Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-10-24


to any living soul"
''If / see fit it SHALL" cried Sylvia in
a rage. "How dare you dictate to me?'
Because l am driven into corner.
wish to save my mother. How it Is
to be done l don't know. And wish
to stop you getting the five thousand
year. ] know how that is to be done"
Leave the room"'
'When 1 please, not before. You
listen to me. I'm going to tell you
about the murder
"Oh," said Sylvia, turning pale. what
90 you nlean?'
Listen" said the other. with a
| taunting laugh. You'll be white
enough before I've done with you. Do
you see this?" and she laid her finger
on her lips. do you see this scar?
| Krill did that" Sylvia noticed that
she did not speak of Krill as her ia
Their this time. HE pinned my lips
together when I was child with that
opal serpent"
| II know" replied Sylvia, shudder-
ing 1T was cruel. l heard about it
from the detective and
81 don't wish for your sympathy. l
was girl of fifteen when that was
done, and / will carry the scar to my
grave. Child as l was then, 1 vowed
revenge
ION your father said Sylvia con-
| temptuously.
''Krill is not my father" said Maud,
changing front all at once, ''He is
yours, but not mine. My father is
Captain Jessop. | have known this
for years. Captain Jessop told me
was his daughter. My mother thought
that my father was drowned at sea
and so married Krill, who was Il trav-
eler in jewelry. He and my mother
rented the Red Pig at Christchurch,
and for years they led an unhappy
life
"Oh,' gasped Sylvia, you confess!
I'll tell Paul.
you'll tell no one" retorted the 9TH
er woman sharply. DO you think
would speak so openly in order that
you might tell all the world with your
Cabling tongue? Yes, and I'll speak
more openly still before / leave. Lady
Rachel Sandal did not commit suicide,
as my mother said. She was stran-
gled, and by me-"
Sylvia clapped her hands to her face
with Il scream. by you?'
Eyes. She had beautiful brooch. I
wanted it. l was put to bed by my
mother and kept thinking of the
brooch. My mother was down the
iStairs attending to your drunken father
stole to Lady Rachels room and
found her asleep. l tried TO take the
brooch from her breast She woke and
caught my hand. But tore away the
brooch and before Lady Rachel could
scream l twisted the silk handkerchief
she wore, which was already around
: her throat, tighter. l am strong-I al
ways was strong, even as Il girl of fif
teen. She was weak from exhaustion
SO she soon died. My mother came into
the room aud saw what /. had done
She was terrified and made me go bach
TO bed. Then she tied Lady Rache
by the silk handkerchief to the bedpost
so that 1t might be thought she hat
committed suicide. My mother thel
came back to me and took the brooch
telling me might be hanged if it wa.
found on me. l was afraid, being onl!
, a girl, and gave up the brooch. Thel
| Captain JesSop raised the alarm.
! and my mother went downstairs, ant
, my mother dropped the brooch on tn
floor, so that it might be supposed Lad,
Rachel had lost 1t there. Captain Jes
, sop ran out. | wanted to give tn
, alarm and tell the neighbors that Kril
had done it, for 1 knew then he wa
, not my father, and L saw, moreover
how unhappy he made my mother. II
4 caught me-" said Maud, with fierc
look, land bound handkerchief acrOs
o my mouth. 1 got free and screamed
+ Then he bound me hand and foot an
U pinned my lips together with the brooc
! which he picked off the floor NJ
mother fought for me, but he knocke
J. her down. Then he fed, and after
o long time Jessop came in. He II
moved the brooch from my mouth an
unbound me. 1 was put to bed, an
o Jessop revived my mother. Then cam
G the inquest, and it was thought tia
, Lady Rachel had committed suicid,
k But she did not" cried Maud exultan
: ly and with a cruel light in her eye
, II killed her-I'-
It "Oh," moaned Sylvia, backing again:
t the wall with widely open eyes.
u bah, you kittenv' Sneered Maud COZ
d temptuously. II have not half done We
You have yet to hear how l kille
J" KrilI.''
Sylvia shrieked and sank back
Y her chair staring with Mortified eyes ,
e the cruel face before her.
"Yes," cried Maud exuItingly,
k killed him. My mother suspected IN
It but she never knew for certain. Ii
ten. When Hay told me that Kri
J. was hiding as Norman in Gwynr
D street determined to punish him fl
J. his cruelty to me. 1 did not say thi