Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-02-07

street next minute, then into George
street.-the whip whistling. wheel on
the curb at every corner, pedestrians
flying and constables challenging, and
so up Charlotte place to the church
The clock on the round ,castellated
tower made it 11:24-time yet If they
had waited for the ring. But there
were no carriages outside, and Toms
heart stopped as he saw a woman
emerge and lock the church door.
as the marriage over" he screamed
There's no marriage this morning
It's put Off"
"Sor the. ring?"
"No, for the bride; she never Gamer
"Never came?"
But the woman had been robbed OF
her fees, aud the loss involved that OF
her temper. Better go to the Pulte-
ney hotel if you want to know more
said she, and four wheels would have
locked in the mad whirl with which
Tom turned curricle and horses.
Over the bridge to O'Connell street
A vehicle was ahead Of them at the
Pulteney. A waiter spoke to the oc-
cupants. and it drove off without one
Of them getting out Meanwhile Tom
had seen the Fawcetts in the gaping
crowd outside, had left them on guard
over the curricle and Wyeth and him
self rushed into the hotel.
s'There's no wedding. The guests are
being sent away" said waiter, stand
ing in his path.
"Where's Mr.. DaintreeW
"ln the ballroom, but there's a gen.
tleman"--
Tom hurled him on one side and was
In the ballroom himself next instant.
1t was q spacious saloon, the best IN
Sydney at that time, and the first
thing Tom saw was the long table with
the vista of silver and glass leading to
a snowclad mountain of a wedding
cake ut the far end. The chairs were
empty. the table uncovered, and only
two men were In the room, the bride
groom in his marriage garments and
person of equal stature In top boots
and a pea jacket, whose face Tom
could moi see. Next moment Nicholas
Harding turned his head. twas to
him Daintree had drunk in the gray
dawn that seemed year ago.
The ruddy hair was shot with silver,
the massive face refined by suffering.
lie had aged ten years in eighteen
months.
Tom went straight to his old enemy,
turning his back on his old friend.
"You came out to stop this marriage,
STRIP
81 Gid. 1t was the only way"
II congratulate you on arriving III
time. You would have had q murderer
for your son-in-law!"
Daintree gave cry. Tom had turn
ed upon him with flashing eyes.
"How do you known cried Harding
III amazement.
81 will tell you. This man has been
my best friend. He paid for my de-
Tense, and he took me away from the
iron gang. Do you know whyF
81 know one reason"
$50 do !, but there was another. Hes
been hedging matters with his God.
He murdered Blaydes himself"
"Blaydes!'
And Mr.. Harding flung up his hands,
while Daintree sank into q chair as
yellow as a guinea, but with hot eye
balls fixed searchingly upon Tom.
"Your proofsp said he hoarsely.
"Your proofs in support of this-mon-
81 have clear proof In my pocket"
said Tom to Mr.. Harding as he but
toned up his coat. II have the receipt
1 gave Blaydes for his watch and
chainw
Daintree sprang up. He was trem-
bling from head to foot, but his fists
and his teeth were clinched.
"Thiefr he Kissed. "You have bro
ken open my desk! / saved you from
the gallows You think you'll hound
me there in return-you fool, when you
know what | 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 OH his heel and wrote
something Oh a card. He rang a bell,
met the waiter at the door and handed
him what he had written. I
"That may be so,' said Tom to Mich
olas Harding. II may swing yet. but
thank God, not for Blaydes"
at is really the receiptF
Undoubtedly, written by Blaydes
and signed by me. 1t will clear me OF
that crime If 1t 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 well as crime! But
Is that your only evidence"
mo. l have a witness outside VINO
all but saw him do it. He did see him
taking the papers from the dead mans
pocket"
"Papersp cried Mr.. Harding. His
high color fed and came again. "They
belonged to me. Give them to me,
Erickson, for Gods sake!'
'Then keep your eye on him, and
you shall have all but the one may
want. saw they were letters to you"
And 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.
Meonwbla Daintree was at the other