The Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1903-1909, 1906-02-20

| was an upright article and was dl'lc'
ed into two portions, the lower COL
tanning drawers and the upper peihe
shut In with doors, which were htted
with a brass lock and fastening.
II was old and much scratched, ana
had apparently seen considerable use
but must have been q good article
originally. He took the candle in his
hand and, crossing the room, inspect
ed it closely. "There is look about
it'-holding the candle up higher
"as though it might have a history
attached to it, 1t looks"-with SUD
den impulse-"as though it might be
trusted to keep a secret" He put the
candle upon the mantelpiece close py
and again resumed his burglar1ous
operations. 81 shall soon be able 10
pass muster as an experienced house
breaker, at this rate" he remarked TO
himself, with grim irony, as the lock
turned traitor, and the door, swinging
open. revealed number of drawers
within, each garnished with LOCK
and brass handle. Which should ne
attack first? Much time had ALREADY
been wasted, and at that moment, as
though in answer, the clock on the
mantelpiece chimed three, while me
clock in the hall without repeated tue
hour after it.
81 will try the third first" he said,
| and inserted one of his skeleton keys
into the lock. This drawer-the
third in order from the top-on being
opened showed itself, strangely
enough, to contain three articles, all
of a widely different character.
These were a large and bulky en-
velope, a revolver and a small bottle
of colorless fiuiu. The young man
| could not repress an exclamation OF
surprise and triumph as his eye fell
upon these.
The secret he had been in search OF
| so long lay ready to his hand-the
proofs of the crime were there walt
| ing for him to grasp them. He knew
| it, and yet hesitated. The shock OF
| the discovery seemed to paralyze MS
| hand. SO that for an instant he was
unable to stretch forth and take pos
session of what he believed would
make him master of mans tate.
At last he put out his hand, which
| trembled as he did so, and took up the
revolver. 1t was a six-chamber revol-
yer, and a glance showed that one
ony of the chambers had been dis
charged
A fierce, hungry look came over his
| face as he noticed this, and, laying the
weapon down, he searched for some
thing which he always carried about
him-the conical shaped bullet which
had been discovered in the stuffing OF
the fourth carriage from the engine.
He dropped it into the empty cham.
Der, which it fitted exactly.
Proof number one!" he said, with
grim Joy, as he felt the dreadful thirst
for blood return upon him with all its
former strength. He laid the revolver
down and took up the small stoppered
bottle. What was this and what bear
ing had it's contents upon the matter?
He removed the stopper and inhaled
the contents carefully. A strong and
unmistakable odor of bitter almonds
greeted him. Prussic acid, beyond
doubt! What did this point to? There
seemed to be only one answer pos
sible-Suicide! A means Of escape
provided in case of the worst happen.
ing. He replaced the stopper and
placed the bottle by the side OF the
revolver, while he took up the third
and last article This was the envel-
ope before mentioned. 1t was large
and thick and sealed in no less than
three places. On it, in place of an
address, were written the strange
words: ITO be burned, unopened.
after my death"
To be burned, unopened, after his
death!-what did that mean? Why,
IL it were to be burned, unopened, had
he put himself to the pains OF writing
it? For that the envelope contained
the completed copy Of the true nara
tive and confession of the strange
tragedy" he had not the least doubt
But why had he described it as the
strange tragedy? Cowardly and de
testable it might well be-but why
strange?
"At any rate, so far from it's being
burned, unopened" he said aloud. 81
will now myself"
He held the letter in one hand and,
with the other he was about to break
the seals, when voice cried: