On the second page, however, he stopped, coffee cup in air. "Is Judson

Clark alive? Wife of former ranch manager makes confession."

A woman named Margaret Donaldson, it appeared, fatally injured by an

automobile near the town of Norada, Wyoming, had made a confession on

her deathbed. In it she stated that, afraid to die without shriving her

soul, she had sent for the sheriff of Dallas County and had made the

following confession: That following the tragedy at the Clark ranch her husband, John

Donaldson, since dead, had immediately following the inquest, where he

testified, started out into the mountains in the hope of finding Clark

alive, as he knew of a deserted ranger's cabin where Clark sometimes

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camped when hunting. It was his intention to search for Clark at this

cabin and effect his escape. He carried with him food and brandy.

That, owing to the blizzard, he was very nearly frozen; that he was

obliged to abandon his horse, shooting it before he did so, and that,

close to death himself, he finally reached the cabin and there found

Judson Clark, the fugitive, who was very ill.

She further testified that her husband cared for Clark for four days,

Clark being delirious at the time, and that on the fifth day he started

back on foot for the Clark ranch, having left Clark locked in the cabin,

and that on the following night he took three horses, two saddled, and

one packed with food and supplies. That accompanied by herself they went

back to the cabin in the mountains and that she remained there to

care for Clark, while her husband returned to the ranch, to prevent

suspicion.

That, a day or so later, looking out of her window, she had perceived

a man outside in the snow coming toward the cabin, and that she had

thought it one of the searching party. That her first instinct had been

to lock him outside, but that she had finally admitted him, and that

thereafter he had remained and had helped her to care for the sick man.

Unfortunately for the rest of the narrative it appeared that the injured

woman had here lapsed into a coma, and had subsequently died, carrying

her further knowledge with her.

But, the article went on, the story opened a field of infinite surmise.

In all probability Judson Clark was still alive, living under some

assumed identity, free of punishment, outwardly respectable. Three years

before he had been adjudged legally dead, and the estate divided, under

bond of the legatees.

Close to a hundred million dollars had gone to charities, and Judson

Clark, wherever he was, would be dependent on his own efforts for

existence. He could have summoned all the legal talent in the country to

his defense, but instead he had chosen to disappear.




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