Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-15
CHAPTER ".

some time in silence. Then 1 probed him
again as to his opinion of the murder.
"Idon't think at all!'' he answered posi-
lively, and with the flush on his nose ex-
tending to his cheeks, "I've told you all
know and all I've heard, and you must take
it for what it is worth. But if you are going
to ask me who killed the woman you are
wasting your time"
MAY ask you to point out to me where
Mr.. Durand lives?'
at is the last cottage on the beach-a
house painted yellow, with red roof.
"Have you seen the gentleman to-day"
''No; he was to have been at the hotel this
morning to complete a match game at bill
iards: but be did not appear. They say he
had sprained his arm packing trunk?"
Mr.. Bantle gave this information staring
straight before him, and with an air sug-
gesting forced indifference.
'He intended to leave this place soon?
Tomorrow; but they say he is in bed and
"Do YOU believe this story, Mr.. Bantle?"
s'Do YOU believe it?'' he asked with
shadow of.a smile.
1 answered with strong and taking en-
phasis: ''Nop'
w as OVrll DurahO Sulltl9 ISEhapnB Ous
before arresting him under this supposltlon,
it was policy to discover his confederates if
any, before they suspected my intention. To
arrest one was to alarm Others. 1t Durand
had committed the crime, he would not be
fool enough TO run away and thus publish
his guilt 10 the world. Besides, had as yet
nothing definite, and did not see my way
clear. / again turned TO the non-oommittal
Mr.. Bantle with the words:
''You say this Durand and Morton are
very dear friends?"
''I didn't say SC, for don't know"
Ibid they ever quarrei?
81 suppose everybody quarrels with every
BODY; that's lie"
''You are a student of human nature, Mr..
Bantle. 1t does one good to hear you speak.
They did quarrel, then?"
"Yes?"
"Apropos of what?"
swell, 1 think Morton was jealous Of
Durand, about Miss Glaye, 1 suppose"
"And Durand threatened Morton?"
'It was the other way; Morton threat
ened Durand-that is, IL you can call it
threats-told him il he didn't look out he'd
make him the sIckest man that ever lived,
or words to that effect"
''Curiousl From his face would take
Morton to be very good-natured man."
"He is amiable enough when he is
amiable; but he has devil of a temper. /
mean easily stirred up. For example, be
was laughing and chatting this morning
when his fsh-hook caught in a post If
you'd seen him boil up and bubble over,
KICK over his basket and chuck his bait
overheard, you'd know what 1 mean. His
mother was a Spanish woman; maybe that
accounts for it. %
"Did he know this Ella CONSTANT"
"Knew of her, at least, for I've heard
him speak of her."
''Spoke OF her as if he knew her?"
"Never. He spoke of her bounding the
footsteps of Durand, called her names, and
said if it had been him he'd get rid of her
in double quick time. suppose, like the
rest of us. he heard the story of Durand."
"They tell me Morton is awfully smitten
on Miss Glaye.''
81 should say he was gone there in more
senses than one," said Mr.. Bantle dryly.
II went to his room once and found him
kissing and kissing again the photograph of
Miss Glave. Ee's sappyr'
Mr.. Bantle spat upon the ground to prop
erly illustrate his contempt for sap"
"He must have been happy when Durand
was bounce6?'
"He was. and would be if he wasn't afraid
the old lady will one day forgive Durand
and allow him to renew his eourtship with
Bertha Glaye."
"Gives him the nightmare, eh?'
He'll grind away all his teeth if it keeps
on"
"Mr. Morton has the figure of a very
strong man."
"He is strong" said Mr.. BartIe emerging
from contempt into admiration. HE can
lift a man up by the collar of his coat as
easily as l can lit kitten. Ii you want to
know how strong he is, put on The boxing
gloves with him and let him fetch you a
crack on the nose. 1 weigh nearly 200
pounds, and he can knock me clean off nv
feet every time 1 am fool enough to spar with
him. 1 once saw him half drag, half carry
a heavy trunk from the hotel on the other
side of Byzantine Hill clean over to the
wharf yonder. Did it for bet"
rs Duraud strong?'
"Noi'' Again Mr.. Bantle grew con-
temptuous. "DurSnd is a pipesteu. n
broomstick Of man, beside Morton, though
he isn't baby either"
80 you think Morton would fight for his
lady love If anybody wished to take her
away from him?"
Flight till his shoes wore out. Knowing
his nature I'm surprised he has not lone
since carried off Miss Glsye by main force"
''If she loves him why doesn't she marry
him?"
81 don't know, unless ii is if she disobeys
the old lady she will be cut of without
shilling. But, L say, haven't you pumped
me dry yet?"
L thanked Mr.. Bantle for his very valu-
able Information and allowed him to 60.
Just how much of it was to be accepted and
how much rejected could not decide. The
man intended to be honest, but he was
afraid OF getting mixed uD in the affair,
and so what be knew, what he guessed and
what he had heard were all jumbled to-
gether. Let me say that even at this point
believed the case to be one of simple
murder; one OF the ordinary kind that may
be unravelled bv the following your nose.
lighted a cigar, turned about. and, by
instinct, retraced my steps toward the |
wharf, On approaching it I saw that, with |
one exception, the fishermen had departed: |
the exception was the once taciturn Otto. |
who was still there making the pretense OF |
fishing, although the tide was ont and his
hook was In the mud. He was taIkino in a
very animated manner to a young lady who 4
now stood beside him. The woman was
young and pretty, and dressed in rich and
very becoming attire. The frizzv hair show
ing below her bonnet flashed like ooId
threads In the sunlight, almost dixtracfina
attention from the jewels sparkling on her
fingers. This evidently was the ineonsola-
BILE Bertha, 'spooning" with her latest ad.
pIrer. had no objection, for physically