Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-10-17

top, and Dicks picture In his uniform
on the mantle.
Bassett was shocked at the sight 0f
David. shocked and alarmed. He wae
uncertain at first as to the wisdom Of
telling his startling story to an obvious.
ly sick man, but David's first words
reassured him.
Come in," he said. "You are tho
Bassett who was with Doctor Lving-
stone at Norada?"
Eyes. ] see you know about t."
1--WE know something, not every
thing" Suddenly Davids post de-
serted him. He got up and stood very
straight, searching eyes on his visitor.
rs he livlng?' he asked. in a low
voice.
'I think SO. I'm not certain"
Then you don't know where he isr'
"No. lie got away-but you know
that. Sit down, doctor. I've got Q
long story to tell
'1'll get you to call my sister hrst,"
David snd. 'And tell her to get Har-
rison Miller. Mr.. Miller is our neigh.
when my health did not permit md
to co.
While they waited David asked only
one question.
''The report we have had Is that
he was in stupor in the hotel, and the
doctor who saw him-you got him,
think-said he appeared to have been
drinking heavily. Is that true7 He
was not a drinking man."
Il am quite sure he had not"
There was another question in Davies
mind, but he did not put It. He sat.
with the patience of his age and his
new intirmity. waiting for Lucy to bring
Harrison Miller, and had 1t not been fof
the trembling Of his hands Bassett
would have thought him calm and even
placid.
During the recital that followed
somewhat later David did not move. He
sat silent, his eyes closed, his face set.
That's about ALL" Bassett finished.
He had been perfectly clear in his
head all day, and It took headwork to
get over the pass. But. as l say, he
had simply dropped ten years, and was
back to the Lucas trouble. I tried
| everything l knew, used your namd
and would have used the young lady's.
because sometimes that sort Of thing
strikes pretty deep, but ! didn't know
1t. He was convinced after while,
but he was dazed, of course. He knew
1t, that is, but he couldn't compre.
hend 1t.
II was done up, and I've cursed my.
self for 1t since, but / must have slept
like the dead. I wakened once. early
in the night. and he was still sittina
/ by the fire, staring at it. I've forgotten
! to say that he had been determined all
! day to go back and give himself up,
and the only way l prevented it was BY
you and to the girl. l wakened once
and said to him. Better get some sleep,
old man He did not answer at once,
and then he said. All right I was
doztng off when he spoke again. HID
said, Where is Beverly Carlysle now?
! Has she married again. She's re-
vived The Valley" and she's in New
York with It, l told him.
'When ! wnkencd in the morning hs
was gone. but he'd left piece of paper
in cleft stick beside me, with direc-
tioms for reaching the railroad, and
well, here it is
Bassctt took from his pocket book d
note, and passed it over to David, who
! got out his spoctaces with SHAKING
hands and read it. 1t was on Dick 4
/ prescription paper, with his name Mt
the top and the familiar r below IL.
David read it aloud. his voice husky.
Many thanks for everything, Bapsd
sctt, he read. Il don't like to leaEe
You, but you'll get out all right IL you
/ follow the map on the back of this.
! | We had all night 70 think things out,
and I'm leaving you because you are
! you We known all day and kept from
me. That woman at the hotel reCog-
nized me. and they are after me.
II cant make up my mind what to
/ do. Ultimately ! think I'll go back and
give myself up. / am "A dead man, any
/ how, to all who might have cared, but
! I've got to do one or two things first,
and want to think things over. One
! thing you've got right to know. L
, hated Lucas, but it never entered my
head to kill him. How it happened God
/ only knows. | don't"
/ 1t was signed u. c."
/ Bassott broke the silence that fol-
! lowed the reading.
Il made every effort to find him. I
had to work alone. you understand.
and from the west side of the range, not
to arouse suspicion. They We're after
+ nc. too. YOU know. His horse. | heard,
worked his way back few days ago.
It's Il forsaken country, and if he lost
his horse he was in it on foot and with
out food. OF course there's
| ChNnce---'
| His voice trailcd off In the stiffness
! David sat, touching with tender tremu-
! Gus fingers what might be Dicks last
message, and gazing at the picture OF
Dick in his uniform. lie knew what
they all thought, that Dick was deaIl
and that he held his final words in his
| bands, but his militant old spirit re-
fused to accept that silent verdict.
Dick might be dead to them. but he Was
living. He looked around the room
dehantly, resrntfully. Of all Of them he