Gunnison news-champion., 1924-02-15

exclamation escaped from Francis
iips The woman looked on with tired
eyes
The join In the steel HIltitch
! pointed out. lis 50 An. ss TO be IN
distLnguishabie BY the naked eye. Yet
when the blat. comes of. like this.
you see that although the weight Is
ab-oIuteiy adjusted, the inside Is hoi-
low The dagger Itself 10 enensed In
this cotton wool TO avoid any rztilInx
/ I put IL away IN rather . hurry the
last time ] used Il, and ss you ser I
forgU; 10 clean it
Francis staggered back and gripped
at the mantslplece- His eyes were
hnsd with horror Very slowly. and
with tn. air Of one engaged upon some
Interesting task, oliver Hilditch had
removed the bIood-staiaed sheath OF
cotton wool from around the thin blsds
Of marveIous-Iooking s;Ileiro. on
which Was also a long stain os en-
erus'ed blood
II here Is handle" b. vent on.
(which Is perhaps the most ingenious
thIng Of all. You touch spring here.
an beholi.'
He pressed down two tiny supports
Which opened upon hinges about four
inches from the. top OF the handle.
Th.-- was now complete hilt
with this little weapon" he e1-
PINNED. the point Is 80 sharpened ani
,he steel 80 wonderful that IL is not
me- esary TO stab II has the p.rfsc-
tioa OF q surgical instrument You
has- only to lean II against GER
tain pDIHt In a mans anatomy, lunsc
eve so little and the whole thing Is
don. Come here. Mr.. Ledsam. and
will show you the exact spot"
Francis made no movement Ills
eyes were fixed upon the weapon.
Il: had only known 2" he muttsred
My dear fellow. II you had" the
othrr protested soothingiy, you know
perfectly well that II would not have
made the slightest difference. Perhaps
tha' little break In your voice would
not have come quite so naturally, the
| ilt'I- sweep Of your arm towards me.
tn man whom a moments thnushtless-
ne~s might sweep into Eternity, would
have been little sitter. hut what
matleri You would still have done
your best and you would probably stIll
have succeeded. You don't care about
traIng with Eternity. ehr Very well.
/ ] VIII find the place for you"
Hldlichs fingers strayed along his
shlr'.front until he found certain
spot. Then he leaned the dagger
| against II. his forehnger and second
| finger pressed against the hilt. His
eyes were fixed upon his guests. He
seemed genuinely interested. Francis.
glancing away for moment was sud
| denly conscious OF n new horror The
| woman had leaned little forward
IN her .asy-chair until she had at
| tainei almost n crouching position. Her
I eyes seemed TO be measuring the dis
/ tance from where she sat to that quiv-
7 ering thread OF steel
You see, Ledsam." his host went
on. that point driven now at that
angle would go clean through the vital
[ part of my heart. And II needs r.
force. eIther-just the slow pressure
II these two fingers. What did you
say. Margaret" he inquired. breaking
OF abruptly.
/ The woman was seated upon the
very edge OF her chair. her eyes rivet-
ed upon the dagger. There was no
[ change In her face. not tremor In her
{ tone
Il said nothing" she replied. II
I did not speak at all. l was just watch
! ing"
/ Hilditch turned back to his guest
These two fingers" he repeated,
and dick OF the wrist-very little
more than would be necessary for a
} thirty-yard putt right across the
/ green"
Francis had recovered himself. had
found his bearings to a certain extent
| Il am sorry that you have told me
! his. Mr. Hilditch." he said, a little stiff
! hy.
! "whyT WAS the puzzled reply. Il
| thought you would he Interested
Il am Interested to this extent"
/ Francis declared. II shall accept no
more cases such as yours unless am
! convinced Of my clients innocence I
LOOK upon your confession to me as
being in the worst possible taste. and
| regret very much my efforts on your
. behalf
The woman was listening intenfly.
| Hilditch's expression was one Of cyni-
| cal wonder. Francis rose to his feet
/ and moved across to his hostess
Mrs. Hilditch." he said. will You
allow me to make my apologies? Ycur
husband and have arrived at IN un-
derstandlng-or perhaps should say
misunderstandinE-w renders
the acceptance Of any further hospi.
tality on my part impossible"
/ She held out the tips Of her fingers.
Il had no idea" she observed, with
gentle sarcasm. that you barristers
were such purists morally. thought
! YOU were rather proud Of being the
\ last hope of the criminal classes"
| Madam" Francis replied. Il am