her father. OF course, however fonC
and proud anybody might have been o.
Marion, she was scarcely the person tt
be made a pet Of. And with this awful
cloud of horror and suspicion weighing
upon her, -Stella could not sleep. Thu
ghost of the poisoned king of Denmark
was no more real to Hamlet than wa
the spirit of her father, threatening will
awful finger the perpetrators of hi
woeful murder, TO this young girl. He
fears for Marion under the weight ST tn
night became absolutely appalling
Though not what is called a religious
girl, Stella could no longer trust to an.
earthly aid. She resolved to go and pra.
by Marion's bedside"
Natural enough In this 16-yeaT-olt
girl" commented the detective.
"It was the last effort, you understand
20 obtain contrition from the womal
who had been inpervious to the mos
piteous appeals, the most solemn
argwN
found her sisters door unlocked
She approached the bedside. It seem
that Marion was asleep. but her slice
was light; her dreams perhaps troubled
for she sprang up suddenly with an aw
full cry and grasped Stella by the shou
ders, demanding IN a tone that nearl
frightened her sister out Of her senses
What do you want? What do 20
want? She shook her so that Sten
made a frantic effort to get away.
the struggle the pillow was dragged froI
the bed and something beneath It fe
with a crash. Marion by this time awok
% realization OF her surroundings. Sd
sprang out Of bed with haste that cOul
not escape StellR's observation, an
picked up the something which had "a
len. what Is IT. demands the startle
stella. Nothing replies Mariol
What Is the matter, dear2' Go BAG
20 your bed aud viii come TO you. Ri
no AflairA lad reached . climax no
where suspsraon mIht either be allSye
or confirmed. Marion was confused 9n
dismayed BY the sudden tranBformatic
In her sister, and before she could regal
control OF herself the hand OF the younl
or girl came in contact with the Co
steel. II IS fathers pistol, whispers
Stella, A what state Of mind you ms
Imagine, Don't deny It, Marion; VI
have been sleeping with It under yol
pillow. 4 won't deny Ii, said Mario
considerably disturbed But why vi
yOp iuaanely inaistupon knowing thin