lmost
instantaneous effect. The eyelids half opened and the mouth distinctly
moved. The action was like that of one who is parched with thirst.
Grey gasped painfully, and a strange rattle came from his throat.

Danvers shook his head as he heard the sound. Prudence, whose eyes had
never left the dying man's face, spoke sharply. She voiced a common
thought "Who did it, Leslie?"

The minister nodded approval. For a moment his eyes rested admiringly
on the girl's eager face. Her courage astonished him. Then, as he read
her expression aright, his wonder lessened. The gulf is bridged by a
single span at the point of transition from the girl to the woman. He
understood that she had crossed that bridge.

Grey struggled to speak, but only succeeded in uttering an inarticulate
sound. The minutes dragged. The suspense was dreadful. They all realized
that he was fast sinking, but in every heart was a hope that he would
speak, would say one word which might give some clue to what had
happened.

The minister applied the rest of the brandy. The dying man's breathing
steadied. The eyes opened wider. Prudence leaned forward. Her whole
soul was in the look she bestowed upon the poor drawn face, and in the
tones of her voice.

"Leslie, Leslie, speak to me. My poor, poor boy. Tell me, how did it
happen? Who did it?"

The man gasped in response. He seemed to be making one last great
struggle against the overwhelming weakness which was his. His head
moved and a feeble cough escaped his lips. The girl put her arm under
his head and slightly raised it, and the dying eyes looked into hers.
She could no longer find words to utter; great passionate sobs shook
her slight frame, and scalding tears coursed down her cheeks and fell
upon the dingy coverlet.

A whistling breath came from between the dying man's parted lips, and
culminated in a hoarse rattling in his throat. Then his body moved
abruptly, and one arm lifted from the elbow-joint, the head half
turned towards the girl, and words distinct, but halting, came from
the working lips.

"He--he--did--it. _Free--P--Press_. Yell--ow--G----" The last word
died away to a gurgle. A violent fit of coughing seized the dying man,
then it ceased suddenly. His head weighed like lead upon the girl's
supporting hand, and a thin trickle of blood bubbled from the corners
of his mouth. Prudence withdrew her arm from beneath him and replaced
the head upon the pillow. Her tears had ceased to flow now.