Part 110 (1/2)

”The one who has been the cause of this is Clark, another one of my father's murderers He is in the hands of the law His punishment is certain

”There yet reeance is satisfied on hiht of that miscreant in the attitude of a bereaved father could for one ony of his face I watched his grief with joy I a to complete that joy He must die, and no mortal can save him from my hands”

The deep, stern tones of Despard were like the knell of doom, and there was in them such determinate vindictiveness that Brandon saw all remonstrance to be useless

He marked the pale sad face of thisthan any which he ht have felt about the manuscript that he had read It was the face of a man who had suffered so yth, with a faint hope that an appeal to his profession ht have some effect

Despard smiled cynically

”I am a man,” said he

”Can not the discovery of a sister,” asked Brandon, ”atone in sorief about your father?”

Despard shook his head wearily

”No,” said he, ”I , and only one purpose is beforethat devil's life It is useless to remonstrate My mind is made up Perhaps I ned, I suppose At any rate you know eneral hat I have said”

With a slight bow Despard walked away, leaving Brandon standing there filled with thoughts which were halfBrandon Despard went at once to the inn The croithout had dwindled away to half a dozen people, ere still talking about the one event of the day Making his way through these he entered the inn

The landlord stood there with a puzzled face, discussing with several friends the case of the day More particularly he was troubled by the sudden departure of the old reat hurry, leaving no directions whatever as to as to be done with the body up stairs It was this which now perplexed the landlord

Despard listened attentively to the conversation The landlord mentioned that Potts had taken the road to Brandon The servant who had been with the young man had not been seen If the old man should not return as to be done?

This was enough for Despard, who had his horse saddled without delay and started also on the Brandon road He rode on swiftly for so to overtake the man who in sight of him or of any one like him At last he reached that hollohich had been the scene of his encounter with Clark As he descended into it he saw a group ofsoon, and a horse was standing in the distance

[Illustration: ”IT WAS POTTS”]

Despard rode up and saw the prostrate figure of a man He dismounted

The farmers stood aside and disclosed the face

It was Potts

Despard stooped down It was already dusk but even in that dihtly about the neck of this victi down

By that light also he saw the hilt of a weapon which had been plunged into his heart, from which the blood had flowed in torrents

It was a Malay creese Upon the handle was carven a name: