The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-08-06

kets hung before the three windows,
and besides one or two rocking chairs
there vas a pile OF books from the H.
brary downstairs and IA mans black
ened pipe on the deal table.
Like lightning the doctors keen eye
searched the room and then went back
to the space in front Of the cot. A
mans body lay there inert.
Hold this TORCH" commanded the
doctor. and. bending down, he lifted
The mans emaciated form to the cot.
!he ragged coat fell back. revealing Il
glimpse of a broadly striped garment
underneath.
1t did not need this betraying glimpse
Of the convict stripes for the physician
to recognize in the nan William Ged-
ney!
The room revealed that It had long
been the habitation Of some recluse.
Who was it: Hardly Gedney. for he
was still in prison.
The doctor made n brief examination
and found that the nan had been stab
bed in the right shoulder. An ugly
wound. but not necessarily dangerous.
Josiah. relieved at this practical lay
ing OF the Gedney ghost. waited upon
his master with unusual intelligence.
HI heated water on the oil stove.
found a lamp and lighted it and held
1t, together with the torch, while the
doctor skillfully washed and dressed
the wound. When it was bound and
a pillow placed under the injured
mans back the doctor administered a
strong stipulant and presently VIII
liam Gednsy opened his wild, dark
eyes and searched the physicians
c~Ountenance.
"Edmondsw he gasped. You? How
did you come hereT
"A telephone message said the doc
tor quickly. "And you. William. you
have escapedY"
Gedney nodded YEARLY. "Sit down.
and I will tell you ALL" he said.
His story was brief and to the point
He declared that he had been innocent
Of The crime charged against him Al.
though there had been a fight and a
shot had been fired, he swore that he
had not held the weapon. His com.
p%anions had scattered, leaving him
with the body of Tom Collins-to be
the scapegoat.
Circumstantial evidence was against
him, and to save his client Gedney's
lawyer had pleaded self defense; hence
the life sentence.
I've always intended to escape"
muttered Gedney, land at last came
the opportunity. l grasped it. My
first thought was to come home here.
| arrived this evening at dusk. The
place was home to me, although there
remained one Of my dear ones to
welcome me, the black sheep Of tn"
family. Doctor, l may have been wild
and foolish, but my hands are innocent
of blood.
Il came afOot-I had travelled by
highland at last l reached here, gain
ed an entrance through the pantry win
dow and went up to my mothers o
III was going to pray there and ask
their forgivcness-yOu understand" he
ended brokenly.
81 had reached the upper hall When
l met a man; it was Tom Collins
brother! He was carrying a candle.
and he looked old and ragged and I'M
kempt. When he saw me he gave
chase. screaming madly that he would
kill me. | was unarmed, and | was
weak from lack of food. He pursued
me up the attic stairs to this room. and
there he stabbed me. leaving me fer
dead On the ilOor. 1t was a welcome
sound indeed to hear your ring at the
door. | suppose l must go back t.
prison, but | think l have solved the
mystery. Jim Collins killed his broth
er. That is why he has hidden away
here, a prey to his WI guilty con-
science. He must have lived a hermit
life for several years. A fellow pri>-
oner told me that Jim had disappear
ed from his usual haunts. l hope-l
pray that he has left a confession of
some kind that will clear my name"
Leaving Josiah in care of the sick
man. Dr.. EdmOnds went back to his
horse and drove rapidly in the direc-
ton Of the railroad station. He sus
pected that the fleeing Collins had in
a moment of cOntrition telephoned from
some pay station to the doctors house
SO that Gedney's wound might be at
tended to.
DR.. Edmonds found il strange situa-
ton at the little railroad station.
A strange man had found shelter
there during the thunderstorm. He
was a ragged looking tramp. He had
entered the wire cage where the pub
lie telephone "a placed and had used
the telephone. AS he finished speak
ing there came a cracking hiss, and
a bolt of lightning ruined the instru-
ment and sent the man senseless to
the floor.
The station agent had vainly tried
to reach DR.. EdmOnds. and his appear.
ance now was taken as a matter of
fact.
There was little he could do for jim
Collins save to take his dying state
ment and confession that he was his
h~rOthar'S mrr1erar Ha had hpa rt