Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-02

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Cameron missed the midday train. There
was not another train until the evening, and
Fred would not consent that his uncle
should remain in Rissborough as the old
man wished. At last compromise was ar
rived at They agreed to have early lunch
at the Phoenix, and Fred would then walk
out with his uncle part of the way to Clump
| Cottage and return to the Phoenix to dine
before taking the journey to town.
Two days later Fred Cameron was sitting
in his studio adjoining his house in the new
district of Mazda Vale when visitor was
announced.
"Name of Jorkins, sir,'' said the new
conner, treading closely on the heels of, the
servant, before the domestic had time to an
nounce his presence.
"The name is quite new to me-" Fred
languidly replied. looking up from his
easel.
"I dare say, sir" Mr.. Jorkins replied,
taking his seat in the darkest corner of the
studio, where his own face would be in the
shadow, whilst Fred Cameron's was in the
light, Scanning his face closely, as though
to mark the effect of the sentence that had
occupied much study, and with which he
intended to burst on Cameron like bomb
shell, Mr.. Jenkins went on:
IT came from Rissborough. am super.
intendent of police there. have come to
see what light you can throw on this affair
of your uncle's, Mr.. Kenneth Fraser, who
was murdered some time on Tuesday last. :"
Fred, who had given quick, nervous
start when Rissborough was mentioned,
turned pale when he heard the awful It'd
ings, and rising from his chair strobe to-
ward the superintendent of police with his
hand pressed over his brow and his eyes
dilated with feeling which the astute of
6cer took TO be panic fear.
What is this you say?" slowly broke
murdered by whom?"
you have the deceased gentleman's will,
believe" Mr.. Jorkins said, ignoring Cam
ercn's question, and constituting his agita-
ton as an infahible sign of guilt.
"Yes, I have it here he replied, point
ing to bureau that stood in one corner of
the studio,
"Allow me to look at it,
Fred, who had not recovered from the
stunning shock of the tidings that Mr..
Jorkins had brought, did not move from
the position in which he was standing until
the officer urged his demand in perempto-
ry tone.
ST must see the will, he said.
Cameron, rousing himself at the sharp
ness in the officers tone, contrived to pull
himself together, and going to the bureau
took out the will and handed it to Mr.. Jor-
kins, who quickly made himself familiar
| with its contents.
''This will leaves you everything" he
said after pause.
Fred simply bowed by way Of answer.
'You ordered dinner for yourself at the
Phoenix last Tuesday,"
"That is so
(which you did not reach the Phoenix in
| time to eat?''
Fred gazed curiously at the officer, as if
bewildered, and yet half suspicious of the
! drift of this catechism.
'You arrived too late for it." the mex
orable Jorkins went on, "and reached the
| Phenix in time to pay for the dinner which
| you did not eat, and then had to hurry into
the bus to catch the last train to Padding
| tom"
"Good heavens!' cried Cameron; "do you
mean to- suggest that I murdered my
uncle PIP"
| 81 don't mean to suggest nothing" said
Jorkins, cautiously, "but perhaps you will
be kind enough to explain how you passed
| your time from leaving the Phoenix with
| the late Mr.. Fraser, until you returned to
| 1t TOO late to eat the dinner you had Or
| dered.''
THAT is soon done. / walked out with
my uncle, perhaps, two miles OF more, ON his
way home, when left him by his own re-
quest. / turned aside to add a few more
sketches to my book Of that bit of woodland
on the left of the road-you know it, dare
say2"
is deep pit there, full Of water, in dis
used quarry"
''The same" answered Fred. ST spent
some time there sketching, and then went
futher a-held. Here the sketches are; you
can see them if you like. lost count of
time. until my attention was arrested by
finding the sun setting. I had to hurry
along then, and, by dint of hard walking
and a good deal of running, I managed to
reach the Phoenix just as the bus was about
to leave for the railway station.
Cameron was piled with many more ques-
tions, principally relating to the place
where he had lett his uncle, the terms on
which they had parted, his past relation
ships with Mr.. Frazer, their old quarrels,
and much other matter, some of it relevant,
and much of it highly irrelevant.
His explanations Of the manner in which
he came to be possessed of his uncle's will.
though they might have satisfied an un,
biased mind, failed to satisfy Mr.. Jorkins,
and at the close of his examination he
stoutly declared that Fred's answers were
most unsatisfactory, and that he must con-
slider himself under arrest
"Do you mean that am to 20 with you?'
Fred asked, with blank face, expressive
of mingled anger and despair.
"Well, suppose that is about it." Mr.,
Jorkins answered.
f'In my presence, certainly. I can't let
you out of my sight"
The same night Fred Cameron slept in
the common Jail al. Rissborough on sus-
picion of the murder of his uncle, Kenneth
Fraser; while Mary Cameron, who, against
Fred's protests, had accompanied him to
Rissborough, was consulting with Mr.. Vel
lum and devising means to effect, if pos
sible, her husbands release. and to estab-
lish his innocence OF the dreadful crime that
Mr.. Superintendent Jorkins was engaged
in moving heaven and earth to bring home
to the young artist.