Mexico Missouri message., 1906-03-29
Icopyrishl. y The casssIi PubllshinG Col
CHAPTRR XY.-CoET1NuEp

please. / have protected the girl. l
propose to continue to do 20. She was
in a hard place-a harder one than
you know anything about. / should
have been less than man IL had neg
lected to do what did. To have given
her up under the circumstances would
have been the height of cruelty. You
wouldn't have done It yourself. Every
bit of circumstantial evidence was
overwhelmingly against her. l deter
mined to conceal her till / could dis
cover at least proofs Of her innocence
sufficient to prevent her from the
tgnominy Of an arrest. Since you have
discovered the fact there Is no help
for it. You must aid me to keep the
6acret"
"only upon one condition, Kingman,
must know all the facts"
"And, " tell you everything, will
Sou give me your word of honor not
TO use 1t against her or hers?" asked
Thomas, With peculiar emphasis on the
second pronoun.
But isn't that rather broad?" Lamm
hesitated.
Thomas compressed his lips tightly.
This girl has confessed everything
20 me, Lamm; and in return have
given her my word to do everything in
my power to protect her family from
disgrace. There's no way out Of y
You must promise me-"
what do you mean?" demanded
LAmHn, sternly. do you mean D.
md that the murderer Of Paul North
is in her family am to keep it 10
myseltf'
Decidedly not" said Thomas But
you must have proof, not appearances
ooh, certainly" said Lamm. 81 agree
to that. Hang the appearances In a
case They are seldom right l use
appearances only to enable mo to get
at the facts. But once got at the
facts, Thomas, understand ms, it will
mabA no difference whose family it is
In"
every WELL" said Thomas, 1--WE IN
derstand each other Give me your
hand on It,"
Tho two men shook hands over the
compact and sat down close together
beside the detectives desk.
"Ih the first place" began Thomas,
cit was Stella North who threw the
pistol into the water at Swampscott
on Sunday night and then fed from
her home"
81 had guessed as much when
learned that North's shooter had been
found"
cat that time hadn't the faintest
idea who the fugitive was, and when
Boadside was nearly as much aston
ished as she was frightened. The first
thing thought was that she must be
guilty. All her actions-the headlong
precipitate flight; her terror at my ap-
pearance--all seemed to wear the look
Of crfminality. She had tainted dead
away, but she soon began to como II
herself again. Thereupon / tied my
horse to tree, and drew her into the
woods, out of sight Of passers. She
was so weak and emotional believed
her ripe for a confession. Lamm.
fully expected at that moment TO be
rewarded for my Efforts by a tremen
dOus discovery. But I tell you, as
looked at the poor thing-hardly 9
woman yet--lying there on the leaves
pale, speechless, frightened nearly GU
of her senses, never felt so sorry fol
anybody in my life"
Il know the feeling" said Lamm
@Pye had It myself. But go on"
well, when she came to began q
talk to her OF course there was I
ecene. She broke down completely
and at her first words understood
what ought to have had sense enough
TO have known from the first-that hel
terror was not On her own account
ooh, don't lot them arrest her!' shl
kept saying. Don't, beg Of you
she's erazyl She must bel She neve
could have done II In Her sensesl'"
"oh, ho" exclaimed the detective
"sIster Marion, eh?''
"'Come. l said, steli me the Who'll,
stony, it's the quickest way out Of il
And / give you my word OF honor III
do what / can 10 help You. But
was a long time before I was able d
bring her to the point Of trusting me
don't know how IT WAS, exactly, blu
she gradually"
"PshawiS said I4amn Don't EN-
barrass yourself Skip Il. / know
what happened as well fg you do sh
was In deep dlstreig. You were il
earnest She trusted yor Good VIVA
was her storyG"
''she didn't tell me tho whole stor
at that time, said Thomts. Il stoppe
her when / knew the essential facts
for realized her danger and inclden
tally my own. Impressed upon he
the necessity Of obeying me implicitly
told her there was but one way 3
save either herself OF her sister, 0
both Of them. from the Igaemlny Q
immediate arrest AID all the attsndan
scandal. frightened 70 ceath, Almos
and shaking like leaf, she acquiesceS
i stnwed he's ps c0mfortal " IS coul
"a the sotlLm OF INC carrisge and coy