The Washington times., 1906-08-12


leaned heavily upon the table.
snatched a candle and bent toward
aim 70 make sure my eyes were not
rieking me.
.Mr. Glenarml Mr.. Glenarm." he ex-
Stained IN broken whispers 1t Is
Bates. sir"
What have you done; what has
happened?" I demanded.
He put his hand 10 his head uncer-
sainly and gap-d as though trying 10
gather his wits.
He was evidently tazed by whatever
aad occurred. and ] sprang around
and helped him 90 couch He would
not lie down but sat up, staring and
passing his hand over his head. IL
vas rapidly growing lighter, and
saw a purple and black streak across
mis- temple where a hludgeon OF some
sort had struck him,
What does this mean, Bates? Who
has been IA the house,
It can't tell you, A1r Glenarm-
can't tell me! You will tell me or
30 70 jail, There's been mischief done
mere and / don't intend 70 have any
nonsense about It from YOU. Well
lie was clearly suffering. but In my
anger az the sight OF the wreck OF the
room / grasped his shoulder and shook
him roughly
1T was early this morning" he fai-
tered. about o'clock. I heard noises
IN the lower part of the house. j came
down thinking likely il was YOU. and
remembering that YOU had been sick
yesterday"
Yes. 20 on"
The thought of my truancy was no
balm 20 my conscience just then
"Is I came into the hau, I saw
lights in the library, AS YOU weren't
down last night the room hadn't been
lighted at ALI heard steps, ana
some one tapping with hammer"
''Yes; a hammer. Go on!''
1T was. then. the same old story,
The war had been carried openly into
the house. but EItes-iust why should
anyone connected with the conspiracy
inure Bates. who stood so near 90
Pickering. Hs leader2 The fellow was
undoubtedly hurt-theTe was no mis-
taEiae the lump on his head. He spoke
with "a painful difficulty tHat was not
assumed, I felt increasingly sure. as
he went on.
-I saw "a man pulling out the books
and tapping the inside Of the shelves.
He was working very fast. And the
next thing I knew ne let in euoth,r
man through one of the terrace doors
tho one there that sim stands little
open
He finched as he turned slightly TO
indicate it, and his face twitched with
pain.
Never mind that. tell the rest Of
you- story"
'Then 1 ran in. grabbed one Of the
big candelabra from the table ana
went for the nearest man. They were
about 10 begin ON the chimney breast
there-it was Mr.. Glenarms pride in
au the house-and chat accounts for
.uv being there in front Of the FIRE
place They rather got the best OF
me- sir"
Clearly: I see they did. You had a
hanI-to-hand Gght with them, and be-
,ue Two To one
->-o: there were two of us-dou {
yuu understand. two of us. There
vas another man who came running
IN from somewhere. and De took sides
with me. / thought az first il was
you. The robbers thought SO. too, for
cue OF them yelled. Great God. .its
Glenarm" just like that But it
wasn't sou. but quite another per-
son"
That's "a good story so far, and
then what happened?'
Il don't remember much more. ex-
cept that some one soused ma with
water that helped my head consid-
erably. and the next thing I knew I
was staring across the table there at
you"
who were these men, Bates
Speak up quickly
ajy tone was poremptory. Here
was. I felt. crucial moment In our
relations
'Vcu." ne began deliberately, Il
dislike 10 make charges against a feI-
low man. but ! strongly suspect one
OF the men Of being"
YES. Tell The whole truth or il Will
be tie worse for YOU"
Il very much fear one of them was
Ferguson, the gardener over the way.
I'm disappointed in him, sir
Very good; ard now for the other
one
"I didn't get my eyes on him. ] had
closed with Ferguson and we We're
havius quite a lively time of 10 when
tie other one came IN, then the man
who came 20 my help mixed us all
up-he was "a very lively person-and
what became OF Ferguson and the rest
of it I don't know"
There was food for thought in what
he said. lie had taken punishment in
defense of my property-the crack on
his head was undeniable-and l could
not abuse him or question his veraciJy
with any grace; not. at least with
ont time FOR investigation and study.
F~fswever, I ventured 20 ask him one
question.
"If YOU were guessing, shouldn't
you think il quite likely that Morgan
Was the other man2'
He met my gaze sQUarely.
- think 1t wholly possible Mr.
Gielarm."
"And the man who helped yCu-whO
In the devil was he?"
BLESS me, I don't know, He dis
appeared. I'd like nightly to see him
again"
'Humph. Now you'd better do some
thing for your head. III summon the
village doctor IF YOU say So"
No: thank YOU. sir. I'll take care
OF il myself"
And now we'll keep quiet about this
Don't mention II or discuss IL with
onv0ne "