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DELL waited until the young man's emotion had spent itself and then he asked gently:

"Have you told your stepfather?"

"Not yet. He's been mighty square and patient with me; and I cannot forget how he loved my mother. Now that he is injured and grief-stricken, and has all this hideous affair on his hands besides, I can't bear to add to his suffering by having him know that there is a criminal in the family. Don't think that I am trying to hedge, Sergeant," Gene added. "I am only too anxious to get the burden of what I've done off my shoulders; but—but it seems like hitting a man when he is down to go to him with such a confession now."

"Then if you will accept a word of advice, if I were you I would go to Mr. Titheredge, and tell him everything at the earliest possible moment. You cannot tell when Drew may make up his mind to strike; and you must be prepared," Odell said gravely. "You are right not to disturb your stepfather with the story now: he does seem to be very much broken up by your mother's death; and Mr. Titheredge tells me that their married life was ideal."

He had added this boldly mendacious statement as a feeler, and Gene responded to it. 221