Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-09-19

tOTmeO vi lne SITUATION.
LET Bielski make himself useful while
he is waiting" said Harding; ''give him
that memorandum book"
/ handed the little notebook to the detec-
tive. He looked at it gravely.
II wonder if l can crack that nut? It's
a hard one; but I'll try"
He withdrew, and in two minutes the
door was opened, and Mr.. James Gregson
entered with the impudent smile upon his
face which l knew so we'll. Bowling with
an air of familiarity, which was not with
out a distinct touch of insOlence, he looked
from me to Harding, as though inquiring
the reason which had led us to take so
much trouble to find him. Beneath this
outward assumption of self-confidence |
thought could catch signs hat the fellow
was not quite so much at his ease as he
wished to appear. invited him 10 take a
seat, and gravely stated to him the object
| had i'll seeking him out.
He looked at me with a satiri cal smile
on his lips when | finished my.statement.
: yOu think | can clear your friend
Miss Stancliffe, do you?"
Il hope you can throw some light upon
the mystery that surrounds Mr.. Maulever-
er's death
He laughed outright. ''Of course | can
do that; but you have come 10 the wrong
man for information that will clear Miss
Daisy. Have you forgotten what | told
you in the railway train when Won were
Oh your way To the old mans house,"
1T is precisely because | have not for
nnttan ~ that haVa laotHal % Nntt
again. You spoke then OF u conspiracy 10
commit murder. | want YOU To he kind
enough to tell me frankly what you meant
by your words. You remember that You
charged not only Miss Stanclitic, but
Flinter aud DR.. BrankSome, and myself rs
well, with being in some plot. What did
you mean by it,"
20, don't be afraid on your own account.
Mr.. FentOn. ! know now that yOu were
not in the plot. You were only the dupe,
anda very simple one, too"
| was determined that, come what might
| should not lose my temper during this
interview of such vital Importance to my
darling. The more | saw Of the man the
more certain | became that he did not
speak without knowledge, and when ! oh,
served the growing gravity of Harding's
face | felt sure that he also entertained the
same conviction. ] took no notice, there
fore, of GregSon's sneer hut repeated my
question.
Tell me, if you please, what was the
nature of the plot Of which you spoke"
us it possible, " he retOrted, that YOU
are 50 dull as not Ia see the nature Of the
plot for yourself now? should have given
you credit for moi being quite ST. stupid rs
YOU appear to me. Good Lord! The
whole thing has been carried out under
your nose, and now that it is finished YOU
come TO me to tell YOU what it means"
pray take pity, then, on my stupidity,
and tell me air.
'Oh dear no. he said with a mocking
laugh. My secret is worth Il great deal
more to me than it can De to you"
SIS it money that You ant for telling
the truth? II FISH,
Eyes, il is money; but | don't want any
from YOU. You are a very clever fellow, !
dare say, in your " opinion, and Il very
knowing one; but You must not think you
Can buy me-
"Wcll, kindly say what you are prepared
to tell me without being bought
Just this, Mr. Mr. declare ] for
get your name. What | told you would
happen when ! saw you in the train has
all come true. Maulcvercr has been muir
dcred by the gang who have been plotting
Tglinst his life for years, and who are now
going to 90 clean off the swag-all but one
of them: and thanks 10 some stupid blum
dcring on their part-Or perhaps | ought
to say on your part, mister, for I'm told
you have meddlcd a good bit in the bust,
ncSS-shcll he hanged. That's all
The malice of the man revealed itself in
the tones in which he spoke. | kept my
temper, however, but | saw at the sanc
time that the moment had arrived when
ought to use the weapon intrusted To me
by the detective.
MIR. GregsOn," | said, since that is the
name by which you choose to call yourself,
YOU are making Il great mistake in suppos'
ing that ! am not quite so helpless rs you
imagine. | hare the means of making you
speak. and 10y heaven, sir, I'll use them.
and quickly, too, or make YOU ply dearly
for your silence
tie looked up at me with a startled air.
The fellow was cur, and at the first straight
blow he appeared to be more than inclined
to succumb. But he recovered himself af-
ter momcntary pause.
II don't know what You are talking
about. First of all you want 10 bride me,
and then you try bullying. I've not come
here To be either bought or sold"
Then, perhaps, as you don't want 10
he sold, YOU will tell me your story with
out compelling me Ia summon the detcc-
tive who is waiting in the next room, i'll
la him about yourself and Smith Il Sharp,
Graccchurch street
The stroke told even more quickly and
completely than | had dared to hope. \
CHASTITY pallOr ovrrsprrad the fellows face,
and he sat for more than Il minnie speech
less, staring ut me with eyes full of terror.
You don't mean To hringthat up against
me after all these years: Good God! how
have you got to know anything about IL
After 4 pause he continued; well, I'll
tell you ~ much ~ | can il you'll promise
not TO give me up
''lfyou will tell me everything, You will
he quite safe So far ~ | am concerned. II
YOU do not YOU must take the consequent
CcS.'
All his assumed ease had vanished, and
he sat before us now ~ abiect a cravan ~
have ever seen. Bielski's secret had
worked the magic. In Il falteriug Voice
the wrctched creature asked if he might
have "a drop OF brandy before he began
his story, and was by no means sorry 10
supply him with it. Then he began and
unf0lded the marvellous tale which | shall
repeat in his " words, merely emitting
his redundanCies Of speech.
They have hren plotting against Mau-
~leverer ever since I've known him, and that
is seven years. Whom GO ! mean by they?
| mean DR.. Branksome and his gang; that
is, Flinter and the girl Daisy, aud a lot OF
fellows in Australia, and now they have
got this FOsdyke in the business. IOu see
it has been a regular company, and they
have been working il lnr years. Talk OF
gold mining; but there il 10 gold mine IN
all Australia that will yield half ~ much
~ Mr.. MauleycreT. 30 yOu ueei not won
der that the whole party-there are some
of them still over theTc-haye been work
ing 1T the business Tor years past. At one
time ! know they meant 10 make an end