The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-04-05

By
WILLIAM
HAMILTON
OSBORNE
8BD@88B@ @@@@

1 persuade her to persuade him to come
back"
Then he wasn't caught in Chicagof"
Shirley exclaimed almost jubilantly.
I And then, touching him on the arm a
bit Familiarity. she added:
BILLY, you don't really believe that
/ Laurie murdered Colonel Hargravcsy
Murgatroyd laughed short laugh.
+-Asf- krovv.n went on exasi~e--
ly. whether Challoner murdered Har-
graves or not"
"You don't know"
NO. returned the prosecutor. $50
fdr the evidence is purely circumstan-
tiai-
! Shirley drew a long breath and ech-
oed excitedly, 'Circumstanttair' There
! was flicker of a smile on her face as
she added:
Then the newspapers were wrong
when they said It was certainty"
| Murgatroyd held up his hand and
| went on to explain:
what | tell you is confidential. You
understand
Eyes. yes" she said impatiently.
"But tell me about 1.-THE real facts
that is. II You can"
-There's no reason why shouldn't
! ] suppose said the prosecutor OF the
pleas 1.-THE real facts as we nave
| them--as we have them. mind-are
simple Challoner auarreled with Colo
mel Hargraves."
what aeou,Y' asked Shirley impul-
sfreIy.
Murgatroyd flushed.
THAT makes no difference" he an
swered. with some confusion This
point Is that they were enemies 1t
was a quarrel in which the passions OF
each were reused TO the utmost To
make hong story short. Colonel Har-
graves won $4,000 nj Gravescnd. The
men met IN Cradlebaugh'A Another
quarrel followed s
~what does that proven
eNothfng. only a man named Penn
mfcan Of Crndlebaurh's witnessed both
uuarreIs ard Chalioner has run away.
But" persisted Shirley, 'that evi-
dencee-
Zone moment, please" went ON the
prosecutor calmly. "Hargraves had
the $4,000 In cash with him. and
i Surely you don't think Lawrencs
would steai?" she commented.
Prosecutor Murgatroyd answered
slowly:
! Frankly speaking, l do. believe
that Challener would DO anything"
ITS inpossihle, Why, the Chailo-
ners have any amount OF money!
Murgatroyd shrugged his shoulders.
"Challoners wife has. but
~It's the same thing" Shirley pro
tested, "and she just adores him-you
do not know how much she adores
him. Billy"
But how about hfm?"
The girl shook her head and answer.
ed somewhat sadly:
II knew. Shes blind to eFeFy>
thing"
Once more she placed her hand Inn
puisiveiy on Murgatroyd's arm
"Oh. It's perfectiy dreadful the
whele thing.
Unwittingly MurGatroyd changed his
mood to meet hers.
you were friend OF his. weren't
you?"
Eyes. before he married, when he
was poor and decent like the rest OF
us-yes, / was friend Of his"
Shirley Bioodgood drew her brows
together,
Indeed! You must have been .
good friend to let him take his down
ward course"
For an instant this imputation SEEM
ed to rest heavily on Murgatroyd's
shoulders, but he cast It from him
quickly with sigh and answered,
"A mans host friends are like .
mans good wite-they do not desert
him, whatever happens; be deserts
them. And SO 1t WIS with ChallOner"
And SO at the last be has NO
friendsf''
But" he protested. II am wasting
time. Lob, pardon me" he quickly
corrected. flushing with embarTass-
ment, II did not mean my time sxact-
"; hut, frankly. must sec Mrs. Chal-
loner."
Miriam ChalIoner II III. much tes III
to see any one. She gave orders"-
Excuse me. but Mrs. Challoner -
not too ILL.," persisted Murgntroyd, ITO
walk from room to room. My men
have seen her through the windows. !
must see her"
Shirley made Z movement to "a,
"oh. can't tell herr she cried. YIN
ring for stevens" She rang. ~gss-
yens," she said as he came into tho
room. evil you tell your mistress oh.
can't--I can't" she faltered
The servant left the room. Shirley
sank into chair and half covered her
face with her hands.
II don't believe--I never VIII believe
that I.awrsnce did these things"
There was pause. After moment
MurgatrOyd remarked half aloud:
There Ii but one way to reform Z
| man like that ss
The prosecutor did not finish, for
standing In the doorway was Miriam
Chalioner. pale AZ a ghost, look C
interrogation In her eyes --,.,.--.-.a
"A xusn,s ~ srs... ~