The Washington herald., 1911-01-10
The DEPUTY AVENGER
guilty of his unaie's murder-that year
By HEDLEY RICHARDS.

guilty Of his unS1e's' murder-that years
Of his life were spent in prison."
Yes: he was found guilty; but he didn't
do It. she said quietly, but it was evil
dent that the words costSher an effort.
Who did it?'' Paul asked In a whisper
'Tom Jakes. q poacher."
Paul started. and looked at her unbe-
lievingly.
who did you think had done itr. she
asked. reading his doubt.
Never mind: you say a poacher killed
him.
Yes" She paused, and then added with
an effort: II held my tongue and did my
best to get the murder laid on my cousin.
Paul Shenstone-your father" He nod
ded: words failed him: 1t was too terrible
to hear Margaret's mother own that she
had ruined his fathers life. She went on: !:
penal servitude. Did he live long after
he was released?'' she asked, looking at
Paul.
Some years." he replied. trying to
speak naturally.
He must have been successful, or you
would not be rich. l wonder how he or
that man Clfnord, who was his friend,
discovered you and persuaded you to join
him in Australia He was very clever; 1t
was said when he disappeared that he
had gone to South America, and after all
!! it was Australia Do you know, I have
often felt tempted to force that man
Clifford to see me, and question him
about your father"
Paul had to stif1e an exclamation. 1t
had dawned on him that she really be-
lfeved his father had died in Australia,
and that Clifford had known him. and
he knew he must be careful. 1t would
never do to reveal the fact that his father
and Clifford were one.
why did you try to throw the murder
| on my father" he asked. and his voice
was stern.
Because I loved him madly, and he
cared nothing about me. though he knew
1t was understood that we should marry
All would have gone well and three lives
would not have been ruined, il l had not
been foolish enough to ask your mother
to pay me visit
81 knew she was beautiful. but I be-
lieved her heart was buried in her lovers
grave. and I don't believe she would have
married your father. only she hated being
dependent on her aunt who was poor,
and Jarret Thompson would never look
at her after his son died-Kyle Thomp-
son was on his way to see your mother.
who was visiting friends, when he was
killed. Her home had been at Jarret
Thompson's. but he never let her enter
the house again: he seemed to associate
her with the death of the son. whom he
had idolized"
They would have been happy but for
you." raid Paul. speaking on impulse.
so your father had told you all? Yet
you wooed Margaret, and / know you
will be good to her. They might have
been happy, but not unless your father
had been rich and his uncles heir. Julia
never loved him, but she would have tol-
Grated MIN il he could have given her
the good things of life-she did love ease
and affluence.'
So that was where he inherited his love
Of this worlds good tbings-the longing
for prosperity that had been such an al
lurement the night he bound himself to
be the slave of another man; then. quick
as lightning. his thoughts Travelled to his
mother. and ne remembered her patient
toll, how she had denied herself. and
forced him to take the best Of everything
Il do not remember her as you de-
scribe her.. he said.
mo: Julia would learn her lesson.
don't suppose she found life a. bed of
roses, but whatever her privations were
it must have been heaven to what my
life has been. I suffered agonies between
your fathers conviction and the sentence
being commuted. / forgot my jealousy
and remembered only that I loved him.
For time after my marriage 1 con-
trived to stifie my conscience: then my re-
morse returned. Paul, there have been
times when l felt that I must call out
the name of my uncles murderer. and let
my cousin be restored to his old position.
burned the will that would have given
your father the estate. I was standing
at one end of the veranda when / saw
Tom Jakes come out of the gunroom. He
must have opened the window and stolen
in. 1 did not notice he had a weapon
in his hand. but 1 heard the shot. Then
when he had rushed away, I went to
the library and took the will that would
have made your father a rich man. 1
burned it. SO you see the Arlington estate
is really yours, not Margaret's. Can you
forgive me the havoc l have made of your
parents lives and what have cost your"
Paul did not reply at once; he was
thinking of the time when he lived in i
garret, and didn't know what it was to
have good meal. Then he thought OF
his father spending his best years in
prison. of his nature soured and twisted
ir his thirst for revenge until he had
nearly driven his own son to be a MUIR
derer-and there was his mothers lonely
life: but somehow, now that he knew
all. it was his father who had his SYM
pathy. At last he said:
Il do forgive you. If you have done
much evil, at any rate you are the
mother OF Margaret, and she IL good"
Mrs. Shenstone smiled family.
Margaret was born good You need
never fear her being like me-" she said
After moment she went on: I've not
rebelled against this Imprisonment that
did not deserve now, because I knew
that years ago r ought to have suffered
for forgery and Withholding the truth.
and l want to ask II you think I should
make what have told you public. You
are to marry Margaret, and the man
who suffered was your father. You must
decide"
Paul hesitated. feeling that It was his
father who must decide the questions.
I should like to consult Mr.. Clifford"
he said
"Yes. He was your fathers friend. :.
Hear what he says. You will get Jarret
>Tbompson's money" she added.
II don't know how that will be. I
do not wish any one-at present-to know
that am other than Paul Clelland."
IT you don't get IL, Margaret will Ny
mother was distantly related to Jarret
Thompson
At that moment the nurse came for
ward, saying her patient had talked
enough. and saying good-by to Mrs.
Shenstone Paul departed. the invalid fol-
lowing him with Der eyes. At the door
of the ward he met the doctor, and Paul
asked him II Mrs. Shenstone was likely
to recover.
The doctor shook his head as he an
swered: "She has not shadow Of