The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1916-10-04
''The CreyiCe''
By VIM. ]. Burns and Isabel Ostrander

In view Of your magnanimity to-
night. I feel that this explanation-call
n confession. If you willis your due.
II you consider 1t your duty to give it
to the world at large. you must do SO,
but for Gods sake he as merciful as
you can to those at home, who will
suffer enough, In all conscience, as the
affair now stands.
Your accusation was justified ! kill.
ed Pennington Lawton in the manner
and for the reason which you alleged.
made an appointment by telephone
just after dinner. to call upon him late
that night tried by every means in
a scheme to which, unknown to him, l
had already committed him. He stead
lastly refused. His death was the only
way for me to obviate exposure and
ruin, and the disgrace Of prison SEN
tence. | anticipated his attitude and
had come prepared. During heated
period OF our discussion. he walked to
the desk and stood for moment with
his shoulder turned to me, searching
for a paper in his private drawer.
saw my chance, and seized upon 1t.
was standing before his chair, l may
explain, watching him over its high
back took the vial Of prussic acid
from my pocket, uncorked 1t and pour
ed few drops into his high-ball glass
had recorked the vial, and was on the
point of returning it to its hiding-place,
when he turned to me. Had raised
my hand to my pocket he would have
noticed the gesture; as 1t was, the
back OF the chair screened me, and on
n sudden desperate impulse ] thrust
the vial deep in the leather fold be-
tween the seat and back.
Lawton drank, and died. ! left the
house, as thought, unnoticed and Sc
cure from detection. On subsequent
visits to the house endeavored to re-
gain possession Of the vial, but on
each occasion failed In my purpose,
and at length it fell into the hands OF
Anita Lawton. have no more to say.
OF earlier events at home in England.
which you and ! discussed tonight, 1t
Is better that remain silent. You, OF
all men, will appreciate my motive.
And now. Blaine. good night. Please
accept my heartfelt thanks for the
Kramer in which you handled a most
f'fficult situation tonight. You have
rcate- me fairly at my own game. 1t
may ho that we shall meet again,
somewhere, some time. In all sin.
ccrity, yours,
Arthur Bertrand Rockamore
The detective folded the letter SLOW
" and returned 1t to its envelope.
Then he sat for long buried in thought.
Rockamore had taken the solitary loop
hole Of escape from overwhelming dis
grace left to him. He had. as far as
in him lay, expiated his crimes. What
need, then to blazon them forth to a
gaping world? Pennington Lawton
had died of heart-disease, so said the
coroner. The press had echoed him,
and the public accepted the fact. Only
two living persons beside the coroner
knew the truth, and Blaine felt sure
the gentle spirit of Anita Lawton
would be merciful-her thirst for ven
geance upon her fathers murderer
sated by his self-inflicted death-to
those of his blood. who, innocent, must
lie dragged in the mire by the dis
t'trure Of his infamy.
N-rcn Horny Blaine presented him.
~. ~ hour later at her home, he
=! Anita incIrressibly shocked by
8 - a-ic event # the night.
rr was guilty." she murmured.
.-s. ok hts own life TO escape falling
tatr vrrr hands. That gunshot was
40 accident. Mr. Blaine. He murdered
nv father in cnld blood, but he has
pa!d abhcr his memcry, and yet l
can find it in my heart to be sorry for
him,"
In silence. the detective placed in
her hands the letter Of the dead man.
and watched her face as she slowly
read it. When she looked up, her eyes
were wet, and tiny red spot glowed
in either cheek.
poor Father!" she moaned. with
all his leadership and knowledge OF
men, he was helpless and unsuspecting
in the hands Of that merciless f1end!
And yet even he though Of his own
people at the last, and wanted to spare
them. Oh, how wish we could! II
we might only keep from them for
ever the knowledge of his wickedness,
his crime!"
1--WE can, if you are willing"
Blaine met her look Of startled In
uiry, and replied to it with brief
resume Of his interview of the previous
evening with Rockamore, When he
added his suggestion that the matter
Of the way in which her father came
to his death be buried in oblivion, and
he public left to believe the first re-
port. as she was silent for time.
But the coroner who performed the
autopsy night before last she remark
Cd at length, hesitatingly. He will
make the truth public, will he not?"
mot necessarily. That depends
upon you, If you wish it, nothing will
ever be known"
II think you are right, Mr.. Blaine.
Fathers death has been avenged:
neither you nor | can do more. The
man who killed him has gone to his
last account. Further notoriety and
scandal cannot help Father, or bring
h;,,, borlr IN mo II would Op1y oanco