Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-05-16
THE SECRET OF LONESOME COVE
BY SAMUEL HOPKINS ADAMS
Copyright By Bobbs-Merriil CO.


wick in an agony of apprehension.
HE may. but / think he won't. S
.sWon't he?'' n1uttered the old man
in an indrawn breath. t'Id rather 1t
was the other sconndrei. But either
--or both.'
sedgwick stepped TO within two
paces of him. Blair he said with
snarl, you So much as think with
that trigger finger, and you're dead"
s'No, no killing. Frank, counter
manded Kent. "In his place you'd
perhaps do as he is doing"
Don't take any chances, Mr..
Blair besought the sheriff They're
desperate characters. Look what
they done to me!'
There's q testimonial" murmured
Kent, as he picked up his spade, Tor
one who has always worked on the
side of law and ORDER
He worked the blade craftily under
the lid and began to pry. The cover
/ gave slightly Mr.. Blair's pistol sank
to his side. II should have shot be-
fore warning you,' he said bitterly.
violating graves is, l suppose, your
idea of lawful and orderly proceed.
ing
The rending crackle of the hard
heavy wood was his answer. Kent
stopped and struggled up bearing a
shapeless heavy object in his arms.
The object seemed to be swathed in
sacking. Kent let it fall to the
ground. where it Topped and lay All
right" said he. with strong exhala-
ton of relief. II knew 1t must be-
And yet--well, one never is absolute
in certainty. And IL I'd been wrong,
/ think. Frank, we could profitably
have used that gun on ourselves
You can drop it, now. Come over
here
Courageous though sedgwick was,
his nerves We're of a highly sensitive
order. He shuddered back II don't
believe I can do it, Chet.'
you must. AS a witness. Come.
Brace up"'
Setting the bulls-eye lantern down,
Kent produced a pocket-knife. Sedg-
wick drew a long breath, and, walk
ing over, crouched. steeling his
nerves against the revelation that
should come when the cords should
be cut and the swathings reveal their
contents. III I kneel over, don't let
me tumble into the grave he said
simply, and ehoked the last word off
from becoming a cry of horror as he
beheld his friend drive the knife blade
to the hilt in the body, and then whip
it across and downward with a long
| ripping draw under which the harsh
! cloth sang hideously
open your eyes Look! Look"
| cried Kent heartily.
A strong trickle of sand flowed out
of the rent in the sack and spread
upon the ground
| THAT is ALL, said Kent
Relief clamored within Sedgwick
for expression. He began to laugh in
short choking spasms.
"Quieti' warned Mr.. Blair, in a
broken tone of appeal. You've found
out the secret. God knows what
you'll do with it.. But there are inno-
cent people in the house. l see a
light stirring there now. Wei must
do what l may to shelter them"
| A glimmer shone from the ground
floor of one of the wings Thither
| Mr.. Blair ran. calling out as he went
When he returned his face was like
a mask. u,
! Now" said he. what is this mat
ter? Blackmaii?"
! Kent's face withdrew, as 1t were,
behind his inscrutable half smile.
Peace, if you will" said he. "A
truce, at least"
II should like to know just how
much you know
| I fall
you are ready to tell me all that you
know. | think we are mutually in
need of each other
/ Il wish you were at the bottom of
that pit" retorted the other, grimly.
You and your scoundrel of friend
with you.''
Thank you for myself" said Sedg-
wick. IF you were twenty years
younger | would break every bone in
your body for that"
Steady, Frank" put in Kent.
Judge no man by his speech who has
been through what Alexander Blair
has been through tonight. Mr.. Blair
he added, you've refused my offer.
1t is still open. And as an extra, !
will undertake, for Mr.. Sedgwick
and myself, that this nights affair
shall be kept secret. And now the
next thing is to cover ne evi 'ence
Spades, Frank
The two men took up their tools.
I'm spell you," said Alexander
Blair
While the sheriff, mourning softly
over his fractured wrist, sat watch
ing the house in case of alarm, the
scientist, the painter and the trust
magnate, sweating amid the nameless
graves, hurriedly reinterred the sack
of clean sand which bore the name OF
Wilfrld Blair.
And now" said Chester Kent, pet
ting his tlistered palms, as the last
shovelful Of dirt was tamped down
III stake you back with me, Mr.
Sheriff, TIC Sedgwick's place. and dc
the Fest l can for you till the morn.
ing. About six o'clock we'll find you
unconscious below the cliffs where
; you fell in the darkness Eh?"
Despite the pain the sheriff grinned