Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1913-02-13

on Gaskins' being in love with you.
Mrs. Dupont can. be very seductive.
Little by little she has drawn the Lieu
tenant into her net. Believing him en-
gagged to you, they have him now
where he must either pay money for
silence or be exposed. Just how it
was worked, do not know. The shoot
ing last night was done to convince
him they were serious. The fact that
Gaskins later denied knowing who his
ASSISTANTS were-even endeavored to
accuse me-is abundant proof of their
success" He hesitated, wondering at
her silence. What puzzles me most
is why you were present"
Present? Where?"
AT this quarrel with Gaskins last |
evening. As ran by toward the scene
of the shooting passed you hiding
at the angle of the barrack wall. OF
course | have mentioned the fact to
no one. That was why ] made no at
tempt to defend myself when arrest
ed"
She gasped for breath, scarcely able
to articulate.
"You believe that? You think that
| Of me?"
II may have been deceived; hope
| SO; there was but little light, and
\ got merely a GLIMPSE" he explained
hastily.
"You were deceived" impetuously.
II was not out of the house that eve
ming. / was in the parlor with my
father when those shots were fired.
You are sure you saw woman there
1 -hiding3"
There 10 no doubt Of that; her
footprints were plainly to DO seen
in the morning. THIS discovery. to.
gether with the size Of the weapon
used, resulted in my immediate re-
lease. saw her. and imagined her TO
be you. cannot account for the mis-
take, unless you were In my mind. and
possibly what had heard Of your con-
nection with Gaskins. Tlen Y must
u have been Mrs. Dupont. That looks
reasonable. But she stays at your
home, does she not7''
"She makes our house her headquar'
ters, but is absent occasionally. Last
night she was here at this hotel. Well
we are getting this Strengthened out 6
little-that is, If you believe me-"
/, "Of course"
"Then am going to question you
You spoke of ovenhearing converse
tion?"
Yes; it was after Mrs. Dupont ha,
left. Captain Barrett came, and tool
her away. was sitting here thinkini
when two men came into the parlor.
who were they? Do you know?
"One was the soldier who drives yo
about-Connors; the other blacl
bearded, burly fellow called 'Reb.'"
Il Mr.. Dupont"
What? Is that Dupont? Lord! N
wonder she's gone bad. Why,
thought her husband was a ranchma
n down south somewhere! This fello,
le is tin-horn."
:. He did run cattle once, years ag'
= I think he vas quite well of, but dram
,e an about It. bn7 .y--ps.pa told 70
u. Inc man by accident. He's the a.
ia am really afraid off,
she stopped, her eyes DESERVING h
" race and stared out into the darkness
}" ne waited, feeling vaguely that he ha
not heard all she intended to saw
What more do you known" b
me?" ''s'eu
e She turned again, aroused BY tn
question.
Yes. ] must tell you as quickly as
can before I am missed. did no
' know about Mrs. Dupont and Iieuten
ant Gaskins. realized there wa
something between them-a-a-elteh
imitation. but scarcely gave that
, thought. What brought me here was ,
1nucn more serious matter, yet thi,
new information helps me to compre
hend the other-the motives. / mean
Mrs. Dupont's maiden name was ver.
Carson"
Certainly: knew her family well,
she came here. and was received
INTO cur family as daughter of INV
fathers sister. II true, her maiden
name would have been Sarah Counts
rapa mad no reason to suspect the de.
celt. He does not now, and doubt II
even your word would convince him,
ior ne seems thoroughly under her in.
huence. There has been such change
IN him since she came; not all at
once, you know. but gradual, until now
ne scarcely seems like the same man.
II DO not dislike Lieutenant Gas.
klns; he las been pleasant and atten.
tive, but do not care for him In any
other way. Yet papa insists that
marry the man. Lately he has been
very unkind about it. and-and am
sure she is urging him on What can
DO? 1t is all SO unpleasant"
Hamlin shock his head, but without
reply.