The Green Forest tribune., 1909-01-15

| ing, and they are in 8 great hurry. | He found that it was his office-maid at the other end, who said that MT. William Marsh had telephoned from his fathers house, asking that Dr. Furniyall come there at once, drop ping everything else, as his brother Everett was in a dying condition, and it was hoped that he could be made to speak before his death and save the family name. Within ten minutes Dr. Furnivall arrived there, to find that the wounded man had been shot twice instead of once only, the other bullet having entered the abdomen. It was this wound that had taken fatal turn, and the moment that the physi- clans practiced eye fell upon the vic tim's features he knew that his very minutes were numbered. But he saw something more "Ah!" he breathed, i after one long, earnest scrutiny of the eyes, hands and conformation of the head. He looked at the brothers. Well, it's the only way out of it. he said to himself, "and 1t will stop all further annoyance of anybody else" Then removing his spectacles he held the sick mans eyes with his own and asked:
 MT. Marsh, who shot you and your father?"
 A slow, wan smile came into the pallid face, and with slight shake of the head the dying man replied:
 Nobody will find that out from mel |
 You realize, do you, that the odium of this crime will always cling to your family, unless you name the guilty person."
 "No," he said, quickly, mot so, foT nothing can be proved-and-and-
 His eyes, fixed on the doctors, at first glared wildly, then look of sur prise passed into them, which yielded almost immediately to an expression of deep peace. A sigh parted the gray lips, his form relaxed from the ner vous tension to which it evidently had been strained, light as of perfect content spread over his face, and then he continued in monotonous tone, as if it were matter of no couse- quence:
 q shot father, and then myself"
 The brothers gave an incredulous cry.
 He is out of his head!" gasped Will liam. Why, the thing is absolutely impossible"
 Its an outrage to make a man" on imperturbably, holding the calm eyes with his own.
 Why did you do it?"
 'I loved my father, and could not bear to see him made fool of. He had paid woman $50.000 to promise to marry him, and she cared nothing for him-despised him in fact, and would have humiliated him to death. ofen remonstrated with him. talking for hours, but it was of no use he would not listen-the first time he ever refused my counsel in my life. I knew she must be schemer, or she never would have entered into such contract, and told him that if he would put watch upon her he would find that she was giving the price of his foolishness to some other lover. This reused his jealousy, and he sent for detective. But thinking it all over came to the conclusion that the best way would be to end it all at once, so that neither of us need have any more trouble forever. So bought a revolver and shot him, and then shot myself twice, for wished to go to the dark shore with him and look after him there, as have always done here Poor old man! He is nearly out of all his perplexities now. for l shall soon be with him. But of course I would not confess, because I would not place the burden Of being brothers to known murderer on William and Hen, ry. 1 tore off my watch, and strewed the papers ill the safe around to give the impression of robbery"
 He ceased speaking, and as the brothers stood sobbing the death rat tie came into his throat
 He was delusionaI paranoiac, wasn't he?" whispered the attending physician to Dr. Furnivall
 "Yes-with hallucinatory confusion He was born insane. The wonderful thing is that though he carried the stamp of his disease on his face he has lived all these years among men without their finding it out
 Copyright. 1908. by w C. Chapman.)
 Copyright in Great Britain.)