The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-08-15

for her sake, if for no other reason;
but she had reflected that it could
do no good to Percy to have him
know it; and if Percy's presence should
happen to be discovered in any other
way it might prove awkward for the
judge to have been found in the position
of sheltering fugitive from justice. On
the other hand, she could not tell Percy
of the insult that had been put upon her,
because he would undoubtedly sacrifice
everything to infict summary punish
ment upon the blackmailer. She had
therefore decided to pay the latter sum
Of money, giving him to understand that
no more would be forthcoming for a
month; and in the course of that month
she intended to turn all her energies to
the task Of clearing Percy, by some
means or other, of the old charge which
so hampered and INSTRUCTED him. She
would then be free to deal with the black
mailer at her leisure, and she intended
to punish him to the full extent of the
law.
But the revelation of the blackmailer's
identity changed the whole aspect of the
case. To Pauline it had been totally I'M
expected; and yet in looking back she
could fancy that she had known him in
tuitively from the first. Be that as it
might, it was a triumph more complete
than she had ever dared to anticipate.
Dupee was the man who had murdered
her brother Jerrold; he las she believed)
was the man who had cast nearly fatal
shadow over the career of Percy; and he,
again, delivered himself, bound hand
and foot, into her power by perpetrating
upon her the crime of blackmail. She
had him securely, for though he had
given false name the judge would be
able to identity him as the recipient of
the check, and the case against him
would thus be proved. He would be ar
rested on that charge, and then it would
60 hard, but the whole truth should come
out. She regarded Percy as being as
good as free, and was strongly impelled
to go and tell him the story at once; but,
on second thought, she decided to wait
until the probability had been made
certainty, and then bring him news in
which there should be no element of con.
lecture. She wished, moreover, to en-
Joy the pleasure of managing the affair
herself, without either her husbands or
her brothers help.
Having determined in her own mind
her plan of proceedings, she waited until
her husband had started on his daily
trip to his Office, and then she put on her
cloak and bonnet and went out herself.
1t was fine, clear forenoon. 1t was
not the first time she had visited police
headquarters, and she knew the way
thither. The squalid denizens of Blocker
and Mulberry streets stared at the hand
some lady as she passed by, but she was
too much preoccupied by the matter in
hand to notice their observation. She
mounted the steps of the big white faced
building with light heart, and asked to
be admitted to see Inspector Byrnes.
She had just put the question to the
sergeant when the inspector came out,
in hat and overcoat. He recognized her
Immediately, and lifted his hat with a
smile.
You are going out" she said. "When
can see your"
81 am not going out, was his reply.
Il am going to ask you to come into my
office and have talk. If you had not
come here might have called on you
today Come in" And he conducted
her to the inner room.
Nov, then," he said, when they were
seated, what is the news?"
1T is you who should have news for
me-" she returned, smiling. "Pm sure
you have had time to find out a dozen
such mysteries as the one / asked you
about"
The inspector wore an amused look.
when you want to bamboozle an old
hand like me-" he said, "you must first
of all learn to command your face. You
must not look happy if you expect me to
believe that you are miserable If you
have lost brother, you must not look as
If you had found onel"
Pauline blushed and got a little fright
ened. 1T was not my brother that
asked you to find, Inspector Byrnes,'
she said.
"No, the brother was to be thrown in,
I supposed This is fine weather we are
having Just now, Mrs. Ketelle," he add
ed, in another tone. Capital for exer-
cisel"
81 beg your pardon"
He laughed. "You live up near the
park" he said Would it be too far
for you to walk up to One Hundred and
Twenty-tifth street, or that neighbor-
hood?"
40 One Hundred and Twenty-fifth
street,"
by the way, that reminds me of
something; perhaps you may be able to
enlighten me. There is an English
friend of mine in town, gentleman by
the name of Clifton He is over here to
look after the interests of valuable
English estate. 1t seems that the hered-
itary owner of this estate lately de-
ceased. and it became necessary to find
the next man III the succession. 1t was
known that he had gone to New Zea-
land. but upon investigation there it ap-
peared that he had left on visit to this
country. Finally news of him was re-
ceived from Mexico. Does the story in
terest your
LET me hear she said.