The Washington times., 1911-10-12
CHAPTER XII.
From the Lips of the Dying.

| lnC lips VI LhC DyAhB.
-HERE was nothing to be said. I
was silent, because felt as II the
earth had suddenly given way
beneath me, and all was chaos.
Not for a moment did doubt Fleming
stones statement, for his words COM
PEELED conviction.
But in the confused mass o. sudden
| thoughts that surged through my brain
~ seemed to see clearly nothing but
| Miss Miranda's placid face. and cried
out involuntarily:
Don't let his sister know!"
! Hunt sat like a man stunned. His ex-
preston was positively vacant, and
Mr.. stones announcement meant.
1T is terrible, I know" said Fleming
| Stone, and quite appreciate the shock
| II must be to you. But inexorable JUS
II think that, without telling you Of
| the various steps which led me to this
conclusion, l can best prove to you
| that it Is the true one by asking you to
| go with me while lay the |acts before
Mr.. Maxwell. 1 think his reception OF
| what | have to say and the visible eff
| feet of my accusation upon him will
! prove to You beyond any possible doubt
his connection with the crime. Indeed.
from what l know of the man l am dis
posed to think he will make 1uli confess
sion of his guilt"
| Fleming stone WOrQS SOUNDED 10 me
| like a voice heard in dream, and even
my own voice sounded strange and un-
real as l murmured: 1t Will Kill MIN.
| He has heart disease"
"I know it," said Fleming Stone, and
] I, too, fear the effect upon him. For
| that reason l have asked DR.. Sheldon
| to be present.
When DIR. Sheldon arrived he came di
rectly to us in the library and Flem-
| ing Stone told him in few words of the
ordeal We had tO undergo.
The four of us then went down to Mr..
| Maxwell's study. We found him there
alone We all went in and Fleming
Stone closed the door. He stood for
moment looking directly at Mr.. Max
well and his deep eyes were filled with
| a great compassion.
| Mr. Maxwell" he said-and his voice
though quiet was most impressive"
discovered that Philip Maxwell died by
| your hand"
IF any of us had doubted Dudley Max
| wells guilt-and l think some OF us
| had-an possibility Of doubt was at once
| removed.
| IF ever I saw a face on which con-
| fession was stamped as plainly as on
| printed page II was Dudley MaXWells
| face at that moment. 1nstinctively |
| turned away. but almost Immediately l
| heard Mr.. Maxwell gasp and kneW
| that Fleming Stones expectations had
! been verified, and that Mr.. MaxwelIs S
| heart had not been able to stand the
/ shock.
DR.. Sheldon sprang to his side. and;
! with the assistance of the others, laid
| the unconscious man on the couch.
He is not dead said DIR. Sheldon
after a few moments. And he VIII
| soon rally from this but feel sure 1t is
| a fatal attack. / think he cannot live
| more than a few hours"
AS the doctor had surmised, Mr.. Max
! well soon rallied and spoke.
"Don't let Miranda know" he said:
| don't ever let Miranda know.
| Fleming Stone stepped forward.
"Mr. Maxwell" he said. ''if you will
make a full confession in the resence
Of these gentlemen l will promise you
on my honor that l will use every en-
deavor to keep the knowledge OF your
guilt from your sister.
81 will not only assist Mr.. stone In
his endeavor," said DR.. Sheldon but
! think l can safely promise tnat MISS
! Miranda shall never learn the secret
! You are very Ill, Mr.. Maxwell ana
I whatever you wish to say must be
| said at once" ,,
| Il am ready" said Dudley Maxwell
| and, though his voice was rant anu
| though he seemed to realize his own
| fearful position, yet his manner eX-
| pressed a certain sense of relief which
| / believed to be due to the relaxation
Of the tension of fear he had been
| under so long.
/ 81 am ready" he said again. ana 10
! make clear to you the motive for my
deed L must begin my story many
years back" ,a
DR.. Sheldon. "I cannot allow you 10
| talk long at this time. ., 81,
| There will not be any other IlIne'
| said Mr.. Maxwell quietly. Att,
| 7 could not help marVellng at thls
! strange man, whose wonderlul Po"
| Of self-control did not desert MN IN
| % and DhSSlcdl
Mr. Maxwell proceeded, and Fleming
Stone took stenographic notes OF MS
| statement ,,,,aa in
| California and so did my brother, John.
| Though not partners, our business IN
| terests were closely united IN MANY .
| ways. NV brother married, ana anou'
a year after Philips birth ms VIE VIE lii lii
| ''Five years later John MaXwell oleu
| and left the whole of his large fortune
| with me In trust for Philip. Althougn II
| was supposed at that time that my own own
fortune was as large or larger tnaLi
! JOhn's the reverse was true. l had iost
| much money in unfortunate speculation.
! and 1t was to my surprise mat us, us.
| covered the large amount OF money my
| brother had left behind him.
4 used this money to make gooo IN my
| losses trusting to replace IT Win Iui-
| ther gains of my own before PhlEp
| should come of age. l was always
close-mouthed man, and nelther MI
randa nor my other sister Hanna, knew
! anything about Johns money.
':I came East to live, and after some
years the lawyer who was the only one
beside myself who knew the circum-
| stances, died. Having by this time be
| come a well-known and respected citl-
| zen of Hamilton. being president Of the
| bank and holding or having held va
| rious public offices. my pride and ambi-
| ton rebelled at giving up my entire for
| tune to Philip.
But it would have taken all my
available assets to make up the sum
| intrusted to me by the boys father For
| many years struggled with this temp
/ tation, and at last, when Philip was
twenty-one, l succumbed.
| (The Continuation of This Story VIII
Be Found in TOmOrrOw's Issue