Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-08-29

A year has passed since the tragedy IN
Brussels. Suddenly 1t is repeated IN eu-
cry detail In London. The victim Is fna.i
a. very apparent motive points to the as
placed nephew. Luke. as the murderer; IN
ain. Louisa. in her Lind faith. trlea 10
brightens the chains of evidence. AT the
coroner's inquest the startling develop
ment that the murdered man Is not Pnililp
de MOuntfOrd but u common ScOun0reI oe-
nounced by his father and mother, VINO
identified the body as their son, only com
plicates the situation, 1t does not IN tne
guilt. A warrant is issued for his arrest
but because of hs station In life the police
secretly, warn him TO leave the country
pares to do. Louisa sees him and asks
him pointedly for the truth. He con-
fesses his guilt.
Here the heart Of u woman discerns his
lie and the real truth that he is protecting
someone else. Immediately she asks her
self-who? and .ntuitivcly reasons that
Luke's love for his uncle must be bound
up. with the solution. In the meantime the
unlce has been stricken and no one per-
mitted to see him. She demands that she
denied but she insists. finally the physi-
clan grants permission. Lord Radcliffe
recognizes no Ole and docs not understand
what S said to him. Alone with him for
a moment She rehcarses The story to him,
although he is apparently unconscious
At the mention of Luke's name and the
fact that he IS accused of the murder
Lord Radcliffe shows signs of Indulgence.
when a man happens to be out in
mld-W1nter with a stout stick in his
hand. n he comes across a layer Of
ice on the top OF a pool or q trough Of
water, he always-or nearly always
Ia at once a nraV tn fhn Siilv, <1ae;co ~
break that layer OF ice. Tho desire Is
irresistible. and the point Of the stick
at once goes to work on the smooth
surface, chipping it If not actually sue
ceeding in breaking it.
Inc same desire exists in a far
stronger degree when the ice is a moral
one-one that W the real nature of
another man; the Geld impassiveness
that hides the secret orchard to which
no one but the owner has access. Their
there is an irresistible longing t. break
that cold barrier. to look within, and to
probe that hidden soul. IL not within
Its tnnermcst depths. at any rate be-
low the icebound surface; to chip 1t, to
mark 1t r break it's invincible crust.
Some such feeling undoubtedly
stirred at the back Of the c~oroner's
mind. The hilcbcund, red-tape-ridden
onicial was more moved than he would
have cared to admit. by a sense OF irri-
. a. LC lISlCtUltJ VI lllS WlIQcSS.
VINO was even now almost on his ria
Therefore he had paused In his cues
tionings. afraid lest that sense Of irri-
tation should carry him beyond the
proper limits of his own powers.
And now he resumed more quietly.
with his voice less trenchant and his
own manner outwardly more indiffer-
ent.
When" he asked, did you last see
h deceased?"
I'm the lobby Of the Veterans club"
replied Luke, the night before last"
You had called there to see him?"
YES"
For what purpose?"
ITO discuss certain family matters"
You preferred to discuss these fam
lily matters at a club rather than in
your cousins WI home?"
"Why?"
"For private 5 OF my own"
would State those private reasons"
They have no bearing Upon the
present ISSUE"
You refuse to state them?" insisted
the coroner.
II do"
The coroner was silent Tor a mo-
ment: It almost seemed as IL he meant
to press the point at first. then thought
differently. for after that brief while,
he merely said:
Very we'll"
Then he resumed:
Nov. Mr.. de Mountford. on the
night In question. you a o went to
see h deceased at the Veterans club.
You were. I understand. shown into
the smoking room?"
yes" was the simple answer.
"Your. cousin was In the room?"
"Alone?''
Alone"
And how long did you interview
with him last?"
About an hour or less. perhaps"
was 1t OF an amicable c~haracter?"
question was identical to the one
already put to Luke on the actual night
OF the crime. by the detective charged
to e~lucidate it, mysteries. And Luke.s
reply was identical to his former one:
"Of an Indifferent charcter," he re-
piled.
There wAs no quarrel between you
and he deceased gentleman I"
our interview was Of private m.
ture." re30ined Luke with unalterable
calm.
'But other witnesses.e retorted the
coroner sharply. heard angry voices
tDsuing from the smoking ROOM"
That no doubt Il for those other
Witnesses to say"
.'You deny then that you quarreled
with the deceased . the night when
he w. murderedt
= deny nothing Am not on my
trial. I pfesume.s