Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1909-07-15
Through a
WOr1an'S Heart.
By Sidney Warwick.
BY Sidney Warwick.
CHAPTER XxxI.-(Continued.)

said Hilda, in low, not quite stead.
tones, with warmth she had no
shown him since his implied accuse
ton of Jack Lathom weeks ago. The
girls voice suddenly faltered ant
broke; she turned to hide the uncon
trollable emotion that had swept over
her and walked quickly away, leaving
her brother and Mr.. Hume together
as the inspector from Fellsgarth Pc
lice station came up.
81 hope you will pardon my inter
rupting you, gentlemen the inspect
or said, with a salute, "but | have jus1
come from your house, Mr.. Hume.
heard you had returned home, and
drove over expressly to see you this
afternoon. No need for you to rur
away, sir" he added, parenthetically
to the rector. 1.-THE fact is, Mr.. Hume
[ want to ask you-'
The inspector paused abruptly; the
faint sound of a small object shiverine
to atoms on the pavement arrested
his words.
Mr.. Hume had been smoking 6
cigarette through a mouthpiece; his
teeth had suddenly closed with SNAP
on the amber, biting through it; the
broken holder fell to the ground. Bon
holt Hume's face, drawn with a dis
composure that at first he was beyond
power of controlling, had gone blood
less to the lips; his eyes were staring
as if fascinated by it, at something
that the inspector had, whilst speak
ing, taken from his pocket.
1t was the revolver that the iron
teeth of the drags had brought W
from the bed of the river
At the sound Of the tinkling crash
the inspector glanced up from the re-
volver he was handling to Mr. Hume
and probably attributed the startled
expression on the elderly mans face
to the accident. But, if so, the rector
knew better. Stephen Ruthen had
seen the strange look of fear flash into
Bonholt's face, driving out every
vestige of color, at the instant the po'
lice officer produced the weapon-fear
Enthusiastically caused by the sight OF
the revolver which the rector at least
knew for the weapon that had carried
death to Philip Hume-and the vague
suspicious that Stephen Ruthen had
tried to fight against were back with
a rush in his mind, UNNECESSARILY
deepened.
Nov that's unfortunate, Mr..
Hume" said the inspector, in respect
ful coincidence, looking at the splinter
ed fragments of amber; and Bonholt
Hume, pulling himself together with
an effort from the momentary agita-
ton that from some cause seemed to
have swept over him, stopped down
with a forced laugh
Eyes; 1 don't know how I managed
to do it. That's the worst Of d brittle
thing like amber
"And too badly broken to be mend
ed, I'm afraid. But this revolver
wanted to ask you if you recognize it,
sir" said the inspector, holding out
the weapon toward him.
Mr.. Hume seemed to shrink back
from it, as though averse from even
touching it.
'T-I- What should I know of
it," His tones were shaking and
strained, utterly unlike his natural
voice.
ct was dragged from the river yes
terday. Mr.. Hume. We have had in
formation that it belonged to you.
And your servant, Matthew Bland,
told me-
Matthew Bland! What did lie tell
your" There seemed to be feverlsh
excitement behind the startled ques-
ton that, as if involuntarily, broke
from Mr.. Hume.
The inspector looked surprised at
the speakers manner.
"Oh, he declared unhesitatingly that
the revolver was yours. 1t was found
In the river yesterday; it was loaded
in five chambers; one chamber had
been discharged. Not only does the
bullet that killed Mr.. Philip Hume
correspond with the bullets in the 9th,
er five cartridges, but it looks uncom
been found in the river"
But you don't mean Bonholt
Hume checked himself suddenly; the
Dallor of his face was marked, AND
there was a nervous vehemence in his
words. even If the revolver were
mine-and that's impossible - what
could it have to Go with Philip Hume's
death? It's ridiculous, utterly rldlcu
lousi It has already been shown thai
1t was Lathom's revolver that killec
nv nephew-the revolver he was
proved to have carried chat night
why. you compared a bullet from the
cartridges it took with the bullet tax
en- from the dead man. And since you
know 1t was Lathom's revolver tina
-
"Rut that's what we don't know,
said the inspector, dryly. He coule
not quite understand Mr.. Hume's ex
cited vehemence, and his professional
dignity was little piqued. The hnd
ing of this revolver has a suspicion:
look. and may put different complex
ion on the whole case. One chamber
discharged-andt the owners OF cost!
toys like this don't as a rule drol
them into river without very goot
reason. Odd that two persons snoul'
have thought they recognized it a.
being your revolver. Then you sa,
that it is not yours, Mr.. Hume?"
Bonholt Hume's lips were still col
orless, but he tried to speak with
careless lightness. To Stephen Ruth
en-, standing by without a wore
watching the man, and with that sus
n;cion doananine deenening. momen