The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-09-18

9o9
 I succeeded in entering and discover
 ing the actual parchment records from which he had prepared his deadly con-
 which MT. Ralston discovered in my
 possession on the very night that I,
 with the assistance of a friend who Is
 chemist. IS trying as an interesting
 experiment to prepare some of the
 poison. You ask the reason I did this?
 Well. I will tell you. Earlier that
 evening I had received a surprise visit from the fair Lydia, who wanted my
 motor car to take her down to St. AL
 bans. Upon my writing table there
 stood silver bowl of roses, and after
 she had gone by mere chance placed
 them upon the floor while I spread out
 upon the table a big map which I wanted to examine. Scarcely had I
 done so when my Irish terrier Tim entered the room, sniffed them in | quisitively. and few moments later | rofed over upon the floor, dead. The
 woman knew how fond I ana of roses and those flowers had been prepared |
 bard had ascertained that I held the | letter written to me by the unfortu-
 nate Marie Lebas just before her death.
 and had therefore resolved that I should die in the same secret manner, and so preserve their secret!''
 And what of this man Branchini?' I inquired of Garshore
 '.He knows that discovered these discriminating parchments in his rooms. | that I hold the letter of Marie Lebas | denouncing him. and that I have dis covered their dastardly plot against
 myself. see!"
 And he took from his pocket copy of that days newspaper and pointed to a brief paragra ph, which stated that an unknown man, presumably a foreigner. had on the previous evening at Richmond station thrown himself beneath a train and been killed-a case | of deliberate. suicide.
 And Lydia?" Granny inquired "She's already abroad" was Gar shores answer. Left London yester- day. I believe. in fear of our venge- ance." | few moments later Granny Cough and the man who had been his bitter l est enemy were standing in friendly hand-grasp. while I was thanking the l man Winch from the bottom of my heart A
 There have been many happenings
 since that well remembered day at the Station Hotel in York.
 I Garshore and Winch, both crooks, who feared to remain longer in England, having received our assurances of l secrecy. crossed to Paris on the fol-
 lowing day. and there still remain By | the concession given him by Soutzo
 the former is now rendered independ- ent of the necessity of leading a dis
 honest life. As regards Winch I know
 but little. 4t Two months ago Granny and his lit- tie adopted daughter Gertie were walk l ing with me along the Kings road at Brighton. when page boy came out l of the Grand Hotel. where we were
 stopping. and handed my friend a l telegram. A
 It was from Myra. to announce the | tragic death of her father. who had been thrown from his horse and killed
 that morning while hunting with Lord Middleton's hounds. The direct result
 of his unfortunate circumstance was that Myra has inherited the greater Itpart of MT. Stapleton's fortune, and 1 there is now no bar to Granny's mar | riage with the woman who reposed in
 him the most complete and unshaken
 confidence all through those black days
 of suspicion and despair. The dear
 old fellow still smokes his pet Bogda- l non necessarily. and still reads the
 philosophy of his constant companion,
 Friedrich Nietzsche.
 The story of my own love you, of course. know-or at least you have aI-
 ready gathered it--a love that is bliss full. peaceful, all-absorbing.
 l As my pen traces these final lines of
 a strange. eventful chapter of a lone- some wanderers life story. a small soft hand has stolen into mine. while ! a pair of dark, unfathomable eyes, in
 which all the passion of love is mir l rored. are gazing into my own. She
 who stands at my side is Elfrida, my I wife,
 Say that we are perfectly happy" | she exclaims. a sweet smile of supreme
 contentment upon her lips. as one hand | softly smooths my brow. "It is all-
 sufficient, dearest, that we love each | other so fondly and so we'll" she adds s@Fhe grim past is now dead and for gotten. and present is the sunshine of l life. therefore say no more. Forgive everything. dearest. and only write THE END."