| Show sw WW ova JL GY tw y GYn synopsis sam stanley wealthy own owner of at the dbert moon ranch informs inform alb housekeeper hou leeper mary blary matta the that his former cifes twi twin 0 d aughter if danielle Dan lelle and a it are r coming cornine to the iha reach ranch to live their mother be being ina dead and th their ir father uan bantel 1 ea C an jezl alo who had jeen een the he raire cause of sam divorcing his wife in the pent tent lary sams adopted boy bay john has grown brown to me manhood abood I 1 and a girt martha weak minded mr 1 a nicher marthus Mart huB hubert ut t hand pa and chadwick cau cabi neld field are the other members embers pi ol of the household the girls arrive john becomes engaged to dant site elle gabrielle Gabrlel lt sept eh sto to win john from born her sister later arid and her bar act action lons when she receives a letter from france franca mystify mr hire beagin be sam ime learns learn Canne ilano to I 1 soon goon to be 1 released leaned re from the penitentiary gabrielle a with canfield goto goes in fro to t the a ga arden garden g den danielle Dan lelle front from upstairs ca calag lip to her sister inter caufield cornea comes back blone alone in a raw few all minutes on ten daniel dangell Dan lell cornea come into the ning ra room am CHAPTER vl VI continued then you dont rieny deny hubert hand began saw bain who has enough dander tor for john null and til both necessary broke tn in john have to deny any thing thina marcus will tie be in the ha office tiow how walling waiting for twenty one phone down phones handy bandy ask him I 1 whether he be flagged twenty today or a passenger or whether he be to la coins to lag flag twenty one hubert went straight to the ofle tola phone from his hie end of 0 the boover sit tion alon we could tell that twenty hurt bad not oft stopped aped and that no on one 0 woe a wallona for twenty one fine lie ile 1 looked ked 0 foolish when he turned from roro the tele phone nud nod said take it all blick bach jolin john my mistake sam looked Ilig mighty lity serious ier louB well I 1 he be drawled 1 I dont know but what ns as goo good 4 a plan is a any would woula he be for us all to go out and have a look around for her oh I 1 dunny danny exclaimed sharply sharill Y uncle built you yon do think that ill alie to tins has met with some 1 I 1 think sani boni suld hat she alie tills lias binef met with another othet machine lne ind find n it t allt better sure stife than sorry thin dilill be one fine and of 01 for the clr ire wit eh murtha martha martha who and doen been drowsy drewsy nil ail during supper was talt rait on the davenpor daien port 4 and ild did not no answer soroa slims first plan after he be and hu flu berl lind had made a quick ride to the cabin and hack buck with plo no eight of gaby was tor for tho the two of us ua to go down the rond road in the sedan h he e t to giov r john conle come with us ua to drive vanity nanny came along with john find and flu bert hand fland were to scout around tile the place oo on their ponies mra at honie home with martha we drobet dr oyet the highway before we turned around we lind ftak back about a mile when tile the wind clime howling up tip blowing tilt he still sniff and duat us in phlek clouds jerking and the finco 0 1 and ad ibe he grene charing and botin boumans ving tha he tumbleweed halls balls 19 une tie of ny my principles Is that ryon tt you sian mada le the before tile tho adorm brotte broke mhd just as aa we reached the front parch port li tile the rain conic come pouring down as aa it if all chesky the sky were tile the ulm ala of it big fauret and someone had turned it on full forro force tills this will bring tier her in slim niini sold said As as we ran up lip the steps shell be there high and try dry when we get tn in 1 she wits not ahad lind and hubert liand hand nod had come la in and they acted as it since we had set out to pet get news newa of onay it wai wali 4 a wonder we had nol no lone done it murtha martha won waa sobbing bobbing bemuse because she could not have tile the alre works sam bain went and touched a macci to toe the fire ready to bo be in thus replace 1 ran upstairs and closed the bedroom windows I 1 tind come downstairs rendy beady to take my r reat 4 when I 1 remembered the attic w ith nil 1 its t 3 w window I 1 n 1 l aws wide open to the d drenching re n e b 1 n g m colu I 1 u my corns had bad been hurting me 1111 all day so eo chad being bandy I 1 anske heni to go lind and close tile the little attic tit HP went up op ill jhb stairs attilis end hd almost nt ill oace once came back to tbt hean bean of them to call lill down that tha little attic door 16 locked clied john drove fast but we barel a man to do anything about tile lie house for you you 0 d tt it twice your cef I 1 thought how true that was as a I 1 went on my aching feet alp ilp up the stairs to prove to atra flint ill hi door doe r was not locked never had been locked and Il liely never would he be t was locked dad chind walked ial it saying that he be would see eoe virlie houle boine uns one downstairs hod had locktu locati d it and bad the key or it not whether he be could find another key to tit it it I 1 strod there waiting I 1 put ra aji anni in my mv pocket for fm my chief there was waa a key bey it filled eted the lock I 1 opened the door about halt way up op the steps gaby was waa lying in a huddler of pink crip ft rap 1 spoke to her she klie did not answer 3 ran up tho the steps und and put an n 1 arm around her trying to u tit hf her ber iler her 4 head bend rolled to one side elde I 1 baw iier her throat it was daffron color with great alre blaek black brailes braises at its ats base touched tier her swollen face it was cettl t i jor vor on an instant my lily only anly sett tion ivrus one oe of violent nausea I 1 tried to J pirl birot my mv throat had bad clocked I 1 i lifs acif Viti h viii boiu toy iny azes tor for I 1 re ra M t member thinking that if I 1 did not open them file lie dizziness would sweep me off into unconsciousness I 1 opened then them I 1 saw there on oil tile the red carpel of the steps something that shocked chocked my reeling senses into sanity en tilty dropped all over the bright headed beaded hag bag lying there were tile horned flurried to tn hacco bacco and tile ashes from sams pipe all of nf my horror into a frantic desire to get filose claes cleared away so ao that no nit one else could see bie them I 1 shook them thiern froni from the bag to the carpet I 1 them loin film the carpet carpe into tny Y blind kerch kerchief kerchley let just as I 1 I 1 not got ro tny my re feet ef from my knees chad had came up idail all the ali others pre I 1 said bald gaby Is tal here li I stilted stil hed the filled with ashes into rny pocket and tor for the arai and last ta time me in ma m life I 1 tol nied dead away tae the next thing that I 1 knew 1 was wit a tying lying on my hack back it listening to 0 o acine 1 one screaming above the of sum sam fiod and mrs Il picker luker I 1 that those awful sounds were corning from my awn own throna I 1 teiei triei to top atop them hut but I 1 could not I 1 put my hn ils ls to my thront throat to make if 11 stop atop the noise sams voice cuine come clear and strong irons then theareal real HUB a light tn in the he dark I 1 sat eat straight up the screams scream ceased want I 1 managed Is th lie mattery on earth that could he be sam bam answered tint put here at enry a ry drink hla let get some aonie nothing to he be done now well vell nepo you tom tomorrow firrow ile ie shook ashooh a powder into my mouth mrs ricker nicker held a glass of water to my I 1 lips when i opened my eyes again it was gray dawn I 1 saw flint I 1 was wae I 1 in mrs Ill dickers ekers room bhe way was bit it ting ling by lite hie window tritt britting ing I 1 wat elied her tar for a full fall minute before memory seized me and I 1 cried out with the pain of it sh h hh h she ahe warned me in a whisper wake murtha illa she to Is asleep here on file he conch coach 1 felt in ID my pocket the ball of 0 handkerchief chief was still there I 1 went into the hall bili broom washed my face and hands and l the I 1 list last crumb ol ill tobacco down with the will wn ter out of the washbowl I 1 wa washed a hed the handkerchief scoured hie file howl find wen hack to mrs mra blickers room As an I 1 opened the canor site she again warned nit ui against waking martha was the shuck shock too much tor lor her I 1 asked going ind ii trending M mra ra Ill citer so that we might anik in ghislieri 1 I 1 ellow tier her to go upstairs ups hilra site ahad had out of the house honse lii himself within ten minutes it v hiis L a for martha I 1 had i hold her while slim sam kove gave her a nar narcotic cutic itlo no no I 1 protested what what are you sayings bot lot clad hall what vital was it you sold said about cand had ile he walked milked out arid and shot through the file bell herd I 1 rushed out of the room away train bel bei I 1 staggered down the stairs into the kitchen sam hubert land hand and john all lumped jumped up from their chairs and started toward roe john drenched me first and put an arm around roe me had I 1 begun but I 1 coul got get any further there there milry pour her some coffee coff te dad julch 1 here sit N X 1 95 t ito w V W rad and hubert hand i nd were wera to scout around the place on an pont here turn on n that hut tan uana get 4 wine ane water i no no tell roe me mrs mra ilick kacko it said it tru it it it cant be true not out our sam answered gruffly to keep tile the choke out of ot hla voice it Is a d dv V shame mary lary but it Is true the buy boy shot himself elt not fifteen mikules after we found her walt he went on quickly before you think any thing I 1 wont want to tn tell you what I 1 line hove told the others it la 19 gods truth ruth that tiny hoy Is iii is innocent ol of any connect connection lon with the murder ns as I 1 am what I 1 moaned are arc we going to dor dol we ore are going to do a lot mary sam aam said we are going to keep hads clean sure in it tn my protest we all know but i just the amu im thankful thank thankful fui by eaver r strahan 0 by doubleday doran co ino ina sevim that flint I 1 have dove his for fix ahn lilt my lily self belt A bill it iq 1 binko olis hurl bad von know that la Is it 1 wilim until wo we injo tin in nizan this toils in if ills his but bum I 1 1 I lie fie ginarn let pul m of sin a in quentin until es berday morning tie he t po alli llave got way any up oil here that hini stame ning weve told sun rtin that a thouR vind tawes klubert 1 hand ind suld all right till nil right sam sain mild abit it I 1 evet eap net get flint loag e rall nl amill mill find that hint ann cnn tin dezinno wits 9 ian ill or 01 two early lip ifie met him arsi illoyd lip he RP cef lip ill hirr here snair I 1 questioned did you have 0 puRe ncr up brohl rattail jahn hand asked sant spoke before john ohn could nn an awer son he sall you ty any chant e ns as it favor to one of the girls bring that thi chinik here yester day 1 I did riot not dad 11 ile he got here then ns as ive ie sald all along across the epser lp ser and an d ie mardo tile the barl g irl hv by a 0 ri hell hang fur for it if f 11 1 takes my lost last I 1 dollma tie ie hilled had too as a ns As if heri hed blint him film ion down we arent overlooking a ill if burderi not here on tile hie moon nal nfl t rt yet vel she rhe went out oat tit hi meet will him yes cerday I 1 tell pit t yen slie she h arnou lit him into the he h hodie fl se for some purpose sf through the beeh way ail and up into hip attic without an body seeing or them klubert iland nobody was to king nor its as I 1 remember I 1 t tell e it you he kil tier her there on the tit airs and lie he divid his get edwiiy l it if you therk trint that I 1 said wh why a rent you out him film ah 11 11 sant sam exploded exil oded ali int aint a I 1 put out honting last fast nights light ning the girl had and heen been bend a nav ny way two or three hours more billiel longer when we e found tier lie had biad that heart head starl on it us ties iles gone tie hit benl w ent a t ht ncr across ss the lipsetts lips erts h 1 bent for hell need food hell need water worse ive v I 1 le legra phed to every rewn brwn within tw two li undred miles of here they ark are watching ive every ranch ive kept that phoned phone tint hot for six soft solid hours re ive colim ills r listen sten yum slim I 1 said unless after he murdered her he be walked with none of ua tie seeing or nr hearing film hl and na into the fhe living room or the kitchen and ail put pat the aey ev in my pocket Is not the guilty mah tile tie telephone ell rang hubert land and bohn followed yarn sam into the he living jiving room I 1 stayed senei where I 1 was I 1 had to have auve a min uto ute to think tile the ashes on the tiar bag the key diey in ray my sum slim tf it sam hum I 1 ht had found it riece alry to marder gabrielle can he had probably done dolle it to keep heep something worse from happen ing sickened at myself for that thought I 1 found another way of thinking not lot much better it did saeni to KI me remembering the pipe ashes on in top of 0 tile the hak bag that sam am must have tave heen been there filers on tile the stair a tit at sonie some time afier she bad been murdered ran murd r pred and before I 1 had bad found her fie ie must then be keep ing ina some secret con concerning verning the mur mar ter it dirt did look ns as tt it considering his talk bo be must or be shielding the murderer with every of his bis horse horae bonse mid and ingenuity both of at winch which ue e had find in plenty but whom M imad lie he shield to that flint extent chad or dead no martha yes but adartha could nut have done it it john hilm not unless there wits was some to t it that flint none mine of us dreamed dren mert of f liand iland oi 01 mrs airs nicker no I 1 thought not myself I 1 he be sure aure the ilie men come came aniu ant k into the Kt 91 lilien vilen slim looked ten years older thim ile he hurt had looked ten minutes he to fore re it wild was sun quentin ne lie suld said to ow wits was positively not raised arlt abed from there gitil nent mol alny rif 11 that I 1 said mid lets him out and aiho t hand wild mild lets ev every ry nian man jack oy of us here on the I 1 in n 1 flable i was too strong for sam well in he be quoted with a b groan CHAPTER VII A confession the sher sheriff lr the he coroner tile the under a newspaper reporter and another man that the coroner hall br brought night altin aang for foi a juryman drove up tip to the ranch fit it five that morning sain nod and file sherlf lind had beegi frie lids for thirty years sams money lind paid tor for the coroners coron erB medical they rhey and the ot liters liers were mighty sorry to have P to bother us nt till nil and their sole flint wits wis to make as little trouble as possible they interviewed ench each one of us ps alone but arid and informs ily in fit the hie dining tench one tie flint Is but danny the llie coroner visiting her cpr na as a doctor said atwould it would never do to pester lesler her in tile the state she was in n un ind d Alar martlin thil who was still asleep ond arid whom they sold if it was no use to wilke they kept anh of 0 us about ten minutes Ai il they brought in the vp verdict of died by b his him own hand for clad and murdered by person or persA persona ii in unknown known for guby they left on in tiptoe holding their tints hats in their fiands clear to tile end of the drive way tile sheriff left eft I 1 am nil all but vermin with tile strong convIct conviction lon that I 1 find the murder igind and with the resolution jant lie fie would ni annl ti d do 0 sant saiu nit an 11 hull hy by depriving him of a tood good cook the coroner nn the others ot liers except e cepl tile the reporter were sure I 1 think till thiet f one tie 0 of f ns no ans guilty eull |
