The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1913-06-26

tiers clasped tight in his hands, he be
gan to pace the floor. Once or twice
be raised his hands as if to tear the
letters into bits; then, with a smoth
cred exclamation, he threw them ia,
from him, and stood trembling. A
moment later he was on the floor has
lily, hurriedly lifting an edge of the
worn carpet. A picture came forth
l saw that it was the photograph of q
man. I knew that 1t was time for &C.
ton.
Out of the room 1 crept, turning
the lock in the door with the softness
Of velvet. Then down the hall l hur.
ried and into the street. A patrol.
man was near. recognized him.
'Malloy,' 1 said, I want you to
make an arrest and take the credit
for it. Will you do it?'
He went into the house with me,
and then, once in the hall, hid him
self in the shadows near the door. /
knocked-once, twice, three times. !
heard slight movement within the
room-I knew that the man was hid
ing his, cocaine, his letter and the pic
ture. ! waited. At last the door
opened, and the peering face stared
out at me.
"'Well?' he asked.
II walked into the room, almost
past his outstretched hand. l sat
down near the door. With eyes that
were nervous, saw him reach to turn
the key again in the lock as he shut
the door. Then there came a feeling
Of great Thanksgiving as he at last
refrained, walked past me with puzzled
look and sat down near the window.
"'Well?' he asked again. What is
It?
"'You don't remember me-?
He seemed to puzzle a moment.
No. he answered at last.
Il lived next door to you
"'Where?' He shot the question at
me with queer jerk of his voice.
Hastily I rose, walked to the door,,
looked out, and then returned to my
seat.
"We'd better not mention names
Or Streets l said in lowered voice.
! felt that my hand was gripping my
revolver with extreme tightness.
There are too many that will hear;
you know why
1.-THE mans face across from mine
lad turned pale for moment, and
then stiffness had come over it. The
eyes seemed immovable as they
gazed straight at me.
81 don't know what you are talk
ing about came the denial from his
lips. Talk all you want to. Name
everything you want to. I know of
40 reason for quiet
Don't your / allowed my face to
60 stern and I leaned forward a bit.
Are you sure of that?"
HE shifted in his chair.
look here he began, what in
"'Not so loud interrupted. Even
If you are going to play the fool, I'm
not. I'm here to help you. They've
found out
What? He was on his feet now,
staring at me. What have
They've found the body. I knew
they would. I tried to keep them
away from there as long as could,
but they would go inland when they
did, they found it. The neighbors-'
"The face had turned livid now.
What are you talking about?' he
asked hoarsely. Who are you? What
are you doing here? What do you
mean when you say that you tried
to-
Il had interrupted him with a ges-
ture. I was on my feet now, too.
pointing finger at him.
"'You know what I am talking
about I hurled at him. You know
- we'll as 1 do that you killed her
lou know when the quarrel was, after
you had found his letter to her and
his picture! You know! You thought
that no one saw you, but there was
one, and that one was myself
"'You-!'
"Wait! I ordered. 7 am not here
to harass you. I'm here to save you.
The police are trailing you. They've
gotten description of you from some
one around the newspaper Offices,
some one who has seen you buying
papers every night to see if the news
of the killing had come out You fool!
Why didn't you get out Of town when
you had the chance? Didn't you
know that some one would see you
and recognize you-and wonder what
was wrong? You've got to leave town
now, and leave quick. They'll trail
you here; there won't be chance of
escape. You'll swing, that's ALL
"A cry broke in on me. Hands out
stretched, fingers claw-like, the
crazed man stood before me. I quail
ed before him. I half drew the re-
volver from my pocket. Then came
the outburst.
"'Swing? he asked wildly. You
mean that I'll be hanged-hanged for
that? I didn't kill her Intentionally
just meant to strike her with the
dull side of the knife, to scare her.
1t turned in my hand and caught her
jugular-I didn't mean to do it! I
didn't mean to do it. The voice was
almost screaming now. I ought to
have killed herr he added with a
quick change of demeanor. I ought
to have! She deserved it. She'd
been deceiving me for three years
ALI the time I thought she was true
to me she was meeting Withers. She