Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-12-28

the RlOT US news. buI we NUS DC
quick about it, as you'll nev to see
the guv'nor."
He went into the cabin and brought
out the AK which had been found on
the ground beside the body. It's a
quar- one, amt it. miss? An do We
recollect it didn't hev no handle: |
wonder wot become of it?' He laugh
ed slyly. Il guess Jack must ha'
buried it. But, do you know, miss. i
suspicion that this here Ak be half
as old as l am? Come, wanter show
you the tree. Ever since poor PhiPs
death I've cussed an swore at that
tree. Time an agin I've gone out
thar to chop the critter down. an time
an ag'in / couldn't. Suthin' allus
seemed to hold me back. I'm mighty
glad now that suthin' did"
Bill showed Clare his find Fiji
teen minutes later the overjoyed young
woman rode down to the village. Sc
1ured camera; then. returning TO the
forest, took a picture of the tree. or,
rather, of one particular part of it.
That afternoon she stood In the pres
ence Of his excellency the governor Of
the state.
Governor" she began quietly. next
week is the time set for John Law
rence's execution. I'm here to ask
you for a pardon"
"You don't ask much" his excellency
answered dryly.
Governor" she continued, smiling.
''you are familiar with the details of
Mr. Hastings death. i ask you to
keep in mind now four points especial
ly-there was a thunderstorm raging
at the time, he was standing under n
tree, the tree was struck by lightning.
and be was struck with an Ak"
His exceilency looked bored. Go on"
She opened her satchel and took out
the photograph plate and the ak.
There, sir, is the ak. AS you see, it's
a very fine steel one of an odd shape
and size. and IL you look down in this
corner you'll find it was made in Ger
many as long ago as 1869. The ak,
then, is thirty nine years old The tree
is a number Of years older. Now, this
plate shows the part Of the tree that
was struck by lightning-the forks. so
called. or the point where the upper
part of the trunk divides into two
limbs. The lightning struck the forks,
and they split open. Look closely at
the plate and you'll see a depression
in the wood where the lightning
struck, a depression of the exact shape
of this Ak. And right here is the ex-
PLANTATION of the mystery of Philip Has
tings' death. This ak was stuck into
the tree between twenty and twenty
five years ago by some woodman. He
might have done it for several reasons
to mark the tree. to put the ak IN
safe and convenient place. or ii might
have been merely an act of careless
ness. Be that as it may. woodmen often
do such things. The ak was thrust
into this tree. the handle Ioosening and
coming off, The man who did it must
have forgotten IL or gone away unex-
pectedly. as II was left in the tree.
How do / know that this happened be-
tween twenty and twenty-five years
ago? | simply compare the age of the
AK with the probable age Of the tree.
The ak was thrust into the tree. and IL
remained there. AS the tree grew the
bark gradually covered the ak. and the
ak rose higher and higher with the
tree" She looked ut the governor
with quiet assurance. Now. sir, these
facts speak for themselves. The light
ming struck the forks of the tree. the
tree split open. and the Ak fell out.
Unfortunately Philip Hastings happen
ed to be standing directly under it. and
it struck him. crushing in his head.
Your excellency, l ask at least re-
prieve."
The reprieve was granted. The next
day the governor went to Black noun
tain to make personal investigation.
There stood the split tree. and there in
the forks was a distinct depression
into which the AK fitted perfectly.