Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-20
CHAPTER XXXIII.
What Maggie Knew.

When I saw him In the Beverly jail
Horsford was hollow-eyed and pale the
effects Of sleepless night of anxiety.
but his faith that I would help him had
not deserted him.
Il did no do it, sir, you know that!
he said. in a dull voice.
Certainly i know 1t. Horsford. l
haven't doubted you for minute. but
who did do it? Can you tell me that?
Horsford looked about to see whether
the guard had left us. and finding that
he was out of earshot he said, slowly:
Aye. sir. / ave a fancy. There were
a stranger there yesterday
Did you hear his Nance
Il did not. sir. 1t were this way:
sir. card loud words before I got to
the kitchen door and Jim were sayin':
No. you don't get ye're gun now nor
ever It'll we've made me even five 'un-
dred. God! What dye s'ppose I'm
keepin' ye from the galows fur, oil man
Fur my pleasure They were is words.
sir. an e laughed is cruel laugh. I
could no ear the words of the answer.
sir. but they come fast fur space. and
/ card your name, Bliss sir. Then my
foot touched the steps and / card some
one run across the floor. 1t were man,
not tall as you. sir. with gray air and a
beard. That were all I could see f
went into the back entry Jim turned
round on me an 1 thought e would
strike me.
"'Gol durn yer e shouted. we bad
penny. Why could no We wait til noon.
I'll ave the money then. nor some unll
be in jail. Clear along wi ye.'
They were is words again. sir. I'd
not opened my mouth to speak. But
went hout to the stable l meant to take
Grayskin back with me. l 'ad got 'er
away from the stable and near to the
'ouse when the shot came hand 1 knew
where it was from. l let go the alter
and ran to the kitchen. And there lay
Jim hon the floor. cir. and e were dead"
Yes" l assented, land them"
the women and they come hup. You
know the rest. sir
You let the man with the gray hair
get away" I cried
Il didn't think Of i'm again. sir-'pon
my word didn't-tiil 1 were back 'ome,
sir. When 1 tried to tell the hofficer who
took me, e laughed. You'll ave chance
d say
/ turned the situation over in my mind
and decided upon course OF action.
Have patience. Joe. You'll not be here
long" / promised as left him. I'm see
that the little wife and boy get over to
see you today. She's doing we'll these
days, Is the vile. joe!
AYE. SIR" and Joes face lighted with
the thought.
The only evidence of value to me that
the coroner had taken from the scene or
the tragedy was the revolver from which
the shot was fired. I looked at its silver
mountings. its old-fashioned but exquis-
lite workmanship and the intertwined in
itials ':P. S. embossed on the butt. and
back to the face Of the officer beside me
DO you contend that this was Joseph
.Horsford's pistol?" I asked the man.
Sure not. We think it's one the old
gentleman Somhers gave Arms long ago.
Them s his initials there, p. s. YOU
see."
There was a remote chance that such
a theory was correct. Therefore l &C
cepted 1t tentatively.
will you tell me how you account for
the fact that Horsford had it?.
The officer looked embarrassed.
I'm not we'll up on the case. as I'm
said. But I believe the idea is that
Arms had lent it to Joe some time
II suppose there have been no develop
ments in the case today?
.'None that l have heard Of. :.
I babe the man good day and drove d.
rectly to the Arms house 1t had an air
Of being deserted, but Maggie answered
my knock. Black rings had found their
way about her eyes and her face was
colorless. Altogether she looked too Ill
mo: don't call your mother" l said,
as she intimated that she would do so.
My business is with you. I've heard Joe
Horsford's story and ! know what you
failed to tell me last night. Mr.. La Cour
was here yesterday
Maggie sank into chair.
Did Joeie know about Mr.. La Cour?
she half whispered, her eyes 1uli OF
terror.
~ no 0rda
man with a gray beard and blue eyes
q saw from Maggie's expression that the
description fitted the man)-from Whom
Jim got money at intervals and who
But got no further for. with little cry
Maggie covered her ears with her hands,
And then she did just what l might have
known that she would do. she tainted.
My efforts to get water for the girl
brought Mrs. Arms from the darkeneo
parlor She looked pitifully old and fee
bic in the morning light. but she had her
grief in control Her face lighted at
sight Of me.
"Ah!" she cried "It were fur We I've
looked hup the road all the mornin :.
will speak for err Then she caught
sight of the unconscious girl.
1t was fully ten minutes before we had
her restored sufficiently to question. Even
then l was loath to agitate her. But MIS-.
Arms felt otherwise.
Its ard fur Maggie" she said. with
a plying glance at the girl. but We must
know ali. sir. Maggie. s'ppose we 60 to
the buttery and get the gentleman q
glass O. wine and 1 will tell i'm"
The girl shook her head.
After" she said. briefly, and her eyes
said plainly that nothing that she was
likely to hear or that could result would
be worse than the silent misery she had
already endured.
Its about the OIL gentleman" Mrs.
Arms continued, "an' what we know,
though il is no. much, may clip Joeie.
Ye rec'lect 1 spoke time back about Mr..
La Cour?'
Yes; Jim's friend who stopped here
sometimes"
Ave: the same. But 1t were Jim as