The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1907-08-02

WhtFt. ne anu NACnOids IiuIutus DC
came perfect cronies during the weary
days OF Toms convalescence.
"Gadzooks. sir, he gave me more
trouble than any three men In the
gang" the major would say, "but ]
knew him for a gentleman at bottom.
I'd like to shake his hand and tell him
I'm sorry for this and that"
But Major Honeybone was not per.
mitted to see the invalid, and indeed he
quilted Sydney rather precipitately in
the end. The plucky veteran had ask.
ed question of Lady Starkie, as her
ladyship long afterward confded to
Claire, with an obviously pleasurable
indignation, on the Florentia's poop.
Nor was 1t until the long and sooth-
ing homeward voyage was half over
that the convalescent was vouchsafed
an answer to certain questions which
he had tired OF asking In his Illness.
What had brought Nicholas Harding
to New South Wales? He must have
sailed but few days after Claire.
What had he found out in those few
days. since the discovery OF Daintree's
crime still came as surprise to him?
'sYou never saw the woman who
took Claire's Jewelryw said Nicholas
Harding. ut Is to her we owe 1t that
my girl is not a madman's wife. The
woman was naturally spy. She had
spied upon her mistress, but on Dain-
tree also. and to Claire she had cause
to be grateful, as Claire will tell you II
You ask her. The very night after
she sailed in the Rosamund this wo-
man came to m. house. She had fallen
very low. Death seemed to me to have
set its seal upon her. but she had In
formation which she would only sell,
until told her where Claire had gone
and whom she was to marry. Then
and there II all came out. I must say
there was no huckstering then. The
wretched woman seemed genuinely dis.
tressed. She told me'-Harding wiped
his mouth, and his voice trembled-
'she told me my daughter was gone to
be murderer's wife,"
"Yet you did not know Of itr
81 did not know about Blaydes. That
made the second" +.-
"His second murder?' gasped Tom.
"Or manslaughter-call 1t what you
will. The first was the worst. 1t was
fratricide. There were two brothers.
James was the younger. Out shoot
ing one day when they were both
mere lads. he shot dog dead In his
passion. The brother abused him. In
an instant he also was shot through
the heart. II was brought In an acct
dent. but the family knew what II
was. They drummed him out. They
refused TO see his face again. He
was as much transported as any felon
In New South Wales. with as good a
cause. We never knew why his fam
lily would have nothing to do with him.
Why. for instance. the very flowers he
laid upon bis mothers grave were
summarily returned to him. It seem.
ed inhuman. but I think II was very
human now. God help me. thought
II was only the ordinary wild oats
made too much OF. But was at fault.
grievously at fault. Bitterly I regret
II. Bitterly shall rue IL till my dying
day"
Nicholas Harding was deeply moved
He was indeed different man. In q
hoarse voice he described the horrors
OF the intermInable outward voyage
the perpetual dread Of being too late
the nightly nightmare Of Claire mar
ried to n criminal Iunatic II not dead
already by his hand.
"Crime and madness" said he. ''arc
In their blood. found that out too
The mother was a saint. but discov'
cred she had died In an asylum. The
father Is sane. but you know his repu
tation. He had denied me an inter
view before. forced myself upon
him now. And he admitted the perfect
truth OF the story I had heard. You
ask how that woman came TO know Of
II. Well. so did |. A. l told you. she
had sunk as low as possible. II seems
she made practice OF asking her com
panions whether they knew anght Of
the Dalntrees. because she suspected
our guest Of some shameful secret. but
never Of killing Blaydes. and she had
always the thought Of repayIng Claire
the good turn OF which Claire must tel
you. Well. at last-call II chance OF
tate or what ron will-but at last she
hit upon a trail that led 20 the truth
She discovered an old gumekceper who
had actually seen the deed and been
pensIoned TO keep Il secret. but blabbed
Il IN his dotage. Aud then she came Il
Avenue Lodge"
Once his tongue was loosed and II
was seen that the subject excited the
convalescent much less than had beef
feared. s.r. Harding would speak OF II
with apparent freedom. Yet the case
iad aspects which he sedulously shun.
ned. Aud toward the end of the voy.
age he became yislbly troubled and
depressed. but az last one chilly north
ern night. when the western islands
had been left astern. he toos Tom by
the arm. and his hand trenfhied.
"Erlchsen." said he, Il was once
your enemy. | am now your friend
In the near future I am TO be some.
3 thing more. aud I cannot face Il a
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