Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-03
Py EEAGUS 1YIWE1E

~ might die" said Michael, his eyes large
and bright and his voice hoarse. "I want my re-
venge on this man who tried TO poison me-
Are you sure Beryl--"
II am quite sure. Jerry brought up the tea,
and arsenic was in it. | know Beryl wanted t
get all the estate to himself. Tell me"-Micnael
looked anxiously towards Durham-is Gore
aliveY
"Yes Miss Maeson and Miss Plantagenet
knew you were Michael Gilroy as soon as you
came"
"And they fooled me- a.
They did" admitted Durham, promptly and
did also. I allowed you to make that false WILL
so as to trap Beryl."
4, "Ahl and he will be trapped and hanged, said
the boy, bitterly. "I only hope III be alive 10
see him swing1
"Mr Durham" said Payne, removing his finger
from the patients pulse, IF you want to near
this confession you had better get TO work at
once. cannot allow him to talk long"
"Ill begin" said Michael, in stronger voice,
and without further preamble he began to talk IN
Slow monotonous voice, almost without pause
Durham took down his words swiftly.
my name is Michael Giroy," said the lad,
quietly. "I am the son of Walter Gore, the
father of Bernard and Of Mrs. Gilroy, who was
the housekeeper at the Hall. My father de-
ceived her by false marriage, at the time,
although my mother did not know, he was al
ready married to a Signora Tolomeo."
"You are sure of that" asked Durham. our
mother said"
81 know-I know, but she is wrong. She want
cd to make me out the heir But I am three
years Younger than my halfbrother. 1t was a
false marriage. When my mother discovered the
truth, she went to America with me. My father
allowed us an income. When he died, my mother
was starving with me in New York. She came
to this country and saw my grandfather, Sir
Ho nd ctr nd offered
post Of housekeeper at the Hall, and promised
to provide for her after his death. But he would
only assist her on condition that i was sent back
to the States returned, and my mother kept
me out of her wages"
Take this" said Payne holding wine to his
lips for his voice growing weaker.
Michael drank and continued at once. My
mother had an idea of making me the heir But,
as told her, that was impossible She had told
Sir Simon too much at first. [ remained in the
States till / was over twenty then came to
England. Sir Simon got me post in the city.
did not like the work. and ] idled. He often
assisted me. / behaved very badly"
"I know that" said Durham pausing in his
writing "You forged check made payable to
Bernard Gore"
Michael laughed weakly 'I did, he said 81
wanted money and / got thousand pounds by
that"
Glow is it that you are so poor?"
Because Beryl took the money from me- lie
wanted money also and he threatened to have
me arrested for the murder if | did not give
him all. I spent very little of it. He took all,
and then left me to starve. / came here, and
"Wait a bit; want to know about your i'm
personation of Gore?"
"That was Beryls idea also. He met me in
the city. as Sir Simon one day sent him to pay
me money. He was struck by my likeness to
nv half-brother and even then he resolved to
&c INF thpra was chance
Bernard quarreled with Sir Simon. Then Beryl
found that Gore had enlisted in the Imperial
Yeomanry. Beryl knowing how proud Sir Simon
was. persuaded me to impersonate Bernard by
dressing up as an Imperial Ieoman, and ar
ranged that I should make love to house
maid Beryl thought that If Sir Simon knew
that Bernard was making love to servant, he
would cast him off for ever Well did make
tbe acquaintance of the housemaid and visited
at the house keeping well out of sight of my
mother. 49,
"She did not know you were there!
"No Whenever she was heard coming got
ont of the wav. I visited at the house and Sir
simon came to know that-as he thought-Ber-
nard was about the place. He sent down on
tbo evening of the crime to ask up. I was
afraid, and ran away -,
"Why did you return before ten!
"Ah, YOU know that, do you?" said Michael,
with weak smile ~ returned because it struck
me that there might be some difficulty about
tbe check. and thought | would see Sir Simon
obort Il mvsef. | came to the house just after
ton Nv mother opened the door. When she
sow me she ordered me away. / refused to &C"
"Why was that?"
Michael hesitated for moment. 81 have not
told Won my real reason for coming, he said at
length cit was Beryls plan. lie arranged to
40 70 the theatre, and that should come to the
house at that time. I saw him between six and
II. t,ld q would send
I've Rernard TO the Crimea Square house. 1t
was arranged that l should see Sir Simon and
IL tbinps safe for myself about the check
sbonId there be any trouble. I thought that was
por,l,s nlan at the time" said Michael" rest
Iessiy. 'but now I see that he intended murder.
was to 90 as Bernard, and when left, the
old man was to be killed Then Bernard, brought
Iv Jerry. would be on the spot and would be
arrested.
"I lnoNv. But I swear I did not know it at
the time" said Michael, earnestly. II really
SaIaved all was safe Had ] guessed that Beryl
intended murder, I should not have gone to see
Sir Simon. But did go. lie knew about the
checl, and threatened to have me arrested. There
WAS an italian hidden in the room. Sir Simon
called him, and when saw him ran away"
''Why did you do thatY''
az thought he was a detective, and that Sir
Simon intended to arrest me at once ran away
and went home That is all know"
Durham was disappointed. But you surely
know who killed ,
think he killed him, but am not sure"
NIichaeps voice had been growing weaker and
weaker. Finally his eyes closed, and he laid his
head back on the pillow "He has tainted
again /" said Payne. "You must wait till he re
covers for the signature"