Page:Randall Parrish--My Lady of the South.djvu/317

THE MAN IN THE TUNNEL "Three killed? Who were they?"

"A Confederate Lieutenant, a private of the Third Ohio Cavalry, and Judge Dunn. The man injured but not killed was Jem Donald."

It seemed to me a new light almost of exultation leaped into the gray eyes, but it vanished instantly.

"My God!" he exclaimed incredulously, "Who did it?"

I caught his wrist, staring straight down into his face.

"That is what I want you to tell me, Daniels," I said sternly, "and I want it straight. That feud of yours is at the bottom of this thing. The killing of the two soldiers was accidental; whoever did the dastardly deed was after Dunn and Donald. Now I believe you know the whole story; your being here, your attack on me, is enough to convince me of that, and I am going to have the truth out of you, if I have to choke it out."

"As God is my witness, Leftenant, I know nothing. I did n't even know of the murders until you told me."

"What were you doing in this tunnel? Why did you attack me?"

He sat up, wiping the blood from his face with a red handkerchief, and thrusting one hand through his grizzled hair. He acted like one bewildered, unable to think clearly.

"I can't tell yer that, not just yet anyhow, but I never came yere to hurt any one so long as they let me alone. That's ther truth, sir. I've known of this passage a long while, and I've got reason enough to feel hard against ther ol' Judge, as well as Jem Donald, but [ 299 ]