Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-06-10

the enVeloping olr; he could not locate
them, and yet the speaker stood at the
end of the bridge, in plain view.
I'm sorry TO say l taught YOU that
dow said the voice. 1t seemed to
the stunned, bewildered boy that this
sentence was repeated over and over
again. There had been words before
these. but they had failed to pierce his
intelligence.
Suddenly. as If spurred by an electric
shock. he sprang to his feet to find
himself staring into the grim, unsmil-
ing face of Adam Carr. The realization
that someone had witnessed the sick
enlng acctdent-he could not think of
1t as anything else-caIne over him like
a flash
There was a witness, There was
someone to tell his uncle and aunt that
they had been right about him all
along! Uppermost in his mind. in that
instant. was the dread of their uplift-
ed. accusing hands. They, at least,
would never believe that it was an ac-
cident. They would see that he swung
for it.
Yes, ] saw most of It," said Adam
Carr. replying to the question of those
great. stricken eyes.
"Oh. Mr.. Carr, why didn't you come
sooner? Why didn't you stop it," fell
In hoarse, unnatural tones from the
rigid lips.
sow ~ olII dldI. l. little iaIl
was very rotten. A HID weight would
have broker it down. See" With that.
he stretched out his hand n pushed
the remaining rail from its fastenings.
Its a crime to let such tinbers stay
but. this is no time to find fault. We
must get down there to him. He may
be alive"
H is down ~tnere-dead!" walled
Eric. Il can see him. Look! That black
thing there by the pile of shells!"
Brace up! Brace up. Don't lose your
nerve, my lad. I've seen many a dead
man, and SO will you before you die.
YOU"
But you've never killed a man, as
/ a l am a muir"
Don't be SO sure that I've never
killed q man. my lad. Come along!
Don't be afraid. He can't hurt you
now"
It's no use. He's dead" groaned the
boy. L know a see. He hasn't
moved. IL didn't know-it would
look i that. Why, there's nc shape
to it. i
Adam Carr grasped him by the arm
and fairly dragged him off the bridge
and into the path that led by devious
winnings to the bottom of the ravine.
The boy was sobbing. but his eyes We're
wide and dry; his lips We're contorted
by the ~unspeakable grin that denotes
overpowering horror.
Il didn't mean to do it," he cried,
over and over again. He forced me
to fight. He was licking me when | hit
him that time. l couldn't have beat
him. Mr.. Carr. The rail
Stop talking grated the man.
Don't whine about it. It's done, and
that's all there is to it"
I'm a murderer groaned the mis-
cradle boy.
They said I'd dc it some day. They'll
hang me. Then what will become of
Mary? oh. why did / stand up to him?
Why didn't l rum"
Because you're not that sort" snap
PED the detective. Nov shut your
mouth You've got to begin it sooner or
later. and you'd better start in right
now. Not another word out of you.
Stop 1t, I say"
Half blind with horror, the unhappy
youth stumbled along in the trail of
Adam Carr. 1t did not enter his mind
to flee from the hated spot. He fol
lowed AS If hypnotized.
They We're five minutes in reaching
the spot where Chetwynd ay, a
crushed, spineless mass. Eric threw
himself down beside the body. pleading
in accent wild for a word, a single word
from the lips of his late adversary.
Get back commanded Adam sharp
ly. Let me attend to this" He took
the boys place. In a moment he arose.
and shook his head. It's all up with
him. Dead as a mackerel."
Try again! Maybe he's breathing.
Try his heart" cried the wretched Eric.
W must go for a doctor. I'll go. You
look after him"
N use. my a He's done for. He'll
never bother you again; he'll steal no
more drawings from you; he'll-hut
We'll talk about that later on. Here!
Grab hold of his legs
Eric shrank back. aghast What
what are you going to do?"
Hide i'll mean him under tina.
clulnp OF vines over there Eric still
held back. The man looked at him for
la and then laid his hand ON
his shoulder. See here, Eric he said,
a wonderful kindness IN his voice. mo
one knows of this but you and me. Nc
one ever need know. He's Just disap-
Feared, that's all-disappeared forever.
People do that sort of thing sometimes
And here his eyes narrowed, "let me
tell you this: Your cousin had the best
reason in the world for skipping out
u don't understand" m%urrnured the
bewildered Eric.
You will. when | explain. Take hold
of him. Don't be afraid. Well hide him
until after dark"
Eric shook his head duly. No, !
can't do that, Mr.. Carr. It's wrong"
Didn't you hear what 1 said abou.
being the only Witness@' demanded
Adam. No one will ever find you out
depend on that
"Ive got to tell Uncle Horace" cried
Eric, twisting his fingers. I've just go,
to-
Well, If you won't you won't sale
the man grim1y. Stay where you are
I'll do 1t myself"
Eric. shuddering, turned his bach
while the other ma look up the limI
figure and, %groaning under its weight
struggled across the rocks to the dense
clump Of vines that sprang from the
base OF the wall.
Now Q can look he remarked
coolly. a few minute later. He had
covered the body in the mass of green
Vines.
Eric looked on dumbly as the older
man, with furtive glances aloft and u.
and Town the lark crevasse, began d
thorough and systematic searth of the
ground, his methods not unlike those
off, dog smelling out a buried bone. He
picked up a match-safe and pieces OF
the broke crystal of the dead mans
open ace watch. A few scatterej
coins, part of a gold collar button tina,
had been snapped In two by the straia
oil the band, the top of a fountain pen
nothing seemed TO escape the trained