Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-06

what peculiar circumstances, He was
talking earnestly to newspaper lad
about seventeen. With q bundle Of even
ing papers under his arm, and the most
fiar1ng head Of red hair I ever saw. Pres
entity the two went or together and en-
tered public house.
''It was. OF course. none Of my business;
but It seemed strange to me. and could
opposite my house had told me something
OF the Lawson family. though did not
then know - much a. have told you OF
their private affairs. The next afternoon
was sitting at home and writing. My
table was In the bow window, and COM
manded q full view of the street, as also
Of the Lawson house. had put down
my pen to light pipe, when I saw Fred
Lawson come quietly out Of the front
door. Watching him. I saw that he went
headed news lad at the corner of the
street.-The same lad had seen him with
the day before.
Lawson took q paper from the fell
low and entered the house again. In
five minutes more he once more
emerged, hurried down the street, and
disappeared round the corner. In two
or three minutes more the fellow was
back again. and once more the front door
closed on him. Then came the last act In
the drama. The red-headed newsboy
walked up the street calling out Special
editionf at the top OF his voice. The
door Of the Lawson house opened and a
maid servant appeared. She purchased a
paper and went back.
"a quarter of an hour sitter this the
same maid rushed out of the house in
her cap and apron, hailed passing ham
som. and was driven rapidly away. re-
turning In very short time with an
obvious doctor: and finally" concluded
Mr.. Edwards. "ail tha blinds were drawn
down In an hour from then. Old Mr..
Lawson was deadr
II don't In the least see It, Mr.. Ed
wards said.
Nor did any one az the time" my
host answered, though there were grave
suspicious. They came to me at last, and
I set to work. My processes do not mat
ter, but owing to my work everything
was made plain at the trial. And how
simple 1t ali was, yet how profound in
its cunning"
Eyes. yes!"
Lawson had bought a model printing
press. He arranged with the red-haired
news lad to meet him with copy of
the third edition of the Star. He took
the paper back, and, In the blank space
left for 'sop-press' news-the very latest
telegram just as the paper goes to press
he printed a short telegram stating that
his brother had been shot at Ladysmith
for treachery to the enemy. He returned
the faxed paper to the lad. and shortly
afterward the maid servant bought 1t.
Young Lawson read tho false news to
his father, and II killed the poor old
fellow in his then state Of health, as
surely as bullet"
The Precipitation was wet upon my face
as rose to go, promising another even
ing SOON The horrors I had heard OPP
pressed me- The assassin with knife or
bludgeon was as nothing to those evil.
people I had been heavang
about The two nnurderers, Miss Pick
ering and Fred Lawson, danced through
my dreams. My night was wretched
one -,
Once, indeed, rose and flung my bed
room window wide open, leaning out INTO
the moonlit night. even Thought l
saw a black shadow crossing my neigh
boris lawn and Gliding myself for such
fancies of disordered nerves. once more
sought my bed.
I did not notice the time. but 1t must
have been only few minutes after Mr.
Edwards had been murdered. during
the week Of his freedom Lawson had
tracked the expert down. On that very
night he executed his horrid vengeance
was captured the next day, and buried IN
ouickIfme within q month.
And I allow no one to tell me stories
of crime now. I regret that saw so
little of Mr.. Edwards. He struck me
as being q singuiariy pleasant and hos
p''" rTHE END)