The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-05-10

ing you'll He admitted 1t to me, not
ten minutes ago!
II don't know much about the rules
of acknowledging at the bill-fold
in his pocket-"but I've a good guess
about what Don Stuart had to tell the
night he died, now that Brandon has
trapped himself - He shook the soiled,
folded envelope from the purse. "Ive
had this thing for weeks and like a
fool didn't read 1t.
"Listen!"
II have been a coward" Ben read
aloud. "McManus did NOT kill Fax
son. Brandon did. Brandon had Nc
Manus drunk and was getting him to
sign away his share of the partner
ship when Faxson tried to stop it.
Brandon shot Faxson and when Nc
Manus was sober enough to under
stand, told him that he-McManus-
had done 1t. McManus believed him.
don't know what became of McManus.
Brandon came to me before Sam
died and told me McManus had lit out
and that if 1 did not swear that Fax
son said McManus shot at him he
would send me to the pen for stealing
from the company. This is Gods truth.
l was afraid to do anything else. l
have been a coward. am sorry l did
not tell this years before"
Brandon's head was twitching.
"Lie," he gasped. '. drunken
bum. :"
mo lie, Brandon. It's TRUTH" Ben
said without heat, quite soberly.
Tim LETTERS turned to McManus
smiling gently, and as he moved Bran
don sprang forward. With a wild cry
he gained the doorway, snatched 1t
open and plunged outside.
"Get him!' Tim cried and McManus
followed, leaping out into the gloom
of late afternoon.
Don't leave me alone! Not here,
Benz"
1t was this cry of Dawn's which ar
rested Ben on the threshold He
turned to see her swaying dizzily.
"Hold me! Hold me close. All,
Ben, dear"
Her arms clasped his neck and she
began to cry softly.
Easy" he said unsteadily. "Easy,
now! It's all over. Everything's
over!" .--..-4.-~,-s-.~.,.,-.
No sounds of the three who had fed
into the darkness came for many min
utes and then old Tim Jeffers stamped
grimly into the room. He did not
speak as the two looked inquiringly at
him. He waited for the man who had
been known as John Martin. He
came slowly, this man, breathing
heavily.
compensation" he said in whisper
as he advanced toward Dawn, arms
outstretched hungrily. "The Mad
Woman has him. :. Here it start
ed. Into that river 1 was sup
posed to have gone, in a confession oe
murder. There he went tonight.
-. We saw it, Tim andI. We
watched him swept under the Ice. :"
=
1t was after midnight when the group
assembled in the McManus home. Tim
LETTERS, Able, Doctor Sweet, Denny Nc
Manus, Dawn and Ben Elliott sat
rather silently in the long, low living
room while Aunt EN- busted herself in
the Kitchen.
The evening had been an ordeal. ex-
planning. recording evidence; talking
with the coroner. the sheriff, the
young prosecutor; and though 1t had
ended in triumph. when the prosecutor
slowly tore to bits the old warrant
for Denny McManus, the tragic facts
with which they had been concerned
took toll.
Little was said and when Aunt En-
appeared, bearing a tray laden with
glasses and a bottle, she walked into
hushed silence.
"Fiddlesticks, what folks you are !"
she exploded. "Sittin' here like it was
a funeral instead of about the happiest
time this house has seen in coon's
age!
She passed the glasses and no one
spoke. She took the last herself and
looked around the circle of faces In
disgust.
+ HAS the cat got all your tongues?'
she demanded and Able chuckled and
old Tim LETTERS smiled.
Still, no one spoke until after old
Tim had said his say. He rose to his
feet, a giant of man in that low.
ceilinged room. He eyed the clear
wine in his glass and then looked about,
lifting it in little gesture of salute.
"Well," he said. Happy
daVSi"