ecame of the pistol, and of
the will which lay on the desk when I was there. These matters have
since been explained. Philip Crawford is as much a criminal as I. I shot
a man, but he robbed the dead. He has confessed and made restitution, so
he merits no punishment. In the nature of things, I cannot do that, but
I can at least cheat the gallows."

With these words, Mr. Porter put something into his mouth and swallowed
it.

Several people started toward him in dismay, but he waved them back,
saying:

"Too late. Good-by, all. If possible, do not let my wife know the truth.
Can't you tell her--I died of heart failure--or--something like that?"

The poison he had taken was of quick effect. Though a doctor was
telephoned for at once, Mr. Porter was dead before he came.

Everything was now made clear, and Fleming Stone's work in West Sedgwick
was done.

I was chagrined, for I felt that all he had discovered, I ought to have
found out for myself.

But as I glanced at Florence, and saw her lovely eyes fixed on me,
I knew that one reason I had failed in my work was because of her
distracting influence on it.

"Take me away from here," she said, and I gently led her from the
library.

We went into the small drawing-room, and, unable to restrain my
eagerness, I said,

"Tell me, dear, have you broken with Hall?"

"Yes," she said, looking up shyly into my face. "I learned from his own
lips the story of the Brooklyn girl. Then I knew that he really loves
her, but wanted to marry me for my fortune. This knowledge was enough
for me. I realize now that I never loved Gregory, and I have told him
so."

"And you do love somebody else?" I whispered ecstatically. "Oh,
Florence! I know this is not the time or the place, but just tell me,
dear, if you ever love any one, it will be--"

"You" she murmured softly, and I was content.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Gold Bag, by Carolyn Wells

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GOLD BAG ***

***** This file should be named 2883.txt or 2883.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.org/2/8/8/2883/

Produced by An Anonymous Project Gutenberg Volunteer

Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
will be renamed.

Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
(and you!) can c