Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-07
CHAPTER III.
hands and the agent went out.

IL you don't want any particular thing or per-
son, that very thing or person will intrude upon
you at every turn. but the moment you want
| them they vanish by magic. So in a small
country town it is a standing aphorism that
everybody knows everybody-and SO they do
when You don't care about their knowledge of
their neighbors; but try to find out any one in
dlvldual, and the particular native YOU address
has never heard ofOr seen such person. When
to this peryersity OF fate is added the lapse OF
twelve or more years, during which death.
marriage, removal and other changes have
taken place. it is easily seen that the difficult
ties Of the detectives research are immeasure-
ably increased. Geraldine Laval knew her
task.
Lawyer Carr had been dead twelve years and
memories had waned. With skill and tireless
patience the detective pursued her inquiries;
often baftled, weary and disheartened but
never giving up; stimulated vaguely. uncon-
sciously by the ever-present picture of that
artist face that would not be banished, or the
thought that his name being absolutely cleared
| hung on her success. But Christmas and New
Year passed and at last. step by STEP she found
out very old man who could tell her more
But out of lot OF garrulous nothings Geral-
dine gathered distinct clue to follow and
| seemingly. too. in the line Of her own sugges-
tions. ''Yes, Miss Carr was that prettyNbut
she didn't care for nobody. only one when she
was bout twenty. for when he was 'ostler at
Pyke's Tavern, he'd seen her talk with gentle
man what lodged at the inn a good while and
then he went away. Law. old Pyke died i've
years back and the wilder went to Plymouth,
I he hearn tell"
The detective at once went on to Plymouth
and in two DAYS she found Mrs. PIKE. Between
Geraldines soft manners and adroit questions
she got the good woman into full flow of talk
Margaret Carr was the beautifulest girl and
held herself high. Well, then one autumn Mrs.
Pyke had ledger. gentleman from the city.
II ar ma ha
tleman-like, but not, you might say a real
| gentleman, do you see-most nice to me always.
and used to do for him. and when he bought
| set Of handkerchiefs he says would I mark
EN-, said she. beginning to laugh. 80 did,
ma am. in any way I'd know how" Geraldine
looked up quickly and drew in a breadth. ''Pm
the worst needle-woman. 30 cuts q dozen tiny
| squares of of an old red handkerchief Of Pixies
and sewed 'em on Leopold Langtons handker-
ehers."
WAS that his name?''
''Yes, maam. Well. one day he met Mar
| garet. OF course. he fell in love with her. and
she liked him as girls do. She was awfully
dali at homeland they got engaged though
no one knew but me and her father. But.
somehow, Margaret found out that Lang
ton had deceived and deserted young girl up
north and her old father swore he shoot him
SO Langton had cut, dye see. and kept in hid
ing at our place. Margaret came over to our
house all in blaze and saw the young man
herself. i was in the next room and heard
most what was said. She broke Oh the en-
\ gagement-told him he was u coward and scamp
and ought to marry only that poor girl - he d
promised to-"
The .coundrel," said the listener. "Yss, go
on: what did he say?''
| He was crazy to lose Miss Margaret, but she
was firm. Then he cursed her and swore an
oath TO have her or revenge, il IL was twenty
years to come-hed never forget his oath. All
| these was his very words, maam, and no won
der you look pale, for know it frightened me
/ awful"
.'You are sure Of all this?'' the detective
asked after pause. Heavens! here surely was
a terrible clue and confirmation Of her sus-
picIons-here surely the man 70 find.
Mrs. Pyke said Yes on her Bible oath.
Have you ever seen these beforeY' aid
Geraldine, producing two large handkerchiefs,
which had both evidently been in water and
dried. Look we'll"
Mrs Pyke obeyed vonderingly. then held up
one, enchanting. why, Law sskes. II this amt
one o them - ! marked with that thsrs red