| Show s Di ditcu lsd V Tru b t i i rf Whose Advantage by fe 1 r f DY the thrilling story of a mysterious crime fla and carriell Car on t tn an fumire fh mire M ro I sata V copyright by charles W hooke RANK CLIFFORD was heir to a large 03 tate and his uncle duncan clifford was trustee with power to do about as he pleased I 1 had never gy anet the uncle but he hud been described to me as a strange animal part mule nd part monkey incredibly obstinate yet of purpose opo day I 1 received an earnest re aest from fraak to meet him that evening in branford Bran tord N J where his we were to a little hotel at and as any train arrived before j the quaint old town by the light of the moon one mau white building I 1 was led tono to no ace particularly it been the village schoolhouse chool house but va now a millinery tore kept by a amri esther as the sign informed me 1 ventured 0 o that mrs lyhl ved oyer her for therea was a light in the pablo window from as I 1 dp the curtain was pushed partly a boman who dodged ck as tt alart jt K a curious circumstance that I 1 happened to na heeln tie hand with which she afra adly threet aside the curtain a small slaps taking a few more steps I 1 came in blew of an exterior stairway by which he second story of the house was cached and at the foot afi th p hero was a man seated ahls mans attitude coupled with ny glimpse of the conveyed t ivery unpleasant this bert bo mr allson ft and a squanderer of the allt ie earnings and it vas ath this altea in mind that I 1 ap roa ched thara and laid my hand not ry bontly upon his shoulder at the bush he slid sidelong and lay at a glanc that kr was dead fi was LS 11 1 appearance but the was bayed by an irrl dole hostile street avas well elgh desort cd decana ot trie unusual cold 1 tie r stores evere closed clos dd except or a tobacconists which 11 had proprietor seemed lo 10 be the village jeweler also and 1 tsal ohp odd it loomed best to carry the body to that store jt ore set myself to the task thelca d 0 the i and mra allson as I 1 ue baad came out hurriedly up flaime flan me up this dead man ria c t eald do you chinian Thi nian v who lie li v she had uttered only a single cr naw she stood stock still down at me 1 I em going to take him into U tobacco store said I 1 no bhe spoke he single woi and then checked herself as with a effort the ace though heard in so bri and stained an utterance increase my vague impression of but the dead man was becoming beav in my firms and I 1 decided 0 o folio my original it waa only I 1 KNEW AT HE WAS DEAD few steps to the store but nearly a so people gathered about mo before traversed the distance some one opened yas all the was not there having arun at the sound of the comans womans scream I 1 laid my burden upon the floor and halt wed out at thin there appeared upon th a tall soldierly man with a dro mustache and a blue cap alth gilt insignia the ay iy marshala mar captain He asked nie a few rapid ques tlona ht I 1 thought ond ihn asking wo toi dg body ho departed ho was fronc perhaps avo manuia 1 aa K i at V 1 and nothing of consequence happened in my observation during his absence but I 1 had a great surprise when he returned tor he rought alth him he rh whom I 1 instantly recognized as a young woman named esther warren she had been employee in my onice up to four months ago when she had up her position before we could exchange a word even of ordinary greeting tho marshal detached Os from the increasing throng and drove us gantly into a private room at the back of the store now caldee turning to Us you two people know each other I 1 saw that at a glance who are you who am 1 I asked the young woman yes said he you are supposed to be mrs alleon Wl leon no one in this torri knows any thine about you where did you come from who Is mr Wl tison and where Is he where did you get the money with which you opened this store 1 decline to answer these questions eald she so I 1 supposed said he without a trace of annoyance why I 1 asked them all at once but you dont deny that clynord had been calling OH you and was taken sick up there no I 1 dont denyle deny lt aid you ave him anything to eat or drink no aa she made this reply my memory flashed at onca to the glimpse of her thata the wy but evon without the sight at the elas I 1 elio ulc jiahe that she was not telling the truth ald h say what seemed to be the matter uh him yes he avas fant he thought it aras the cigar he was smoking he said his lips fell numb J thought they looker queer said ford heres the cigar showing us half 0 a email one found it in his pocket he was going ti chave examined suppose well ill that but ts poisoned auro enough now d at the to chose advantages advantage I this mans death to whose adayan taco 1 I beg your paydon said I 1 1 I this youn lady under arrott ar roBt s at his nomer ft aa habay han waa laid upon hie o ahe door which wh the shop you can come in aard the marahall but he was mistaken th lock 0 the door burst with a battlo 0 and prank clifford into i ln eh aard he what do you thank aboudi now st he strode across to the little milli ner and her gla 11 at ohp marshal taho hada not risen from paused in ca 7 glad to se you r cilfford aall he speaking through his hand have a se at and tell us where you got this cigar that you pave to your uncle before he could reply the young woman stepped in fron 0 him and she was a picture I 1 had always thought her beautiful but n a somewhat tepid style she was quite a different creature now mr clifford mr duncan clifford got that cigar here jn this store she cred he told me SL iho marshal rose and stepped to the broken door now guarded on the out IT BEST TO CARRY THIS TO THAT STORE aide by some serviceable citizen who had appointed himself deputy send kue deworth fri here said the marshal bult appeared that ho to present lo 10 one knew what had of him ah he told apu so sosaia said the mar ehat turning to the milliner and calm 1 ipg he did he happen too tha ta 1 I t she answered but why eWo rth harf annoyed me with hs attentions new that mr dunca rf conord came me leoften often that I 1 mr and he hated him insanely so mr rd come tasee you whir lui J A to persuade me to go away was the reply he offered me money lie was trying to separate me from frank to give up frank said the marshal what are you to him 1 I am his alte she answered but mr clifford did not know it and if lie had known it frank might have lost haf a million dollars I 1 see the entrance of mr edgeworth interrupted this line of questioning ah edgeworth good evening said the marshal good evening captain ford the tobacconist in a deep heavy voice that sounded strange from his narrow chest and thin lip s when did you sell this cigar to duncan clifford asked ford the tobacconist took the half consumed cigar and examined it in the runner of an expert 1 I never carried these goods he said its a sort of large tobacco cigarette sold eight in a box a little tin box I 1 think they cp called the marquis the marshal turned cofrank to Frank give me your cigar case or what cv eryou carry them in said he you have no authority prank began I 1 retorted ford drawing a revolver you are under arrest yell search you at the station and I 1 know what well fand valt one moment ald frank with more calmness than I 1 should have expected ot so anan 1 I will admit that I 1 gave that cigar to my un cleatter dinner and another like t this evening V I 1 do not believe that it la poisoned it I 1 had nothing to do with this crime it it Is a crime and e 1 I gave him wine in my room crieda esther panic stricken with fear tor tho man she lovel the bottle has been uncorked where any anc h man she the sentence by gesture toward i clifford was before you him the wine said the marshal you told us sp and you were telling ahe truth too all boil Th nast sentence abrupt and unexpected surprised all to such an ex tent that we u thought we sat looking at ford him to speak but he maintained an unbearable silence staring straight before him a man red faced and breathless bura t 1 n ro 0 in nf home an changed his pl othea this fellow in gasps clous wa s all ve we found em r turned slowly toward s 1 missed you queer so 1 sent awn to sw 1 your 0 set wet T sp s P epras t asir mars lial as quick aa a nash J ard turned for a clinch and halt rose but dodged and nung hl against a small table on which were the marshals revolver and a lamp the only light 0 the room there wan a great crash and then darkness alth the noise of an indiscriminate bruff gle ford his messenger frank and myself ere all in a ale while edgeworth the object of our efforts eluded us in the room velch better thanie aj bijil TI T it ti i fay m ism I 1 r A MAN RED FACED AND BREATH LES BURST INTO THE ROOM ju A to a loft from a andow 0 which he dropped In yari men running jn tha addre in creaked ahe con fulon and alad f they crawled crow led th e room to such n extent that minutes relapsed before we knew that he had really sot av boj us bu fw hy had the rth the clew tha helped us was he wet clothes for va got ternand lan went out the yard aai th e rear of Edse store and came to the canals lay about half an ni at we wj af annc t lokan aa of teat ar a if m ha d A A if tho was next day when i of this r hit limit i romi the bottom or clear scutter ijuro tobacconists coultm tf ingried in toH BB gt blade d ie andi jt v att ri c to this worth had mcd to make in eato jec thy 0 OT ache for 4 vw ayr toi BJ t when oliff hl town the api th afi ite alm oba alfi a and ctet ni abw wh hi hicie Cip acore r ahls wr to aoe uw no or ij fAlot att bam aiace wa in taa rte arte ana abb yli hatti in atie nud 14 ea worthia wort tia eara aal 6 0 ls 1 taj ri ran to arow the estur into tm can but than lie up poad and it tn for ail med alfe tried to onal out on ti ice ind through ace eucce edi edlo alie bak and thea shore bulbe daood not abow ahlm fiel in 1 wt loha loh 8 hoat ind raf turn the we it lf wa a week later in a hoft in dal where h kula ephr flom hie in tha canal from frank clifford I 1 tb remainder 0 the story tt me he had fallen in love with alta arran nd hm acme lakja V t w AJ tank her charms ana virtues to t in branard and J i had boucht the attle millinery for her but uncle duncan proved a hard man to win over par p theae oret aad would of an nillance with mrs allon i at th oolah yav lovers decided ink to any advice and t avas talc son thyi to brustor in the duncas clifford alid a lyall H death control of hajt awn linit hl ben in tr Mt maff ff 0 1 |
