Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 124, No. 2 — page 130: what you’re looking at

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

312 ble glanced from one to the other in a dubious manner. “We haven’t got at the truth here yet,” he said roughly. ‘I’ve sensed that all along. But it’s time both of you owned up now to what you know. More lying won't help you.” Joel turned to face him. © “Maybe ‘twas foolish—what we did— but We weren’t either of us thinking much about ourselves, and the way it happened there wa’n’t any chance for us. to plan together.” He glanced at Hetty. “We're willing to tell you everything. But Hetty knows parts of the story, I don’t, and she'll have to piece it out after I’m through. It wasn’t all lies. What I said about hating Nathan Swain was true enough, and about the harm he’d done me. But it wasn’t true about the murder. I hadn’t any idea at first—any more than the rest of you—who killed him. You see, when I first heard his voice in the study, I went round to the back of the house to work, so as to be out of the way of what didn’t concern me, and I stayed there puttering. I saw Mr. Grant come out the kitchen door and go down through the garden. to speak to his wife. Later I got a drink at the well. I took my time. It had been a hot day, and I poured water over my head and hands, standing there with my back to the house. I was trying to tidy up, because I was waiting for Hetty. I knew she was sewing up-stairs, and when she came out I was planning to walk along home with her. ‘“‘ By and by Mr. Grant spoke to me. He wanted me to act as a witness. I didn’t suspect what it was for—I thought maybe it was a will leaving money to the church, and I told him he’d have to get somebody else, for I'd seen too much of Nathan Swain and his villainy. But when I heard the minister’s voice calling-to me from the house, I knew something terrible had hap- pened. I ran back with him to the study. “ For about half an hour: after that, I . guess, I saw no more than the rest of you did. Then, with so many folks around, I thought I’d better gather up my belong- ings. They were scattered through the yard. I got my whetstone and my hat, and ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. my vest that had my watch in it. But I couldn’t find my sickle. I thought I remem- bered leaving it by the back door-step, but I wa’n’t sure, and I kept hunting. “* At last I see Hetty come out the back way. She had her apron over her head, and she was carrying a roll of work in her hand. I started walking along beside her. We hadn’t gone-but a few steps when I realized that zt wasn’t Hetty I was walking with! It was Lucy. She was wearing Hetty’s dress. They don’t look so much alike, maybe, but they’re the same height, and, being sisters; there’s always been a resem- blance. I thought I was out of my mind at first. Then a dreadful suspicion come te me; I knew, without asking a question, who it was that was guilty. Lucy had begun sobbing and talking to herself, when we got out of range of the house, and I let her run on, for, of course, she was safe with me. I was the only one that knew the old story. ‘“She’d been engaged to Nathan Swain when she was a girl, and his leaving her without a word drove her almost crazy. If it hadn’t been that Hetty here took care of her—gave up her life to her—she’d have been put in the asylum years ago. It’s what Hetty has fought against all along, and it’s the reason why she and I could never marry. We had to pretend we didn’t care, because if Lucy had thought she was a burden to any one she’d have got to brooding over it, and then when she was in one of her moods, she’d have done—what she’s done to-day. She’s always had times when she acted queer enough to frighten you, and if Hetty came down here this Morning and took on before folks—the way ‘Will Davis tells—she was only copying word for word what she’s probably heard her sister say.” ] He waited for a minute, looking straight at the minister, and then he went on speak- ing more rapidly. ‘IT questioned Lucy last night, while I was walking home with her, and it didn’t take me long to get the whole story. It seems she’d helped Hetty sew on ¥lora’s dress, and, of course, they’d both surmised that it was bought for a wedding. They talked about it, she and Hetty, for days, she said. Then yesterday, while Lucy was (COLA GiIoo COlini