Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1909-08-12

| should have belonged to him. How
was it discovered that it was his?"
Stephen told Lathom how the wea
| pom had lain for weeks in the drawer
of his writing table; that at last he
had thrown it into the river. Of the
suspicious interest that the man he
now knew to have been the owner OF
the revolver had manifested in that
| locked drawer, the rector did not
speak. When he made his statement
to the police, it would be his duty to
tell them; but no good purpose could
be served by telling it now.
$50 it seems after all, Ruthen, that
though you suppressed these facts, it
would hardly have cleared me if you
had made a clean breast of every
| thing" Lathom said at last, looking
at the rector's face 1t was almost
lost in the shadow, but Lathom saw
that there was an agony of shame and
remorse written there.
| 'Jack!" cried Hilda, swiftly-"but
won't this discovery about the revol-
yer clear you of suspicionS"
He shook his head
I'm afraid not, though no doubt it
will help my case. You see, if Miss
Vanstone came upon Hume lying dead,
we have still to discover who his as
sassin was. Probably the police, who
| don't like to be proved wrong, will
persist that | was the guilty man;
possibly their line of argument now
will be that Bonholt Hume's revolver
was in Philips Professionalism
wrested it from him in a struggle
and shot him. Still, Ruthen, you will
| tell them what you knoW?"
Eyes; I have only waited that l
might see Miss Vanstone. 1t seems
only fair to her that I should tell her
how found her on the scene of
the tragedy, and warn her of my in
tention Tomorrow l go to London
to see her; then Immediately l shall
tell the police all | know"
"Odd that it should be Bonholt
Hume's revolver" Lathom said,
thoughtfully. eff it wasn't that we
know how devoted Bonholt was to the
dead mani" He did not finish the
sentence. Suddenly, on an impulse,
he held out his hand to Stephen.
'Ruthen," he went on, quietly, less
than five minutes ago l thought 1
should never touch your hand again;
only-well, think I understand how
you must have felt. Il don't know
that l shouldn't have acted just the
same if had been in your place"
Stephen took the outstretched hand;
he could not speak-something caught
in his throat. Kilda still stood aloof,
with hostile eyes. She could not for
give her brother so easily, and some
thing of her feelings Lathom OWNED
from her face. Still holding Stephens
hand in his, he held out his other hand
to Hilda in the deepening dusk of the
rOom-and in the shadows he joined
their two hands together.
They had almost forgotten the pres
ence of the blind man, who had stood
a silent listener throughout the rec
tors confession. He was the first to
break the silence now.
"Harki What's tnat?"
The window of the drawing
at the back of the house, framed a
vista of the dim garden, from which
the blind mans quick ears had sud-
denly caught the sound of cautious
footstep. The next moment figure
appeared outside the window, and
To- 70 h;c+1a
tits Freddy Thornton!" cried La,
thom; he felt a little surprised that
Thornton should have made his ap-
pearance in this fashion, almost as
though he had known that the fugitive
was here in this room. what luck
night"
Lathom went out quickly to open
the garden door to admit his friend;
it was several minutes before he came
back into the room with Thornton:
they had paused outside, speaking in
hurried whispers.
1--WE have been neglecting Miss
Strangways shamefully," said Lathom
"And she must be growing impatient
to be starting with SO long a journey
before her. Stephen, may I run up to
your room for a wash-Jove, need it!
before I go, whilst you return to
Miss Strangways?
AS the men went to rejoin Miss
Strangways Lathom drew Hilda back
into the room; he held her in his
arms for a moment close to him.
Sweetheart" he whispered, 1--WE
may not be able to snatch another
precious moment together before we
have to part; but after this revelation
of Stephens I leave you with a new
hope that our parting is not for long
that happiness is waiting for us at
some not far distant bend of the road!
This clue may lead to the tracing of
the real criminal"
They stood for a space in the dim,