Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-06

victed, save In an orderly and lawful
manner. and to see that you go free. if
they can't convict you in that way. Now
If I've succeeded in pulling you out OF
the morass of sentiment, I'll be obliged
to you to get on the solid ground of fact,
and tell me how and why you did 1t. Why
you haven't told me before l understand.
SO please skip that and go ahead with
what's important"
1T was during the two hours that have
easy about fathers being alone in the
house with John Aitenburg. II by any
chance Altenburg discovered him, or he
should get tired of waiting, or SO abb
sorbed in the prospect of facing Alien
burg as not to be able to wait until l
came. 1 knew there'd be trouble and I'd
never forgive myself. So | galloped over.
left my horse in the woods and went to
the house got In by the rear door and
found my fears confirmed. for father was
not there. Then. without hesitation. l
started for Altenburg's rooms. coming
out of the sitting room into the entry
way. 1 heard loud voices in the room
and my first. thought was that father was
there. Then 1 knew the second man to
be French Canadian. and l paused
while they finished their dispute. When
the second man went out through the
kitchen / turned to go back to my room.
struck my foot against something that
made noise and in an instant Alien
burg was on me. what! You here!
he exclaimed, as soon as he recognized
me. Haven't I forbade you this house!
Yes I staid, turning on him, but as
long as my mother has rights here. your
forbidding me or not won't count for any
thing Where is my father?
He laughed. In the insane asylum,
he said, where 'twould be good thing
| II the whole lot OF you were
"Then I lost my head and said: He
! was here last night and up to two hours
| ago. Where Is he now
".Here!' he gasped You're liar! He
couldn't have been here; He's where l
| told you. He don't dare leave there
Instantly I stepped nearer to him and
he retreated Thus. step by step, we
gained the other room and the door
swung to behind us. He sprang to his
desk and seized the iron ruler.
Come step nearer. he yelled, and
| I'll brain you with this.
II want to know where my father is.
said again. He spent the night in
there. What's become Of him.: .,.
slept under this roof! Oh, God.'
HE raised his arm and I thought he
was going to attack me. whereupon
sprang forward and seized the ruler,
wrenching it from his hand. At that he
sprang for the telephone, evidently to
call assistance. That meant ruin, unless
could find my father first and get him
away / struck at his arm with the
ruler just as he turned. The blow came
/
1 was horror-struck. for l had only
/ thought to disable him, SO that he could
not use the instrument. l threw down the
ruler and knelt to examine the wound
Just then I heard some one coming.
dared not stay, but leaped to my feet
rushed through the entryway to the sit
ting room and locked the door. OF
| course, l ought to have waited, at least
long enough to find out II it was my
father, but I own up that a sort of panic
| took possession of me. I hurried to the
rear entrance. reached the woods and my
horse and galloped back to Melton farm.
| He ceased speaking, and Beckwith sat
! for full minute watching him. and ap-
parently studying him and the story
Then he said, rather to himself than to
! Calden:
Then it must have been you with AL
tenburg when Grimbleshaw was at the
| house.
when Grimbleshaw was at the house. .
repeated Calden. when was he there?
| "A few minutes after hah-past six. as
near as we can make out. He had an
appointment, or halfway appointment
| with Altenburg and went through the
| woods to keep 1t, but on approaching the
| house he found that there were two men
| in the room, one besides Altenburg, and
The came away without going in"
| Calden leaned forward eagerly.
who says he came away without going
| in? How do you know he didn't go In
first? Who saw him."
| "He says he came away without going
| In. Besides, IL he had gone in he'd have
found Altenburg, for you had already
struck him.
That's so.'' said Calden, relaxing his
strained attitude. "All the same. I'd like
to know just what he did do. There