“You did make all sorts of wild declarations,” put in Tom, “and it was that which made me fear you had poisoned the horses when it was known that they had been given cyanide.”

“But I didn’t,” said Ray.  “I ran off that night, and later, as I passed by the barn, carrying Tom’s sweater, I saw Jake Crouse going in with a package and a bottle.  I got scared and ran as fast as I could, fearing he would see me and force me to have a hand in the crime.  But I got away, though I dropped Tom’s sweater, and didn’t dare go back for it.

“I went to New York, and I’ve been there ever since, until recently.  I stayed with a man I had known in the West, but I never knew Tom was in such trouble on my account.  What happened here, after I left, I don’t know, except as Tom has told me.  But the other day I got a letter from him, asking me to release him from his promise to keep silent about my presence here, and about what a life I had led, and I came on.  I couldn’t get here until to-night and I sent word that I’d meet him near the Appleby house and explain everything.

“In his letter Tom told me about how he was suspected of the poisoning, and how he wanted to clear his name.  The reason I appointed the lane near the farm house was because I intended to go with him to Mr. Appleby and explain everything.  I never thought it would storm so, but it was too late to get word to Tom, so I kept the appointment.”

“And so did I,” added Tom.  “How Jake Crouse got there is a mystery.”

“Not much of one, I guess,” said Ray.  “I fancy he was mad because he didn’t kill all the horses and he was going to try it again.  Then too, foolishly, I wrote him a final letter, saying I was going to see you and I guess he went there to meet me.”

“At any rate he was there,” said Tom, “and we both had a run-in with him.  He’s now safely in jail, having confessed to both crimes.  So my name is cleared.”

“Yes, by the plucky way you kept after the clews,” said Jack.

“And the luck he had of running into Jake,” added Bert.

“No, Jake ran into me,” explained Ray, with a laugh.  “Well, I’ve released Tom from his promise of silence.  Perhaps it was foolish to bind him to it, for I should have been willing to take my medicine.  But, for a time, I could not bear the thought of his mother knowing how low I’d fallen—­I didn’t want anyone to know how nearly I’d disgraced Tom’s family.”

“That’s why I couldn’t say anything about to whom I gave my sweater,” explained Tom.  “And, for a time, I feared Ray was guilty of poisoning the horses.  His threats, and the fact that he had some time before experimented with chemicals, with me, made me suspicious.  So I had a double motive in keeping silent.

“At last I could stand it no longer, and I began to try and trace my cousin.  I had accidentally found the clew of the bottle, and I knew that someone giving the name of Crouse had purchased the poison.  But even then I was afraid Ray had given the tramp’s name to shield himself.  Though when the drug clerk said a man with a scar had bought the cyanide I had my doubts.  Still I was not sure but what Ray had been hurt in a fight.”