The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1906-08-02
BY IRVING BACHELLER.
copYpIcHr. 1908. by LoTHRop COMPANY
CHAPTER XIII.
Author Of "Eben Holden" "D'ri and l." I

sunrise the morning of that |
memorable day. The young
man raped loudly on the broad door
at the Sign Of the Dial. but within all
was silent. The day before Darrell had
spoken of going Off 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 a score Of his
.schoolmates and half the faculty were
at his side--there In the room of jus
tice. Theron Allen arrived at 0 o'clock.
although at that hour two responsible
men had already given a bail bond.
After dinner Trove, constable and
the attorney rode to Robins Inn. The
news had arrived before them, but
only the two boys and Tunk 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 a mournful eye"
Tunk advanced slowly, still gazing,
both hands In his trousers pockets.
ZEE Tower just went by" said he.
with suppressed feeling. "Said you
was arrested for murder"
II presume you were surprised"
"waal," said he, "Ez amt said a
word before in six months"
Tunk opened the horses mouth and
stood moment peering thoughtfully
at his teeth.
"Kind of unexpected to be spoke to
by Es Tower" he added, turning his
eyes upon them with the same curious
look.
The Interrogation Of Tunk and the
two boys began Immediately. The
story of the fowl corroborated, the
sugar bush became an object Of investi-
cation, 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 Tunk left him
and that of sunrise, when he met Mrs.
Vaughn at her door. Trove and Tunk
Hosely 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
one remarkable circumstance that baf'
fed Trove and renewed the waning
suspicion Of the men Of the law. On
almost a straight line from bush to
barn were tracks of man that showed
plainly where they came out Of the
grass upon the garden soil. Now. the
strange part Of II lay In this fact-the
boots of Sidney Trove exactly nttec
the tracks. They followed the foot
prints carefully into the meadow grass
and up to the stalk Of the mullen
Scar the top OF It was the abandoned
home Of the spider and around II
were the four snares Trove had OBJ
served, now full Of prey.
do not disturb the grass here" said
Trove. "and I will prove to you that
the tracks were made before the nigh
In question. Do you see the fouI
websT
"Yes," said the attorney.
1.-THE tracks go under them." sale
Trove, "and must, therefore, have beer
made before the webs. I will prove Il
you that the webs were spun before
2 o'clock Of the day before yesterday
At that hour l saw the spinner die
See, her lair Is deserted"
He broke the stalk of MULLEN ant
the cables of spider silk that led ava!
from II, and all inspected the empt.
lair. Then he told Of that deadly bat
tie In the grass.
"But these webs might have beel
the work of another spider" said tn
attorney.
1T matters not" Trove insisted, "fo
the webs were spun at least twelv
hours before the crime. One of then
contains the body Of a red butterh,
with starred wings. We cut the wing
that day, and Miss Vaughn put ther
In book she was reading"
Paul brought the wings, which ez
actly fitted the tiny torso Of the but
terfy. They could discern the foo
prints, one Of which had broken tn
ants road, while another was con
pletely covered by the butterfly snare.
'Those tracks were made before tn
webs, that Is evident" said the alto
ney. "Do you know who made th
tracksT
IT do not" was the answer Of tn
young man.
Trove remained at Robins Inn thi
night, and after the men had gone b
recalled circumstance that was lii
a fash of lightning I'm the dark Of b
great mystery.
Once at the Sign of the Dial b
friend the tinker had shown him pa
of new boots. He remembered the
were Of the same size and shape I
those he wore.
1--WE could wear the same boots
he had remarked to Darrell.
"Had l to do such penance ! shoul
be damned" the tinker had answers
Look. boy. mine are the larger by fa
There's a man coming to see me at Il
Christmas time, q man o. busy fee
That pair In your hands bought Il
him"
q