New-York tribune., 1892-01-03

Win ,iese preliminary words we both sat down.
and Mr. Burton began , ,.o,, ui.s
Two days | received le''Sr II Iion III ,oraI
Ice from which | learn that YOU nave cn.'i1 @ H.
into an engagement with her father TO haNt n1 T
BODY cremated when he digS an sor her. is not
r,r distant | FASTENED over here as soon as ,
conveniently could on receipt ol 'ns ne"p o
called upon Mr.. Lee, whose money annlis % "io' IT.,
uerhaps YOU know, entirely in my hai"o.
! has place1 me in possession 0t al tle cilo"' i
stances and has also commissioned me ~ sP'In hn
10 YOU upon some other delicate inat'Tts W., ho
sh"uid think il necessary to acquaint you with
things which, far can see 40 n9t concetu
Won i'm the least | cannot imagine put 'hst ;. >
ijs affair lie has claims upon my friendship
for certain services which he rendered me III ,a .no
past and il is my duty to carry 9ut ms dnt
man of Mr. Lees means should take up HIS dualurs
in such humble lodgings, and u u such al o"Scufe
part Of the town of chichester o,,ao, 800 ,
| replied that this certainly had caused me son'e
surprise. ,o..o a,so .,onobt it odd that he
did not recognize his own daugn.er Wnen n Snd Sn1
/ called upon him, and that ne even ueh'ihoe"
proofs of the alleged relationship?
told him that had been present on ina, that
occasion, and that the circumstance had astohsheu
, me not little.
Has Mr. Lee ever explained 10 you why nc
W." Wal vcs =" I said He told me that he had
once when alone in wood. come suuuenly upo;' p;
- human body in an advanced state OF decomposi-
| ton and that the recollection had haunted hlh
ever since ,,,. .os,.
Al yes: all turns upon that miserable body
IL explains not only our friends Wsh Ior rreiha,,
ton. but some other things aS well Diu Nv "ii
you whose body that was?
mo- he did not: but he said that he knew
it, though the features were unrecognlzaDle, anu
that should learn about il by and by.
And You shall learn about y ana az once;
Mr. Ice has sent me here this evening 10 ieii M
YOU about that dead body and ABOUT some o'her
Here Mr.. Burton drew his chair closer to me,
bent his head forward, and sinking MS voice
almost 20 whisper said:
DIR Dunbrook will you give me your WORD OF
honor not to reveal TO a, human soui-at least
while Mr.. Lee is alivc-what am going 70 'ei'
you? p
| hcstated. ,.
Can consistently with honor and duty keep
aTndoubtedly." replied Mr. Burton emphati-
callv. though still in a low voice; ,,
Then | promise: hut stop. II is understood
that only bind myself TO keep silent during Mr'
That's all; though think your OWL. sense
and discretion will counsel a longer silence
Then go on, Mr. Burton; you have my
Wr Burton ,hcrcupon drew his chair still closer,
bent his head still further forward, ana III "
still lower tone said: ,
"Dr Dunbrook. will it startlc you to hear that
our friend killed that man
was startcd-vcry much startled -,
Good heavens I exclaimed "IOu don't
mean to tell me that Mr.. Jec'our friend, ~ you
call hiu-s al cannot bring myself to say the
word.
Don't say it" he said every one who kills
is not that. But i'll court OF Justice he might
find IL extremely difficult 10 convince jury that
the word You were going 10 pronounce was not
applicable to him. feel sure II s not because
know the man and his antecedents, and can take
account OF important facts which nevertheless no
Judge would admit as Legitimate evidence But
let put you in possession Of the facts 30 lar
a. know them, and then you can form your own
opinion"
Mr. Burton thcreupon communicated to me his
story. will relate IL briefly, as lis incidents
though tragic. only Of importance az throwing
light upon events which happened subsequently,
and which constituted II denouemcnt as surpris-
ing 10 Mr.. Burton as IL was 10 me.
Mr. Iee-more fully Mr.. George Herbert Lee
Ind a cousin Of nearly the same name. This wa-
George Henry Tec. When they were boys and
young men. the cousins were slngnlary ahke, a
fathers were twins. But they were very unlike
each other in character.
The latter though clever. was as vicLolsy dis,
and honorable When they were both twenty three
they fell in love with the same girl, II certain
Miss Brown, with whom and with Whose family
Mr. Burton was well acquainted. Both sought
her hand With the full appreciation Of her
friends well as in accordance with her own
inclinations she accepted and married George
Herbert the upright 10 the bitter dlsappoin 'ment
of George Henry the vicious Almost Immediately
after their marriage young Mr.. and Mrs Lee wcht
to Australia where they srttlcd and proSpered
Two years after the discarded sultor, George Henry
Lee suddenly vanished. nobody knew why or
whittier. IL suspected that lie He'd To escape
his creditors and that the place Of his destination
was Australia. But this was only conjecture
nothing was absolutely certain. The conjecture,
however. was right-at least IN part, for he GER
tainly turned up in Australia not very many
months afierward. though whether the pressure
of debt was the main motive OF his Hight IA ques-
tonable. The coldness. yereing upon open quar-
rel. which their rivalry had created between the
Lees did not prevent George Henry from seeking
out his cousin George Herbert in Australia and
calling at his house. The preceding facts Ml
Of his story, which rested entirely on Mr. Lees
word was less satisfactory. 1t contained
m@nl- TDnr n'G?''N "nG Mr. Burton '' confessed that if
ne had not the fullest confidence III Mr. lee, from
his knowledge Of his antcccdcnts. he might have
hcsitated to believe him. According to the latter
ancient friendship. stayed with him some weeks
and became AT lat too familiar with his wife
Mr.. Lee did not care 70 60 into NIL the details
which he spoke Of MS too painful 70 dwell upon
hut he informed Mr.. Burton that the first time
lie came across his cousin after his discovery OF
the intrigue was in a solitary wood many miles
from his house TINT there they had quarrel. fol
lowed by desperate fQht-a duel without wit
nesscs-w with their bowie knives. in which his
cousin fell, never TO rise again.
Mr. Lee never returned 10 his home after.
Leaving his cousins body whers it fell. he betook
himself Immediately 10 the hank in Melbourne
where his money wns invested converted thc
whole except portion which hc settled upon his
wife and child into transferable Government stock
and prepared TO leave Australia forever.
At this point ! asked Mr.. Burton if the child
he spoke Of was the Miss Lee with whom ! was
acquainted. lie replied that she and then
went
But moved by some mysterious impulse" said
Mr. Burton, Mr.. Lee felt that hc must visit the
scene Of that duel before he left the counry, and
he did The result he has told you and | need
not dwell upon its sickening details The sight
has haunted him ever since, and made his life Il
burden 10 him !le wrote 10 mr-I was in Mel
bourne al the timc-acquainting me with the in
trguc which he had discovered between his wife
and his cousin Saying nothing. however OF tho
duel In the forestl. and requesting 10 that
the income which he had settled upon his wife
and child should be regularly paid them.
lie did not call upon Won. them | asked. as
n vague suspicion crossed my mind
"No: never SAW him till tcw months ago,
lxhen he mid a brief visit In Mnnckcsi0r