, 1919-03-06

dropped" A sound, indescribable, came
from him, and with a slight gush OF
blood from a, bullet-wound in the right
temple, he fell overload.
The doctor stared at me.
Through the window" he said.
He ben himself to the task of hold
ing back the end. 1t was useless.
His son." said the physician.
"WeTl get him. You go-you two. I
must do what 1 can"
The butler and I raced like two
maniacs from the and out into
the crisp night air.
"He Is not here, sir" said the thin
old fellow.
1--WE can't let this wait" I said.
1.-The police must be notified"
"Yes-the police" said Simmons in
a bewildered manner. did you hear
the shot, sir?"
mo"
This was the first thought that had
struck me. I had heard no shot.
We went out through the iron gate
and raced like two madmen along the
street. The butler knew the. way. I
had not yet learned enough of Triv-
orion to be sure where to find the po-
lice.
1t did not take us long to tell the
story-what we had to tell.
The police officer in charge showed
the eagerness characteristic of the
sleuth.
Istold how the son had asked his ia
her to shake hands. How he had
been ordered from the house. And how
he had taken something from the cab
met and thrust 1t in his pocket.
Its a clear enough case" said the
officer. "He must have been watch
ing at the window, and fired just as
the old man was about to sign the will.
Well have him. There is no way out
of Trivorton before six in the morn
ing"
All the available force was at once
put on the case.
I followed with a frenzied sort Of
fascination all the movements of the
police.
Miss Redbagh by this time had been
aroused, and sat, dry-eyed and half
stunned. at the bedside Of her father.
There had been a way out of Triv-
orion that night. At half-past even
in the morning Miss Redbagh received
a telegram.
Dear Edna:
Mile and I reached Baldwin at
three this morning. I borrowed your
horse, and we drove over. I am send
ing the horse back in care of a man
from tho hNtaI horn nnntt mind chant
the will. I am going to work.
Lovingly.
DONALD"
"Baldwin-three in the morning."
said the police officer in charge Of the
investigation. eff that's true, he new
err fired that shot"
"who did?' I asked helplessly.
1--WE must verify the telegram first"
Now thoroughly determined to know
the end Of 1t, I accompanied two de-
tectives to Baldwin.
At the hotel we learned that Dom
aid Redbagh and his wife did arrive
there (twenty miles away at three
o'clock that morning. The shot that
killed his father had been fired at
half-past one.
1.-The girl-was she In sympathy
with her brother?" asked the detec-
tive.
"Yes." I said hes%itatingly; but she
never shot her father. The will was
all in her favor"
Back we went to Trivorton. The
doctor had probed for the bullet.
"You thought young Redbagh took
a revolver" he said. "This is a rife
ball. We heard no shot. It was an
accident. I am convinced hat no muir
der was committed. And since the
man is dead, 1 am ready to admit that
a great injustice was prevented. DON
aid married a poor girl, and Redbagh
was always a-well-he's dead"
In a small town like Trivorton such
q case becomes the main topic of con-
versation. Sleepless, I vas in the po-
lice station at about five that same
afternoon, when a boy am In, white
face, frightened, and carrying under
his arm a small rifle.
"In give myself up" he said. 81
think I shot Mr.. Redbagh, although I
didn't mean to do so. I was out after
rabbits. It's fun on a bright, moon
light night. My dog had scared up
several, and I guess I got to shooting
wild. Do you think I'll have to go to
prison?
Everybody breathed a sigh Of relief.
The chief of police looked at me Pc
culiarly.
"Redbagh was about gone, wasn't
he2" he asked.
HE couldn't have lived through the
night"
1.-The girl is true to her brotherr
Eyes. and Donald to her"
whats your name?" asked the
chief of the frightened boy.
atom Wynert."
1.-THE doctors SOM"