Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-05-22
CHAPTER xxIII.
ROvE and the bank official
 were in Hillsborough soon after sunrise the morning of that

sunrise the morning of that
 memorable day. The young man rapped loudly on the broad doos at the Sign of the Dial, but within all was silent. The day before Darrel had spoken of going of to the river towns and must have started. A lonely feel ing came into the boys heart as he turned away. He went promptly to the house of the district attorney and told all he knew of the money that he had put in the bank. He recounted all that took place the afternoon of his stay at Robins Inn-the battles of the cocks, and the spider, and how. the wounded fowl had probably sprinkled his sleeve with blood.
 In half an hour news of the young mans trouble had gone to every house in the village. Soon score of his schoolmates and half the faculty were at his side-there in the room of jus tice. Theron Allen arrived at g o'clock, although at that hl = two responsible men had already e.. ;. bail bond After dinner Trove, a constable and the attorney rode to Robins Inn. The news had arrived before them, but only the two boys and Funk were at home. The latter stood in front of the stable, looking earnestly up the road.
 "Hello~ said he, gazing curiously at horse and men as they came up to the door. He seemed to be eying the at torney with hopeful anticipation.
 ''Tunk," said Trove cheerfully. you have mournful eye"
 Funk advanced slowly, still gazing. both hands in his trousers pockets.
 "Ez Tower just went by" said he. with suppressed feeling. Said you was arrested for murder"
 ''I presume you were surprised"
 "waal" said he, "Ez ain't said word before in six months"
 Funk opened the horses mouth and stood a moment peering thoughtfully at his teeth.
 kind of unexpected to be spoke to by Ez Tower" he added. turning his eyes upon them with the same curious look.
 The Interrogation of Funk and the two boys began immediately. The story of the fowl corroborated. the sugar bush became an object of investi- gation. Milldam was ten miles away. and 1t was quite possible for the young man to have ridden there and back be- tween the hour when Funk left him and that of sunrise. when he met Mrs. Vaughn at her door. Trove and Funk Hoseiy went with the officers down a lane to the pasture and thence Into the wood by a path they followed that night to and from the shanty.
 They discovered nothing new save pne remarkable circumstance that baf 6ed Trove and renewed the waning suspicion of the men of the law. On almost a straight line from bush to barn were tracks of c man that showed plainly where they came out of the yrass upon the garden soil Now. the Itrsnge part of 1t lay In this fact-the boots of Sidney Trove exactly fitted he tracks. They followed the foot prints carefully into the meadow grass md up to the stslk of the mullein- Near the top of 1t vas the abandoned home of the spider and around it were the four snares Trove had ob- ,erved. now full of prey.
 Do not disturb the grass here.- said rrove. -and I wiIl prove to you that lhe tracks were made before the night h question Do you see the four rebsr
 Yea said the attorney.
 The tracks co under them.- said rrove. and must. therefore. have been | made before the webs. I will prove to 1 Tou that the vets were spun before | o'clock of the day before yesterday. lf that hour I sau the spinner de | see, her lair is desersed--
 He broke the stalk of muIlein and he csbies of sptder siIk that led away hon it and sIl insDecfed the empty | air. uhen h< tod sf that dsadly lat M IM EMM MwmM