Gunnison news-champion., 1924-02-15

seemed tFTINAtAN HNA AAA-+A= = 49,
I sald that knew Of no cause for III
will between them lied when SAID
that i-fr them on friendly terms
lied When I said thsf Oliver Hiltitch
seemed depressed and nervous. | lied
when / said that be expressed the
deepest reInOrse for what he had done.
There wEs every Indication that night
Of the bate which I happen TO Know
exlaei between the woman and the
man have not the falntesr doubt in
my mind but thar she murdered him
In my Judgment. she WIS perfectly
Justified in doing So
You Se-.- he continued. argrmeDta-
lively. i was morally and actually re-
spansible for the mans being brought
hack into society. And far worse than
that. I vas responsible for his being
thrust back again upon his wife. Ergo
I WIS also responsible for what she
did that night. The matter seems as
plain us n plkestafT 10 me. did what
I could TO atone, rightly or wrongly II
doesn't matter. because II is over and
don. with, Tnere you are. old fellow.
now you know what's been making me
nerVy. I've committed wholesale per
jury. but acted accortllu- 20 my con
science and think according 10 Jus
tiee. The thing has worried me.
admit. but IL has passed. and I'm glad
It's OF my chest. one more llgueur,
Andrew. and II you want 10 wen talk
about my plans for the future"
The brandy was brought Wilmore
studied his friend curiousiy. not with
out some relief Francis had lost the
haraSsed and nervous appearance
upon which his club friends had con-
meuted. which had been noticeable.
even, to diminishing extent. upon the
golf course at Brancaster. lie was
alert and eager. He had the air Of =
man upon the threshold OF some en-
terprise dear 10 his heart.
Il have been through queer cx-
perience.' Francis continued present
iy, as he slipped his second llqueur.
Not only had rather less than
twelve hours TO make up my mind
whether should commit serious Of
fense against the law. but a sensation
which | always hoped that ] might ex-
perIence. has come TO me In what !
suppose ] must call most unfortunate
fashion"
The womanf' wilmore ventured.
Francis nssented gloomily. There
was moments silence. Wllmore. the
metaphysiclan. saw then strange
thing. He saw light steal across his
friends stern face. He saw his eyes
for a moment soften, the hard mouth
relax, something incredible transform
Ing. shine. as IL were, out Of the mans
soul In that moment OF self-revelatiOn.
II was gone like the momentary pass
ing OF strange CLEAN OF sunshine
across a leaden sea, but those few Sec
onds were sufficient wilmore knew
well enough what had happened.
''Oliver Hilditc4i's Wife" Francis
went on, after few minutes pause.
presents ar .n ma which at present
/ cannot no solve. The fact that
she received her husband back again.
knowing what he was and what he
was capable Of. is inexplicable to me.
The woman herself Is q mystery. I
do not know what lies behind her ex-
traordinary immobIlity. Feeling she
must have, and courage. or she would
never have dared to have ridded her
self OF the scourge Of her life. But
beyond that my judgment tells me
nothing. only know that sooner OF
later shall seek her out. shall dis
cover all that want to know, one
way or the other. II may be for hap
piness--it may be the end of the things
that count"
Il guessed this" wilmore admitted,
with little sh!ver which he was
wholly unable to repress.
Francis nodded.
Then keep II to yourself, my dear
fellow" he begged, like everything
else l am telling you tonight. I have
come out of my experience changed
in many ways" he continued. but.
leaving out that one secret chapter,
this is the dominant factor which
looms up before me- I bring into life
new aversion. almost a passion. An
drew. born In tea-shop In the city,
and ministered to by all that has hap
pened since. have lost that sort OF
Indifference which my profession en-
genders toward crime. l am at war
with the criminal, sometimes. hope.
In the courts Of justice. but forever
out OF them. ! am no longer indifrer-
ent as to whether men do good or evIl
so long as they do not cross my path.
am hunter Of sin. am out TO de-
str0y. There's touch of melodr8ma
In this for you, Andrew" he concluded,
with little laugh. "but, my God, I'm
In earnest"
What does this mean so far as re-
CARDS the routine Of your daily iifer'
Wilmore asked curiously.
swell. 1t brings us to the point we
discussed down at Brancaster," Fran
els replied. "It will affect my work to
this extent. I shall not accept any
brief unless, after reading the evi-
dence. feel convinced that the ac-
10 frpncopy