The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-08-08

leo. he had letters and papers. / took
them and went travelling as Valentine
Martin. saw that in that way should
get standing in the place W hich could
not have obtained for myself, and that
the report Of my death would throw off
the police. l was cordially received in
Mexico, and put in the way of doing
some valuable business. Everything
prospered with me, as it had never done
beforc. The story is too long to tell fully
now; but in the midst Of my success an
extraordinary thing occurred; an Eng
fish agent of the Martin estate came over
and told me-supposing me to be Valen-
tine-that by my brothers death l was
the heir. | did not wish to enter into
explanations, SO l simply told him that
l did not want the estate, and that it
might go to the next of kin. had for
gotten that Val had wife, though, of
course, knew all about her. She had
ruined his life in more ways than one,
and was no better than she should be;
but if his death were known she would
be entitled to share of the estate. 1t
seems she had got wind of the English
agents business, and had followed him
from New Zealand. had curious in
terview with her; she charged me fin
ally with having made away with her
husband in order by personating him to
get his property, and treating my asser-
ton that was not going to touch the
property as mere buncombe. But the
next day got letter from her in which
she actually offered, in case l would
make common cause with her, to go to
England, prove her marriage to Valen-
tine, get the estate and then divide with
mev'
poor Valentine!" murmured Pauline,
with trembling lip.
"When l refused she declared war,
and said she would expose me as an i'm.
poster and probable murderer. She
learned that was manager and part
owner of valuable mine that had dis
covered near Pachuca. The other owners
were two high officers of the govern
ment She went to them with her story.
They told me what she had said. had
already made up my mind what to do; 1
gave them the whole history of what had
happened since Valentine and had left
New York; told them what he had told
me about his wife, and then l showed
them the letter she had just written me.
knew was risking everything in max
ing clean breast of it, but the fact was
I was tired of living under name that
did not belong to me, and l wanted to
put an end to it at all hazards"
81 am glad of thatr said Pauline.
"They were rather upset by the story,
and for a while l thought the affair
would go against me. But suspect they
considered me too useful man to lose.
was making great deal of money for
them and doing all the work, and then
the woman's letter tipped the beam.
They said finally that they would accept
me for what was if l could give them
satisfactory proof that was what de-
clared myself to be. Let me show let
tiers or vouchers from reputable persons
in New York bearing out my account of
myself and they would accept me as a
full equivalent for what had pretended
to be. l had power of attorney that
Val had given me on the steamer, but Of
Counsel could not tell them what had
led to my leaving New York. l could
not ask any one here for certificate Of
good character until my name had been
cleared of the charge again it. But it
wouldn't do to hesitate, SO aid, on the
spur of the moment, that I would go to
New York, get the evidence they re-
quired and return to them with it. So
here am; but overheard some CONVEX
sation coming down on the boat between
the English agent and New York de-
tective which made it seem probable
that my affairs will be Investigated
whether like it or not, and that mean
while the true story of how the robbery
was committed has not been revealed
yet. How is it?"
The answer to this question led to a
long conversation, in the course Of which
Percy learned all that had happened dur
ing his absence, including Pauline's mar
rage. The search for the thief for whose
crime he had suffered had as yet met with
no success, but it was still being carried
on. After discussing the matter, it was
decided that Percy's presence in the city
should, for the moment, be kept secret
from every one, even from his mother
and Judge Ketelle. He should ~onceal
himself in lodgings in the upper part of
the town, where Pauline could visit him
from time to time, and report the pro-
gress of affairs, and learn, if possible,
from Inspector Byrnes, what were athe
object and result of the English agent
Cliftons mission to New York. There
might be difficulties in the way, but the
brother and sister were young and be-
lieved that the longest lane has a turn
ing.
1t was late when Pauline drove up to
the door of her house, and, alighting,
walked up the steps of the porch. Hell
mind was full of her brother, and she did
not notice the tall man with the black
mustache who stood on the corner of the
street tapping his boot with his cane.
CHAPTER Xxx.