Show I 1 the house of the three ganders 3 by IRVING BACHELLER by waw i MJ rini ii i jw jil CHAPTER XIII continued 23 did you learn who paid him shad aked yea the name I 1 am not quite ready to disclose you and I 1 must go tomorrow and make a careful survey tot the premises of robert royce within twenty four hours I 1 think that we shall have our man in jall mean while we must keep still and step loftly 1 I have come news for you shad began we are at the end of the mystery shad told of the doctors strategy with the unfortunate girl and of the taking of the photograph with the help of magnesium and powder at night lie recited the dialogue that he had overheard he presented the coaled envelope to hla friend saying there Is the photograph I 1 have not seen it the doctor that it chows the murderer he Is sure of that colonel blake broke the seal of the envelope and looked at the photograph G dt he exclaimed as he put it back in the envelope he walked up and down thoughtfully a serious look in his face he resumed his seat this Is important he said the talk you overheard and the photograph are the last links in the chain is ifs a remarkable story and theres a great hero in it the boy restrained his curiosity in the moment of silence that followed it was broken by the colonel who said my boy in this whole matter you have rendered me a great service it has been the work of a man and a brave man at heart my rule Is to keep decisive evidence to myself until the one it affects Is under arrest but I 1 think that you are entitled to see that photograph if you wish to 1 I bow to your judgment sir I 1 can wait well you will not have long to wait how did you get on with black shad took from his pocket the little essay that he had written on the foundation of the common law the colonel read it carefully again you have surprised me he said it Is excellent I 1 dont mean to say that it Is above criticism but your ideas are well expressed and your judgment of the value of the factors Is mature it Is like that of a roan shad was quick to take his cue he eald colonel blake this compliment Is very welcome you told me once that I 1 was brave well I 1 am going to be braver now than I 1 have ever been the colonel turned toward the boy whose face was red with embarrass genf he asked shad what Is it 1 I am in love with your daughter some time I 1 want to marry her if she will have me I 1 want to ask her to wait for me until I 1 am old enough it I 1 have done anything worth doing it Is because I 1 loved her and wanted lo 10 win her admiration the colonel laughed my boy I 1 know how you feel he said its a terribly serious feeling I 1 can only say now that the court reserves its decision at present let us confine our thought to the main issue I 1 am weary with much travel and must have rest III go to bed and you go to your hodg tags tomorrow will be a busy day or both of us I 1 shall get a good team in the morning and call for you at eight next morning shad drove to ash field with colonel blake and the sheriff they stabled their horses the colonel asked shad to telephone to doctor gorae and learn if he had any news to report the doctor answered tell your chief that I 1 must see him ahta morning and that I 1 will meet him at the westminster hotel within the hour they waited in the hotel office until the doctor arrived then the colonel the sheriff and the boy proceeded to the shop of robert royce the colonel addressed him in ft serious tone royce the time has come when I 1 must have a frank talk with you he ald you will gave yourself embarrassment ras if you lock your door and draw the shades thero can be no interruption of these proceedings royce changed color in a fright voice he inquired what has happened I 1 may have to arrest you I 1 have evidence enough to make you a lot of trouble it you lie to me you shall puffer for it what I 1 want from you Is the truth and the whole truth I 1 warn you not to conceal any part 0 it don t make a mistake and try to fool me it wont work what have I 1 done royce asked that a exactly what I 1 want to know blake answered you ara in a critical position 1 take it that you do not want to be tried for murder or for complicity in murder murder I 1 royce exclaimed yes you cannot prove an alibi moreover you lad a motive as the only heir of your mother you were intimate with the crook algyre who liaa made H of his part in the killing of oscar perry and the attempt to put it on bumpy brown royce had risen to his feet with a distressful countenance my G d serl he exclaimed 1 have been a tool but I 1 bad nothing to do with that crime what cin c in I 1 tell you blake demanded tell me all that you know about the girl carrie brown that s like prodding me with a hot iron he began but III tell you everything I 1 know III tell you she ts a daughter of old bumpy brown she came on to live with her father nearly two years ago I 1 was a friend of the old man he lived in town and was drinking hard those das she be happy with him and he was in no shape to take care of her I 1 fell in love with that girl royce stopped he leaned forward his face in his hands when he spoke again his voice showed signs of emotion 1 I never knew what it meant to be in love until I 1 saw her he went on my uncle gave her a job in his shop in malone the work was hard she what do I 1 know about the murder of oscar ahle it she was not very well I 1 got her a place in the store in south bolton it was a healthy country she liked it I 1 went to see her once a week I 1 took her out riding royce paused again colonel blake asked were you engaged to her well I 1 had asked her to marry me she had not promised to do it I 1 began to see she did not care as much for me as I 1 did for her I 1 would have gone through hell for her by and by I 1 learned that she was keeping company with another man I 1 coulden couldn t find out who it was I 1 was told that she would walk oft in the woods alone sunday evenings and meet him I 1 am sure that she was fond of him he love her as much as I 1 did certain royce took out hla handkerchief and wiped his eyes he seduced her the young man went on by and by she was in trouble I 1 had quit going to see her hubbard wrote me the truth and said that something would have to be done the girl had no friends I 1 went up there I 1 stay away I 1 felt sorry I 1 loved her in spite of all she had done she wanted to go to a midwife up in the woods she wanted to hide the disgrace as much as possible I 1 took her there she bad a baby and camo near dying I 1 stood by her I 1 took doctor gorse up there to see her he saved her life colonel blake arose and went to royces side and took his hand saying you have told the truth ille a man you see I 1 know the truth but I 1 wanted to hear it from you I 1 have only one more question to ask when you missed your revolver cartridges and overalls had you no suspicion of the thief algyre was in the shop the day of the murder he told me that while 1 was out on an errand that day bumpy brown came in and went back to the office I 1 made up my mind bumpy had done the stealing colonel blake answered 1 I am satisfied the sheriff was speaking of the ad marable attitude of the young harness maker toward the unfortunate girl when a loud rap shook the door im mediately the rap was repeated you may open the door and resume business said colonel blake pardon the interruption the door swung open revealing cyrus doollittle ask him to come in said blake he a just the man I 1 want to see im in a hurry said doollittle as he entered with a serious look in his face the colonel stepped behind him closed the door locked it and put the key tn his pocket he turned to the newcomer and said doollittle it I 1 were you id be in a hurry myself I 1 think that youve been in too much of a hurry all your life the day has come when you must sit down and think it over doollittle had turned pale I 1 m due in griggsby in an hour he eald looking at his watch ills dark eyes were troubled he stroked bis brown beard you are overdue at the county seat blake answered what do you mean As if making a random remark about the weather the colonel answered 1 I mean that you are going to jail this morning for the murder of oscar perry there was a little convulsive movement in the figure of doollittle in a second his muscles tightened lie stood erect A look of indignation on a background of death like pallor masked his face me he demanded what do I 1 know about the murder of oscar perry blake answered calmly sit down doollittle don t try to make me believe that youve lost your memory why are you so excited pull yourself together and sit down and listen doolittle slumped into a chair he clasped his fingers around one knee and sat with his chin upon his breast breathing deeply as he looked at blake the colonel seemed to be touched with a sense of pity he spoke in a gentle tone for years I 1 have been your friend I 1 am still your friend I 1 know your story from beginning to end I 1 know every detail in it I 1 am not lying to you I 1 have the proofs in my possession some time ago you fell in love with a pretty girl you made her believe that your wife could not live long you gave her money and dressed her handsomely she was young and unwise you won her affection fec tion you began to dally with passion it Is the most dangerous game which honest people can play you lost your mental and moral balance you staggered the old cyrus doo lettle tell dead you had seduced the girl you were soon between the devil and the deep sea your good judg ment and your sense of honor had been burned out of you by the fire of lust you wrote a lot of nonsense in the girls autograph album I 1 have it here you said among other things this dear carrie Is from one who hopes soon to be yours the unhappy man interrupted hla tormentor ita a alel he exclaimed in a woeful voice like that of a victim on the rack beads of perspiration wore on his brow 1 I do not wonder that you deny it the colonel went on surely those words were never written by my old friend cyrus doollittle he was a smart fellow it was quite another man who committed that folly a man blinded by his passion he had resolved to possess himself of the girl as soon as possible how ft as he to do it TO BB CONTINUED |