Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1908-01-24

nor to his miserable valet, and by 10
o'clock the one was helping the other
into his wedding garments. A few
minutes before the hour the coach ar
rived which was to take the bride
groom In state to church. 4 few min
utes after man was observed rowing
IN the bay, and Daintree insisted on
taking Il look at him through his spy
glass. Evidently the rover saw him,
for he shot out Of sight behind a head
land, but not before Daintree had
brought his telescope to bear upon the
rover, and now the glass joggled be-
tween fingers which seemed smitten
with the ague.
THAT was the man," whispered
Daintree, "and he's after me still. IL
didn't mind last night. l suppose 1t
takes less to turn one queer on ones
wedding morning." He was struggling
IN vain against some growing terror.
Brandy. man. brandy!" he gasped and
subsidized in q chair.
Tom rushed downstairs for the de-
canter and, returning. found the terri
fed man fumbling with his pocket pis.
toll. He tossed OF the spirit and hand.
ed the pistol to Tom.
There" said he, better withdraw
and reload to make sure. Stop. give It
back" He snatched the pistol and
fred excitedly through the open WIN
dow. '"Thatll show him I'm armed"
he cried NOW load up again.
he seemed beside himself with ex.
element. Tom went out without o
word and on his return handed back
tho pocket pistol. Daintree cooked 1t
and felt the trigger.
1--WE good mind to fire through the
window again." he snarled, ito see II
you have loaded 1t, but I'll trust you.
Thomas. You're the one man In this
world do trust. And now put on your
hat and come in with me to Sydney"
Tom drew back. This was not In the
programme. On the contrary, he was
to stay and mind the house.
On the house" cried Daintree
THE girl can look after the house.
Your place Is at your masters side or
else you are the foulest migrate In New
South Wales! But you are. I have al
ways known you were. You have only
waited for this hour to turn and rend
mel"
"You are wrong" said Tom grimly.
Il do not leave your side again." for
the man must be mad, and Tom no
longer shirked the ceremony, but for
one instant had a mad DESIGN himself:
the next, his right hand vas warmly
held.
THANK Godw cried Daintree In q
breaking voice. II knew you didn't
mean 1t. No more did I mean any
thing I said. Forgive me, Thomas,
and don't desert me at the last
And Toms heart sank as Il once
more softened to the man who was not
mad, but only unstrung. and again he
longed to eschew the church, but he
kept his word. and fortune was yet to
prove his friend. A mile they had
driven when a loud cry broke from
Daintree. In his agitation he had for.
gotten the ring. He burst into tears
at the discovery.
'Never mind! Never mindv" cried
Tom in his Oldest role. I'VE con turn
back. What isn't there time? No, I
know 1t would never do to keep her
waiting. Then look here, I'll run back
and gallop In again on your horse.
I'll be there almost Us soon rs you,
and the ring isn't wanted till quite
the end"
Daintree thanked him through his
tears-the first Tom had ever seen in
those fiery eyes-and he sped back
strangely touched, but strangely COM
forted too. at least he loved her! The
man might be egotistical and vain and
overbearing, oil three to the verge Of
lunacy, but that he was marrying for
sheer love was even more palpable
than 1t had been before. Tears In
those eyes! Tears ut the thought Of
losing her for one more day! Then
God grant that with Claire at least
he might be unselflsh, meek and gen.
tie. though an egotist, a c0xcOmb and
. tyrant to all the world beside!
So praying as he ran, forgetful Of his
own debt to Daintree-fOr the moment
self forgetting altogether-Tom was at
the bungalow gate In time that would
not have shamed the bridegroom in his
athletic youth. And in the very gate
way he stopped dead. He had caught
a glimpse Of ragged coattails disap-
pearing through the study windows.
A crazy skiff lay hauled up on the
strand.
Tom kicked of his shoes. He made
no sound on the veranda, but he vast
ed some seconds, and heard two draw
ers burst open as he crept nearer and
nearer. He was totally unarmed; his
one chance lay in taking the thief by
surprise.
The veranda on this side was In deep
shadow all the morning. In the cool
dusk Of the study a masked man was
rifing drawer after drawer and tossing
the contents right and left The floor
was strewn with papers as Tom leaped
across 1t and hurled himself upsp the
thief. They crashed to the ground To-
oSeASAs AhV Ahoh hCuu N006hS
corner Of the bookshelf. and he lay So
pine, with q mouthful Of crumbling
teeth grinning horribly below the mask.
His nerveless fingers still clutched q
packet Of blush letters half torn from
their wrapper. Tom took them from
him and rose up painting A moment
later they might have heard his shout
at Piper's point
All but one letter had slipped from
his trembling hand. On the back Of
that letter few lines had been serawl-
cd with lead pencil.
1t was the receipt.
Penciled by Blaydes on the back Of q
letter. signed by Tom in the moonlit
Hampstead fields and taken by the
murderer from his victims person, It
was neither more nor less than the
missing document whose production
would have acquitted Erichsen at the,