Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-09-01
some hidden spring. FOR another draw =

81. cunninRy concealed in/the pan.
] melting at the back, sprang out. Wv
ian's nervous system was
shattered by the work OF the nignt
and he fell back, his beating
strangely, and 1t Was some moments
before! he could bring himself TO
the papers which he say exposed.stt
There were but two. Ons was
evidently the last will and testament
OF the man who now lay dead o the
roof, the other-a parchment yellow
with age and creaSed with much US
age. It was folded lengthwise and
was endorsed in an angular handwrft-
ing. Vivian Rentonz took this Sover TO
the light, which came thinly through
the blinds.
At first, as he read, he showed no
particular interest III the matter set
forth in the cramped, faded calig-
raphy on tho parchment. 1t wSs
when he had reached the second folio
of the document that a look Of inter
est came into the keen eyes. After
that he utead to the end without rails
ling them. N
And, when he had finished, he
dropped down in the easy chair and
sat, the parchment sheets hanging
down In his ~listless hands, his eyes
fixed. unseeing, IN space. From the
|'street outside IN the movement OF
the life OF the afternoon, the rumble
OF vehicles. the slN.ll laughter OF chill !
dren. The only sound within the room
was he eternal ticking OF the clock.
III I only dared ~
The man In the chair breathed the
words.
"a fortune in II, perhaps-and
q lost identity-at one stroke! II
I only dared!"
He rose to his fest and took abbot
ting-pad from its place on the desk,
and choosing the spot where the wan
ing light was strongest. placed It on
his knee and commenced to write.
Word for word he made a copy OF
what he had been reading very
rough copy-partly ina shorthand. az
his own, for the light would not last
candle.
The schenae,ff what was nebulousfy
forming in his brain could be called
that, necessitated. above all, that the
original document should be returned
with h will to- the secret drawer
IN the bureau. It was necessary that,
when the heir to the dead solicitor
came to take possession, they should
pc found intact and should show rs
signs of having been tempered with.
It was all but dark when Vivian
put away his fountain pen, and, fold
Ing what he had written, placed It In
his breast pocket, together with ton
sheet of the blotting pad. He D
fenced a little difficulty in replacing
the drawer. but at last he told him.
sell that all was as he had found ID
n that No. 9 Mortimer Terrace
showed no signs OF his stay. The
bank notes were safely in his posses
Sion, and nothing remained for him
Y to take the first opportunity Of
leaving the ho1se. IS
He noticed with a keen satisfaction
that with the coming Of night the fog
had again settled down over the dis
trict:; and although not so dense as
before. still would serve as a curtain
70 Scloak his departure HI buttoned
his coat closely round his throat and
rel. his way on into the hall. He>had
his hand on the latch, when he start
ed back and stood motion1ess with
fears
There came the creak of the gata
and h footsteps on the grayelGpath.
Vivian had. afor the moment, Host all
power of movement. Had tho person
coming up the path possessed a KEY,
the gqame that Vivian was .plannfnk
would haye had but short life. The
sseps anne to e stand on the top Of
n flight Of stone stairs, that led from
the door to the garden. To the man
on b mat the time seemed an eter-
nifty; his nerves were in no fit condi-
ton for this.
Their was a rattle at the door and.
with a ave Of relief flooding over
him, Vivian could just discern a white
envelope tcircular-being pushed
through the 1etterbox. He; nearly,
shouted with laughter as he heath
path y So
1T. was a small matter in itself; but
Renton returned to the room
ne hadSleft and drank on the remain
that he must pull himself togethesr:s
1t was 10 usual for him to- be fright,
ened at a shadow But then Vivian
Renton had neyer killed q man before.
An hour later the man closed the
door Of No. 8 Mortimer Terrace soft1v
into the darkness. u
Continued Tomorrow Evcnine.