Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1908-07-03

with you yet have only told you
the lightest part of 1t. After falling
| to gouge money out OF me you hold
conversation with a suspicious charac-
ter and acknowledge that you told a
lie concerning it. Next you disappear
claiming to go to New York at q time
when no trains were running. For
, the present we'll accept the story Of
the freight, but can look that part up
later. In the meantime, white you
are In New York. of course your cock
eyed friend drops In on Restmore at 3
o'clock In the morning. Her
watches In the billiard room while
pal slips through the open window of
the library, opens Mr. Renwycks safe
and drifts away with cool hundred
and fifty thousand dollars worth of
diamonds. Question is, Who was the
pal? l don't happen to be either de-
tective or fool, but have my own
ideas. Mr.. Renwyck is coming out
here presently with a couple of what
you call 'bobbies.' | believe. | shah
tell him everything about both of u.s.
and never did the humiliation of his
position so enter into Richards soul
as when he had to class himself with
that miserable travesty of mankind
"but l have an idea that you win
shortly represent an expression used
both here and in England. which is
to say, Collected Bills Am l clear:'
AS Richard forged this chain Of evil
dence link by link the Wallets terror be-
came pitifu to behold. His eyeballs
almost started from his head, while his
putty-like complexion paled to an ashy
gray. His slim hands shook, his weak
| legs quivered under him. till at last
he collapsed and sank upon his knees.
| MY Gawd. Mr. Williams, sir" he
gasped. you don't believe done it,
do you? Honest, sir, | was in Moo
York! wy, 1t don't stand to reason,
sir, that I'd come back ere immejiuy
If I'd done it Deed, sir, it don't
stand to any sort O. reason"
at does" flashed Richard. You
thought I'd swallow that cock and
bull story of yours and be grateful for
the dose, Why, you fool, the pill is as
big as football. Well drop abSurdi-
ty now and get down to business Can
you get those diamonds back?'
In vain Bills groveled at his mas
ter's feet protesting his innocence with
sobs and tears. 1t was no use. The
evidence against him was too clear,
and, while Richard himself was the
real culprit in allowing the man to re-
main at Restmore at all. still, If he
ever hoped to recover the stolen prop
erty, he must hold on like grim death
to the bird In hand.
| He put poor Bills through sort of
third degree, but without results fur
Their than copious tears and more copi-
GUS protestations. Finally. his patience
exhausted utterly. he took the terrified
valet by the collar and dragged him to
the door of the bathroom.
go in there-' he commanded in q
low, tense tone, which was far more
terrible to Bills than any shout he had
ever heard. go in, l say, ana stay
there until l come for you. If you try
to escape. by heaven. I'll kill you! 1t
isn't joke this time It's the word Of
a gentleman from Texas
1
told the truth. so he sank down upon
the bare. cold tiles. where he lay in
limp distraction until such a time as
the terrible Texan came to pronounce
his doom.
Richard saw that the bathroom win
dow was far too small to edmit of the
mans escape. Then he closed and
locked the door, placed the back Of a
chair beneath the knob and went
downstairs. In the lower hall he en-
countered Mr.. Van der Awe. whose
mournful cast of countenance seemed
but a foretaste of what fate had in
store for him.
BEG pardon. Lord Croyland." said
that sad young gentleman. with a
faint wan smile, "can you tell me
what happens to be the matter with
Miss ChittendonT'
Yes" snapped Richard. "She's got
the colywobbles. I've got 'em, too, so
look OUT
The Texan crossed the lawn and
flung himself upon an iron bench. Then
he took his aching head between his
hands and cursed the English aristoc-
cracy from Alfred straight down the
glittering line to certain noble earl
who reposed in peace in comfortable
modern hospital with only broken
bone or two to cause hiyn misery.
20 Lord" he groaned. THE course
Of true loye never did run smooth, but
need 1t ride forever on a flea bitten.
bucking bronchoT'