The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-06-02

| balls fixed sea-chingly upon Tom.
"Your proofs. said be hoarsely
your proofs in support Of this-mon
/ strous-charge."
| II have clear proof in ny pocket
| said Tom to Mr.. Harding as he but
| toned up his coat Il have the receipt
/ gave Blaydes for mis- watch and
| chain
Daintree sprang up. He was trem-
bling from head to foot, but his fists
and his teeth We're clinched.
"Thiefn' he Kissed You have bro
ken open ny desk ! saved you from
the galIows You think you'll hound
me there in return-you fool. when you
know what I know! What you have
stolen is no proof at all. Migrate, SER
pent, it will only tighten the rope
round your own ungrateful neck"'
He turned on his heel and wrote
| something on a card. He rang bell,
met the waiter at the door and handed
him what he had written.
THAT may be so.'' said tom to Mich
olas Harding. Il may swing yet, but.
thank God, not for Blaydes!"
1T is really the receipt"
Undoubtedly written by Blaydes
and signed by me. It will clear me OF
that crime if it doesn't convict him. l
don't want to convict him.
The other shrugged his shoulders.
at would be useless. There's mad
ness in his blood as we'll as crimei But
is that your only evidence
mo. | have a witness outside who
all but saw him do it, He did see him
tal-inu he a mo NJ
pocket"
"Papers," cried Mr. Harding. His
high color fed and came again. ''They
belonged to me. Give them to me.
Erickson, for Gods saker'
"Then keep your eye on him, and
you shall have all but the one | may
want. / saw they were letters to YOU
Aud in an instant they Were in Nicho-
las Harding's pocket all but the one
with the receipt upon the back, and he
also buttoned up his coat
Meanwhile Daintree was at the other
end of the long room guarding the
door, and now they saw him fling it
open with an evil smile. Next mo-
ment strange gang entered-two con-
stables. Ginger. Nat Sullivan and Peg
gy O'Brien.
Peggy'S presence is only too easily
explained When her own ears heard
Tom consent to leave the country she
shut her teeth and swore that he
should not. In New South Wales he
should remain though back he went
to the chain gang, but she trusted to
her own testimony to save his neck
So she slipped out of the bungalow
while the master was being dressed,
followed the Fawcetts into Sydney
and went straight to the Pulteney ho-
tel to tell Nat Sullivan the truth about
Tom. She found that worthy in his
usual state when in town Ginger
complained that there was no doing
anything with him. And so powerful
Iy did the blear eyed. thick Tipped sot
repeI Peggy. now she saw him again
and in this condition, that she had told
him nothing when Daintree's MESA re
was brought to Mats rooms.
Nat read it i'll his shirt sleeves and
staggered off to achieve a measure of
outward decency, leaving Peggy in a
strange turmoil She could have be-
trayed Tom herself - so she still
thought-but the idea of the master
turning traitor in this way was to her
intolerable. She had heard the mar
rage was put off, she OWNED some all
sufficient cause. and with the ebbing
of her last hopes of Tom her first gen
erous good will TO him returned She
looked at Ginger and found Ginger
looking at her. At Castle Sullivan he
had been q furtive admirer. He was
an open one now Nat was in the next
room.
Wen, Ginger, an what is it y in
tind to say
II shall have to swear to him. though
I'd never have let this out in my sober
senses. He saved my life meant
TO save his
An you will DO that same-say you
made a mistake It's his life yen be
swearin' away
But it's true. Peggy
An it's meself'Ii be thruer still,
Ginger darlin'. if you will but say the
word an do By Tom as he did by your
She had not thought of it before. It
was a sudden inspiration Of the quick
Irish brain, Il suddee. impulse of the
warm Irish heart When Nat came in
with wet hair plasterel over his thick
skull. the coal black head and the fiery
heard were far enough apart But ii
had not been so during every minute
Of his absence. And a prettv fasco
awaited him in the ballroom
Led up 70 Erickson. the overseer
SHOOK his head.
NO. 'tsaia lie. ."Tbe bushrangar was
inches taller. I can't swear to hiua
after all
Not swear to him. roared Mr.. Nat
why. yon took your oath he was the
man.
Not swear 10 him = said Daintrae
stepping forward. Happily, my good
fellow
But Toms eye was on him, and the
police were in the room.
TRY the girl said one constable.
"Gin-er is right" said Peggy prompt
II Its a taller man he was entirely"
But you're looking at his feetn'
Peggy raised her eyes. and calmly
and coldly they met Toms for the last
time.
Nc" said She This Is not the man
at all