The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-01-17
1.-THE NEITHER STEPS

% the eject that he had obtained for
me a good specimen of seventeenth
century work, sent me. with eaeerness'
TO his rooms in Half Moon street one
bowling December night
II was very kind and generous OF
Tredways. who-knew my fondness LOT
antique inlaid furniture. His acqulsl-
,tion was a small table of tulip WOOD
with a lovely veneer OF dark-hued toy
toise-shell. with rapture ana thou-
sand thanks was examining this prize
when the bell trilled and n lady's name
was brought up to u.s.
Miss Hilda Bassett," read Tredways-
''Show Miss Bassett Up.
It was an expressive face whlcn
found my eyes dwelling on minute
Ist.r. and i,ist1hen its expression was
OF heavy trouble patiently and very
long endured. 1t was too thin for
beauty. and the nervous lips lacked
fun restraint: but It was a -sweet race
Of n girl about twenty-four years OF
age. and it made me forget my puhi
table.
"Perhaps I should not have called
said our visitor with anxious hesita-
ton. IT hope you will not be annoyed
You are Mr.. Hogg Trcdways. are you
not? I have ventured to come TO ask
for your advice-perhaps your help;
for I dare to hope that you will help
me when you hear my story"
at any rate. shall listen attsn-
lively, be assured. Miss Bassett." said
Tredways. planting chair. rms Is
my friend-the Rev. Horace francle'
Chaplain Of Chains Prison"
bowed The lady opened her water
proof. she was very slender, fraglle
al
turned my bow and continued, ngnuns
her nervousness pluckily.
"I have been told about you, MT.
Tredways. How that you sometimes
take up the case Of a man discharged
from prison, when you believe that he
was unjustly convicted, and how you
unravel the mystery that sent him
there and re-establish him in the
world
'Indeed?" smiled my friend in his
kindly way. ''Well, that has happened
occasionally-with the assistance OF
the Chaplain here, who has recon-
mended one or two instances Of the
sort YOU mention. And you bring me
one? All, you have heard only OF my
Door successes. My failures are many.
. Years of prison life bury so much vital
data; in them perhaps the apparently
small clue that was the key TO the
riddle. Now, tell me your story"
1T is one not of myself, answered
Miss Bassett, with smile. Il am APP
penilng to you on behalf OF another, q
man. a young man who has just
been discharged from prison after a
two years sentence. His name Is
Arthur wrayson. do not know if you
have hear" she broke of, flush. n
TERRIBLE hot burning flush of shame
crinlsonInE her face and throat. ]
will be frank with you." she forced
herself to add. II was engaged to be
married to him. I am now, only-only
lie hides himself from me. from all who
would show some interest still IN him
And rise he never will unless I-you-
can give him aid. For he was wrongly
convicted, as I can prove to you"
Let US hope So" said -Tredways
gravely. For your sake. Miss Bassett
let US hope as much. Begin at the
start"
She went on in a low voice: tive
years ago some jewels were stolen from
a house in Hampstead. They were re-
covered with the exception Of a single
diamond. The theft was traced Il
Arthur wrayson; indeed. he admitted
taking the stones. But the actual cir
cumstances Of the story he told only
to me. You will find them very strange
startling, even.
"Onythe night OF the supposed crime
Arthur was crossing one Of the Heatl
roads at a very late hour. He was very
unhappy. To enable you to understand
the temptation which was put in hi
path must tell you that I had tina
evening declined to marry him until h,
had exerted himself to make some posi-
ton. That he was inclined to idleness
that he had formed serious debts. an
compelled now to tell you. He had lef
me. in something like despair. with wilC
talk OF taking his life.
"He was passing a large house de
tached from any others when he hear,
a mans startled cry,-fonowed by tn
sound OF falling body and a woman
exclamation Of terror. He opened
gate and was running up a gravel patti
when he heard the same voice OF
woman call out. in a hushed tone, M
Godi I have killed himi' The windov
from which these sounds issued wa
open. Arthur pushed it further III
and sprang in. acting on impulse.
at was a bedroom. A tall wolnal
who was fully dressed in outdoor cos
tune, with a motor veil over her face
was standing in the middle OF the room
looking down Mortified at the body G
the man in evening dress huddle
against one OF the walls. In her han
was a brass candle-holder which sh
had taken from the mantel shelf an
with which she had apparently struc
down the man. She shrank back a
Arthur entered. painting with fear, he
nerves all gone. He snatched tn
candle-sticlS from her and stopped owe
the body. The man had been struc
behind the ear; he was quite senseles!
and he breathed Ike one whose slSu
is fractured. Arthur examined hir
quickly. Amongst Rany-too man
things, he has been a medical studen
He saw that the man was not seriousl
injured. and that he would soon re
cover his senses.
"As he rose the woman seized hir