Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1909-07-15

ward the grim stone that stood senu
mel by the Cross Ways, where an evl
life had come to an evil end.
How often Stephen Ruthen had 10
traversed that road in his thoughts
waking and sleeping! It was bright
spring day; the hedgerows were
green, the trees almost In full Leaf;
but this man never thought Of the
place now except - he had seen 1t on
that wild, snowy night when this
monolith had flung its deep shadow
like a pointing finger, across the
white, wintry roadway at a figure ~
ing there with the last darkness seal
ing its eyes, figure In whose stin.
ened clutch was playingcard, blot
Of crimson against the white paste
board and the winter snow-a mark.
ed ace of hearts, that was like the
undecipherable key to riddle no
man could read. And even now, on
this spring day. with the birds twft-
tering cheerfully on hedgerow and
bough, the horror of the place-the
atmosphere of dread that seems
strangely to linger like tangible, in
visible presence about the scene OF
an evil deed-struck upon Stephen
Ruthen like . child in the broad sun
light.
Down one Of the roads that radiat-
ed from the sentinel stone stood tho
small house. shattered and empty
now. that In Philip Hume's lifetime
had been occupied by Bonholt and his
man, Matthew Bland: the only other
house In sight was the great rambling
old place, shut In by wide grounds and
trees. where the man who was dead
had lived
Stephen had only once been within
those walls since Bonholt had become
it's master; he had noticed then the
blank space on the wall where hung
the portrait that the new tenant had
caused to be removed.
The rector thought of 1t now as he
passed the Hall-another seed of
suspicion to terminate among that
swift growth Of suspicion filling his
mind. Bonholt Hume protested to
have regarded the man who was dead
almost as a son; but he had shrunk
from looking on the white, still face
had shrunk from being confronted by
that pictured face from the wall.
More than ever 1t was his duty to
inform the police what he could tell
them about the revolver-that belated
confession which should have been
made long ago, which yesterday he
had at last determined to make as
soon as he had seen Olive and &C.
quainted her of his intention.
He had kept silent so long for the
sake of the woman he had once
loved; he would keep silent little
longer till he had seen her, warned
her, questioned her. He would find
out Anthony Strangways' address to-
day and write to him at once, de-
manding information respecting Olive
Vanstone. No time should be lost.
And Strangways must tell him. I'm
til his confess on had Leen made he
would rot know a r2oment's per 20.
AS he was allsjrg along the sound
of wheels made him turn.
1t was the chief inspector CT police
driving away from the Hail. The
rector paused, and rs the man ap-
preached him he put question:
Perhaps have no right to ask, in
spector--but has Mr. Hume made up
his mind whether 1t is his revolver or
not?'
Yes, it's his revolver; Mr.. Hume
admits now that it must be his" said
the inspector, In a non-committal
tone.
But even before that first shaking
denial Of Bonholt Hume's the rector
had known that the revolver was his
the revolver that in some inexplica-
BILE way Hume had learned was in his,
Stephen Ruthen's, possession.
He walked back to the rectory. He
found Hilda in restlessly excited
mood after the news of Jack Lathom.
The white, troubled face struck at
him like q reproach.
- A.