The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1916-03-03

thing of relief in it. Too bad. Poor
fellow. Keep on doing everything you
can for him, doctor, and send me the
bills as you have been doing"
All right" answered the doctor,
and then as an afterthought he added,
"and, by the way, West begged me to
send for Edgar Clay. He said he had
to see him before he died."
Some foolish fancy, no doubt"
quickly interrupted Stone. He'll lave
forgotten it by now. Pay no attention
to it. Never mind sending for Clay"
But I already have" answered the
doctor, and he was surprised at the
suddsnness with which the converse
ton terminated. Stone had hung up
on him.
Clay and death made a merry race
Of it for the bedside of Stones old
clerk. And Clay won.
Feebly raising one trembling hand,
West haltingly grasped Clay's ex-
tended palm and indicated to the doc
tor and nurse that he wished to be
alone with his guest.
take that pad and pen from of
the table, and write as 1 dictate" the
dying man commanded. And this is
the statement he maae with the last
ounce Of breath in his emaciated
body:
II relieve my soul of the con-
fession that my employer, Horace
Stone, stole 100000 in securities
from Edgar Clay, ST.. to whose
son I am now debating this con-
fession. Stone obtained the sig
nature Of transfer while Clay was
intoxicated, one hour before said
Clay was killed by train. I have
been bribed by Stone to keep this
quiet"
Summoning all Of his waning
strength. West took the pen from the
young mans hand, and with q firm
ness that was remarkable in one 80
near death, penned his name, IN a
good, clear signature at the bottom of
the confession.
And then as II his wearied spirit
had been released by the lifting Of a
great burden, Peter West, smilingly
lay back and peacefully passed away.
Slowly, with that awe all feel In the
presence of the great leveler Of hu-
man rank, Clay, the precious confess
sion safely slowed away in his inside
coat pocket, tiptoed from the room,
and pausing only long enough to see
the last few immediate attentions rem
dered by the nurse, left the saddened
cottage and hurried away to find his
partner.
He did not know that Stone, peer
ing from the shadow Of a neighboring
building, had seen his departure, and
had gazed long and earnestly after
him as he strobe away. Anxiety and
hate were depicted on the attorneys
face as be shrugged his shoulders in
impotent rage and muttered to him.
self:
II must find out what ne knows"
w.
And now, impelled by the swift and
memorable fate that had been released
by Folly's hand, events were moving
swift and fast to . certain crisis.
Slowly the pattern In the woof OF
these peoples lives was being COM
pleted. Poor fools all, they had done
homage at FoIlys court and were
about to pay the price.
Mrs Clay was back at Cora Blake's,
playing heavily a. was her wont, and
losing steadily. Clay was back at his
partners Office showing him Vests
confession, and laying plans to benefit
by the knowledge that had 80 strange
ly come to him. Stone was back at
his desk, busily scheming to find a
way to learn what Clay had found out.
Just at the time that Irwin and
Clay had decided that this confession
Of Vests would probably prove their
financial salvation Stone had remem
bersd, almost as an inspiration, that
Ibis was the night Of the Van Linds