Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1919-04-17

room Tor conjecture. 1t simply
piles up the proof against Miss
Stuart, and.all your skill and even
your will can't get her Off
A low moan was heard and a
sound as OF a falling body. Stone
'sprang to the door, and Ainging
it open, disclosed Pauline lying on
the floor where she had just fallen.
With a low exclamation, Stone
picked her up and carried her to a
couch. In a moment she sat up
and cried, "What do you mean,
Mr.. Hardy? DO you think | killed
Aunt Lucy"
"There, there, Miss Stuart
don't ask foolish questions" and
Hardy, deeply embarrassed, stood
at bay. 1t vas one thing to assert
his suspicious to Fleming Stone,
and quite another to have them
overheard by this beautiful and
indignant girl.
Chow dare you'll" Pauline
went on. 81 was at the door and
] heard all You said. No, | am not
ashamed of listening, I'm glad |
did. Now [ know what [ have to
fight against! And you. Mr..
Stone. do you think me a MUIR
derer?"
Pauline cringed not at all. She
looked more like an avcnging god.
dess, as She confronted the two
men, and her blazing eyes and
frowning face challeged their re
plies.
81 do not, Miss Stuart" said
Stone, quietly, but Pauline re.
sponded, "How do l know? If
You did, you'd say you didn't! /
have no friend, no one to stand up
for. | shall send for Carr. He
will defend me"
With a disdainful glance round
she left the room. The two mer
OOhtu at Ouc duOluCF.
"Guilty," said Hardy.
"Never!!" said Stone, and then
the two went their different ways
Hardy s way led to police head
quarters, and his report there
which included Stones story OF
the tested glass, was heard with
interest.
He demanded Miss Stuart 5 i'm
mediate arrest, claiming that only
she could have persuaded her
aunt to swallow the poisoned
draught.
Inspector Brunt was not quite
willing to order arrest, but he set
machinery Sat work which hi
hoped would bring decisive re
suits of some sort.
1t did.
That same evening, Pauline
went to Fleming Stone. The two
were alone. Standing before him
i'll all her somewhat tragic beau
ty, Pauline asked. "You don't
think me guilty, Mr.. Stonei"
He looked deep in the great.
dark eyes that seemed to chal.
lenge his very soul, and after a
moment steady glance, he re-
piled, II know you are not, Miss
Stuart"
Can ypn prove it9''s
II hopes to.SG
"That means nothing. Are you
sure you cant"
Fleming Stone looked troubled,
Never before in his career had he
been unable to declare his surety
OF success; but with those com
polling eyes upon him he couldn't
deny a present doubt.
Shaking himself, as If to b,
freed from q spell, he said, at last
Miss Stuart, l am not sure.
am convinced of your innocence
but the only theory of guilt that
can conceive Of is so difficult, SC
almost impossible Of proof, and sc
lacking in FEASIBILITY; that il
seems hopeless. If determination
and desperate effort can dosit, you
shall be exonerated. But ther,
are many circumstances not il
your favor. These I shall over
come, eventually. But, to be hon
est, until I can get a clue or ,
link Of some sort to Join my
lpurely imaginative theory to som,
tangible fact, ! can do little.
am working day and night in m,