Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-01-16
6be
|Ro8ue's
March,.

turning his back on his old friend.
"You came out to stop this marriage,
STRIP
Il did. 1t was the only way"
Il congratulate you on arriving in
time. You would have had a murderer
for your son-in-law!!"
Daintree gave a cry. Tom had turn.
ed upon him with flashing eyes.
"How do you know?" cried Harding
in amazement.
II 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 why?"
II know n reason"
$50 do I. but there was another. He's
been hedging matters with his God.
He murdered Blaydes himself"
"Blaydes!'
And Mr.. Harding flung up his hands,
while Daintree sank into a chair as
yellow as a guinea, but with hot eye
balls fixed searchingly upon Tom.
"Your proofs!!" said he hoarsely.
"Your proofs in support of this-mon-
strous-charge!"
81 have clear proof in my pocket"
said Tom to Mr.. Harding as he but
toned up his coat. 81 have the receipt
l gave Blaydes for his watch and
chain!."
Daintree sprang up. He was trem-
bling from head to foot, but his fists
and his teeth were clinched.
''Thief!" he Kissed. "You have bro
ken open my desk! I saved you from
the gallows. You think you'll hound
me there in ~return-you fool, when you
know what l know! What you have
stolen is no proof at all. Migrate, ser
pent, it will only tighten the rope
round your own u%ngrateful neck!"
lie turned on his heel and wrote
something on a card. He rang a 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!!"
cit is really the receipt"
"Undoubtedly, written by Blaydes
and signed by me. 1t 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 crime! But
is that your only evidence?"
ono. l have a witness outside who
all but saw him do it. He did see him
taking the papers from the dead mans
pocket"
"Papers!!' cried Mr.. Harding. His
high color fled and came again. "They
belonged to me. Give them to me,
Erichsen. for Gods sakev!'
Then keep your eye on him, and
you shall have all but the one l may
want. | saw they were letters to you
las Harding's pocket, all but the one
with the receipt upon the back. and be
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 II
open with an evil smile. Next mo.
ment a strange gang entered-two con
SLtpiSSy lux NAT OulllNdu dllu 1GQ
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 tt
her W 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 no
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
ly did the blear eyed, thick Tipped so
repel Peggy, now she saw him agair
and in this condition, that she had tolt
him nothing when Daintree's message
was brought to Mats rooms.
Nat~read it in his shirt sleeves anG
staggered off to achieve a measure O.
outward decency, leaving Peggy in
tol1SC lulllOil. Suc SOulO udfe DG
trayed Tom herself so she still
thought-but the idea Of the master
turning traitor in this way was to hel
intolerable. She had heard the mar
riage was put off, she OWNED some al
sufficient cause, and with the ebbins
Of her last hopes of Tom her first gen
erous good will to him returned. Sht
looked at Ginger and found Gingel
looking at her. At Castle Sullivan ht
had been a furtive admirer. He wa.
an open n nov Nat was in the mex,
room.
"Well. Ginger, an what is it y in
tind to say"
81 shall have to swear to him, though
I'd never have let this out in my sober
senses He saved my life. 1 mean
to save his"
can you will do that same-say yo1
made a mistake. It's his life yell b
swearin' away!"
"But it's true, Peggy!
- -rHyyr - 1--.-- ~