Rock Island Argus., 1913-02-01

stood for To strike the dealer Of such
a hurt felt to be my right. Though
man of small beginnings and Of a
stock which such as You call common,
have 81 pride which few of your
blood can equal. | could not work or
sleep or eat with such a sting in my
breast as she had planted there. TO
rid myself of II, I determined TO kill
her. and I did How? Oh that was
easy, though it has proved a great
stumbling block to the detectives, as I
knew It would! l shot her-but not
with an ordinary bullet My charge
was a small iciCle made deliberately
for the purpose. II had strength
enough TO penetrate, but It left no
trace behind It. A bullet Of ice for a
heart OF ice.' I had said in the tor
ment of my rage. But the word was
without knowledge, Mr.. Challoner.
see it now; l have seen it for two
whole weeks. I did not misjudge her
condemnation OF me, but | misjudged
its cause. 1t was not to the compare
lively poor, the comparatively obscure
man she sought to show contempt,
but to the brother of Oswald whose
claims she saw insulted. A woman |
should have respected. not killed A
woman of no pride OF station; a wom-
an who loved a man not only Of my
own class, but Of my own blood-a
woman, to avenge whose unmerited
death | stand here before you a self
condemned criminal That is but JUS
tice. Mr.. Challoner. That is the way
look at things Though no senu-
mentalist: and dead to all beliefs save
the eternal truths OF science, | have
that in me which will not let me prof
It, now that l know myself unworthy,
by the great success l have earned.
Hence this confession, Mr.. Challoner.
1t has not come easily, nor do / shut
my eyes in the least to the results
which must follow But | cannot do
differently. Tomorrow, YOU may tele-
graph to New York. Till then | desire
TO be left undisturbed ! have many
things to dispose of in the interim"
Mr. Challoner, very white by now.
pointed to the door before he sank
again into his chair. Brotherson took
.
back Then their eyes met again and
Mr. Challoner spoke his first word:
There was another poor woman
she died suddenly-and her wound
was not unlike that inflicted upon
Edith. Did you"
/ q did" The answer came without
/ tremOr. You may say and so may
1t
attack than in the other; but ! do not
see it that way. A theory does not al
ways work In practice. | wished to
test the unusual means Contem-
plated, and the woman / saw before
me across the court was hard-work-
ing and with nothing in life TO look
forward TO, So"
A cry Of bitter eGccratiun from Mr..
Challoner cut him short. Turning with
a shrug, he was about TO lift his hand
to the door, when he gave a violent
start and fell hastily back before a
quickly entering figure Of such pas
sion and fury as neither OF these men
has ever seen before.
1t Vas Oswald, Oswald, the kindly.
Oswald. the lover Of men and the
adorer of women, Oswald, with the
words Of the dastardly confession he
had partly overheard soaring hot with.
In his brain, Oswald, raised In a mo
ment from the desponding invalid TO
a terrifying ministrant Of retributiye
justice.
Orlando could scarcely raise his
hand before the others was upon his
throat.
Murderer. double-dyed murderer OF
innocent Homcn,' was hissed in the
strong mans ears Not with the law
but with me YOU must reckon, and
may God and the spirit Of my mother
nerve M arrn!"
tTo be --outllIedD