The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-06-15


 ing, perhaps, now few minutes had passed since he hung upon the words of fellow being for his condemnation to death or release to the freedom which he now enjoyed. A moment. But what an eternity before saw the rigid lines of her white, set, face relax-before I mark ed the play of human if not womanly emotion break up the misery of her look and soften her lips into some sem blance of their old expression. Love might be dead, friendship, even, be thing of the far past, but considera- ton was still alive, and in another in- stant it spoke in these trembling sen tences, uttered across a threshold made sacred by tragedy involving our three lives:
 Come in and explain yourself. No man should go unheard. I know you will not come where Adelaide's spirit yet fingers if you cannot bring hands clean from all actual violence"
 nnotioned my driver away, and as Carmel drew back out of sight I caught at Arthur's arm and faced him with the query:
 Are you willing that should enter? I only wish to declare to her and to you an innocence 1 have no means of proving, but which you cannot disbe- lieye if I swear it. here and now, by your sister Carmefs sacred disfgure- ment. Such depravity could not exist as such a VOW from the lips guilty of the crime you charge me with. Look at me, Arthur. I considered you; now consider me-
 Quickly he stepped back. Enter" said he.
 It was some minutes later-I cannot say how many-that one of the serv- ants disturbed us by asking if we knew anything about Zadok.
 He has not come home," said he, "and here is a man who wants him." What man?" asked Arthur. "Oh, that detective chap. He never will leave us alone"
 arose. In an instant enlighten- ment had come to me- Its nothing" said I, with my eyes on Carmel, but the gesture I furtiveiy made Arthur said otherwise. A few minutes later we were both in the driveway. We are on the brink of a surprise" whispered II think understand this Sweetwater now" Zadok could not be found. He was wanted by the district attorney, who wished to put some questions to him. Were there any objections to his searching the stable loft for indications of his whereabouts?
 Arthur made none, and the detective, after sending the Cumberlands' second man before him to light up the stable, disappeared beneath the great door, whither we more slowly followed him.
 Not here" came in shout from above as we stepped in from the night air, and in few minutes the detective came running down the stairs, baffled and very i'll at ease. Suddenly he en- countered my eye. "Oh, I know" he cried and started for the gate. ''I am going to follow him." I con- fided to Arthur. Look for me again tonight, or at least expect a message. If fortune favors us, as now expect, we two shall sleep tonight as we have not slept for months" And, waiting for no answer, not even to see if he comprehended my meaning, I made a run for the gate and soon came up with Sweetwater.
 ITO the cemetery?" asked. "Yes; to the cemetery" And there we found him in the same place where We had seen him before, but not in the same position. He was sunken now to the ground, but his face was pressed against the rails, and in his stiff, cold hand was clutched let ter which aftx'ward we read. Let it be read by you here. It will explain the mystery which came near destroying the lives of more than Ade- laide:
 ''No more unhappy wretch than I goes to his account. I killed her who had shown me only goodness and will be the death of others if I do not con- fess my dreadful, my unsuspected se- cret. This is how it happened. I can not give reasons. I cannot even ask for pardon.