The Argosy, December 1905 — page 116: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

94 It was dreadful enough to remember that his own hand had laid Solon Bur- ress dead in that woodland path, and that through his murderous act his old friend Lloyd suffered; but now the fin- ger of suspicion pointed at the innocent victim who even then lay strapped to the couch in the adjoining room. “Sh! Sh!” warned Orrin. “I dunno what ter think—lI swear I dunno. But it looks mighty onsartain. “There was Solon dead in the road, an’ See layin’ hurt ag’inst th’ rock at the foot of the hill. Ha’f way up th’ hill was his gun; it’s got his name scratched onto th’ butt, too. “Tt’s a turrible thing, Ramon—turri- ble! I don’t wonder th’ boy’s out o’ his ‘head. An’ that poor gal 2 Burress dropped his hands. The thought of Leslie was like the touch of cold steel. “Have you repeated this to any- body? Did you give Medbury the gun, Orrin?” he panted. At the moment wild visions of rush- ing to the coroner and yielding himself up as the murderer ravaged Burress’ chaotic mind. The sin upon his con- science was already heavy enough; Sey- mour Lloyd must not be accused of his crime. “No, no!” responded the herbalist, shaking his head vigorously. “J ain’t said a word to a soul but you, doc. An’ I hid the gun. It couldn’t be now’t but an accident, any way. “The poor lad must ha’ done it with- out meanin’ to. He had nothin’ ag’in’ ol’ Solon. An’ that’s what is the matter with him now. It’s what has made him mad—the remembrance of it, I mean.” But Burress, getting a grip on him- self, shook his head. “No. The bruise upon his skull is the cause of his present condition; there can be no doubt of that. But the dan- ger is My God! Nobody else must learn about that rifle, Orrin! ”” “J—I didn’t know jest what ter do erbout it,” said the herbalist. “‘ He’s in trouble enough as it is, poor lad! If he gits well, he’ll likely tell us all erbout it, an’ then ’twill be time enough ter make it public, if that’s best.” Gossip as Paddock naturally was, Bur- THE ARGOSY. ress saw he must be trusted to keep his word, “I depend upon you to say nothing about it, Orrin,’ the physician said. “ Besides, how do we know poor Lloyd had anything to do with my unele’s death? ” He could not look at the old man as he spoke. “There were probably several hunt- ers in the Big Woods at that hour,” he added huskily. “Thet’s so—thet’s so!” admitted Paddock. “ Bill Gridley went out with a party of six ’at stayed overnight at the Barrows House, I understand. An’ them city men air mighty careless with ns.” “And how about the magazine, Or- rin?” pursued Burress eagerly. “ Did you open the breech? Was his rifle loaded ? ” The old man nodded, his lips pressed into a straight line. “Yep,” he said. “ An’ there was an empty cartridge init. Poor See didn’t even stop to pump that out arter the shot. “ It’s a clear case, doc, an’ a turrible one. If one o’ them air city detectives got holt o’ th’ gun Wall, ’twould be all up with the boy!” Orrin went away then, intent upon carrying Burress’ promise back to the coroner; but the doctor remained to pace the porch, not daring to present himself before Leslie in the sick-room. The complications of his position were hourly growing in number. Here was a difficulty of which he had not dreamed before. That Lloyd should be accused of the very crime of which he was the sole witness seemed beyond the bounds of credulity. And yet there was a danger in it. Lloyd must have fired one shot before reaching the scene of the murder. Burress’ own rifle was safely hidden; it would never be found in that morass. But there was a possibility of Lloyd’s weapon being a factor in placing the sick man in a grave position. Added to all that the physician had endured this day, this new situation came near snapping the thread which bound him to sanity. - COMIC OOOKS He paced the (C@