The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-04


 doorway, he saw Anna Wrightson and his ed paper. The woman evidently had hurl- ed herself upon the old attorney with man. iacal strength and was fighting for the document that threatened to undo her plot ting.
 At one side of the room fire was blaz- ing in an open grate. Before Bristow could reach the struggling pair, Colonel Bain- bridge tripped and plunged headlong to- ward the fireplace, carrying the woman with him. Both, in efforts to break the fall, released the disputed paper. Ere Bris- tow could save it, it fluttered into the flames. In another instant nothing re- mained of the discriminating piece of evi- dence, save charred mass.
 With a triumphant cry the woman sprang to her feet and stood defiantly be- fore the intruder.
 "Just in time to be in at the death-of another of your hopes!" she mocked.
 Bristow did not deign to reply Colonel Bainbridge lay at his feet white and si- lent. In falling the old lawyers head had struck knob on the ornamental fender before the grate, causing unconsciousness.
 Springing to a telephone, he hurriedly summoned Dr. Craig. Then he began ef- forts to resuscitate his injured partner. The woman, now awed by the seriousness of the affair, hastened to bring water and towels. But their efforts proved futile up to the time Dr. Craig arrived.
 After swift inspection of the wound, Lo cbx olo 1xi<h sion of extreme gravity.
 "It looks like a basal fracture" he announced. "He must be removed to his home as speedily as possible and kept ab- solutely quiet and free from worry if we are to avoid serious results. With proper nursing and freedom from excitement he has fighting chance"
 The city's only ambulance was speedily summoned. In it Bristow and the doctor rode with the unconscious man to the Bain- bridge residence. En route Bristow ex- plained to the physician full details of the affair at Anna Wrightson's home. Dr. Craig heard him through silently.
 ''What do you propose to do in the mat ter?" he then asked with what Bristow considered yelled anxiety.
 lHlcHu u Idfc AuHd VAlSAtooH eohCi into custody immediately retorted the lawyer.
 "On what charge?"
 Conspiracy to defraud Nerissa Selden of fortune and possibly with assault with intent to kill Colonel Bainbridge."
 You will do nothing of the kind sir," said Dr. Craig sharply.
 "And why not, pray?" demanded the lawyer with heat.
 This man always seemed to espouse the Wrightson woman's cause, he thought, re- calling the conversation they had held at Crestmore regarding the possibility of the housekeeper's guilt.
 Because you can not prove either charge. You say the confession was ac- cidentally burned. It was your only proof of such conspiracy or intimidation aside from your unsupported word. There is no proof, either, that the woman attacked Colonel Bainbridge You found they strug- gling when you entered the house. For all a jury could know, he might have attacked her instead. It is likely they would belive her story rather than yours regarding what happened. What you heard through the closed door and what you surmise may have happened before you entered the cottage is not the kind of evidence to sustain such charges as you contemplate" The doctor paused and eyed the younger man with something akin to anxiety in his lean face. "I fear, my boy, you are losing your grip on things through worry over this unfor- tunate affair. l advise you to go away and take a rest"