New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-10


COMM h,not
Just then his wife came in, with her bonnet
and shawl on ready TO start
It's all over, Mrs. Higgins. ! SAT- 1o~ clio
Lor' have mercy upon ns i re uca" si'e
exclaimed. casting a Mortified look toward I"e
he'd. 80 A., ,,.
Quite dead Go Immediately with the note
to Mr.. Burton u-ho,
She hurried on without another word. " men
she gone | again questioned h,i ~" i,j
about their dodgers dcrinm, ana Nia' III H
said in it, but without cciilng anything VI III
pOrtancc. 81 Az p,,r
Ton and 10 my ast0Iishbcut. made hlHhH " nv
husband to 20 ont with her Nhc'hcr I.r vi" VIE
awcd by the presence OF dcath, or ",,n, 81.
wanted to speak to him IN private. cannon say
but the LAWYER and were not sorry 10 nc iiI 81
the pair. acquainted Mr. Burton IN lew Wor's
with all that had taken pac' since G, i, ,i,.o
Well Dr. Dunbrook.H he said, must elNe
Won credit for your penetration. Tie scoulIrc.
confess, succeeded in imposing upon me- "'
had we better 10 under the, circumstances ,noo
Don't you think Mis- wee should DE- "' o"'c
communicated with? ! asked o,,o
Certainly; bat we must no. AK her 10 come
herc--at least not yct; o-
"Fir,, tell me what the people hcre-'h'Sc
Higgns-lSnow about this mans history. ,,,,. :,
Il have just been questioning lnr husband TT IL
appears they suspect something from CERTAIN ~,
marks which escaped him IN his dcrinm' put
don't think they know anything definite"
suppose We call them now and question
them ~
aqrcd 10 this. aud We called in the shoe
maker and his wife They answered our purS-
tious readily and did not NJ all rticcnt. hut
thcv were not able 10 add anvthinr Of consequence
10 what we already knew Their LODGE had SaiI
queer things when hc was of his heal, talked
sometimes Of duel. nj Other times OF nun Wui.
der" and was always afraid of the police, bu'
they had been unable 10 connect these VITA re-
marks into any consistent whole.
When we had finished our crossrNamination Of
fhc Higgins Mr.. Burton proposed that everything
belonging 10 the dead man should be placed under
seal: this was done in the presence of the shoe
maker and his wife, and then we left the house.
II will call upon Miss Lee" said Mr. Burton.
as we walked along: and inform her of what has
taken place then we all three will hold consulta-
ton in my ho;cl wherever clsc Miss Lee chooses.
Meanwhile, you 20 to my hotel. unless You are
pressed for time. and wait for me there.
To this | agreed and we separated.
had not 10 wait long In less than half an
hour Mr.. Burton arrived. accompanied by Miss
Lee. She very pole. and the hand she en-
tended TO me trenbed in my grasp.
:" cannot understand it. she said. as She sank
down into the chair which bad placed for her
Try and lie calm, Mis- Lee said gently: " it
is no doubt hard 10 realize.
But is it really true" She, asked. fixing her
large dark eyes upon with an intensity Of
gaze which was almost mcsmcric.
L" II is quite true that he is dead answered
did not commit myself further ! did not
know how much Mr.. Burton had told her.
Yes. had expected that SIR rcp'icd; but
is il true that he was not-mv fath"rP'
perceptible shivcr passed through her rs She
hesitatingv pronounced the last words.
Il sec Mr.. Burton has told you all said,
NO. he has not: and ! want Ia know all Do
tell me- she entrcated.
Here Mr.. Burton intcrpoScd.
My dear Miss Lee, do calm yourself; yon
shall hear all in due time when we have looked
through the dead mans papers. Excuse me for "a
few minutes. while | examine some documents
which have upstairs. DR.. Dunbrook here knows
more about the matter than ! do, and Will no
doubt give you all the information you require
With that he left MS. We were in n private
sitting room. which he had specially engaged for
this interview.
DO tell me- she repeated. when he gore.
What do you know already What has Mr..
Burton tnld you - | asked
My mind IS all In whirl; ! cannot grasp
the situation. Is it true that h. was not my
father
&" | am sure he not"
why are you sure? Did he say that he was
not ,"
mon in so many words but we infer it from
what he said, and especially from what he wrote.
What your fathers full name ~
George Herbert Lee
" That was not the name OF the man now living
dead at 81 Minnow Lane. Look at thus paper.
II is the beginning of a confession which he was
in the very act of writing when death suddenly
seized him.
She took the paper from my hand
i. George Henry Lee. she read in great
excitement Why. bhaf was tie name Of his
wicked cousin
just, So Mis-, Lee. And that wicked cousin.
possession of his property
And my real fathcr-whcrc Is lac -
] was silent and tried 10 collect my thoughts for
"Wherc is he?" she repeated, impctuously
" Where is he 90
Alas he died years ago.
"Where' In what way? How do you know ?
Tell me oil Don't keep me in suspense
The wildness Of her manner frightened me;
and will tell You all ! know"
Then ] recounrcd to her very briefly. and with
as much softening Of tie tragic events ~ | could,
the leading facts Of the story which Mr. Burton
had communicate Ia and | added fLsrpfn
various circumstances rs the mans lie.
lirium which had confirmed my suspicious that
her father had been first murdered by his cousin
and then personotcd. The confession which the
latter had begun. and unable 10 finish now
put the matter beyond all doubt
4" 1 am now quite convinced said Miss Lee.
when had finished. But Oh what strange
and terrible story Do you know. DR. Dunbrook
| always felt an antiPathy TO the man; strug-
glcd against the feeling because ! believed him
to be my father also piticd him bccaus" of his
supposed misfortuncS Mr. Burton had told me
that he had once killed n mamie did not say
whOin-on very great prOvocation and that he
was always in mortal terror Of being apprchcndrI
in consequence. Are YOU Going to crcmatc him,
according to your agrccmcnt?'
" DO you see any objection 10 il -
None whatever. Deal with him as you think
proper.
TO me after that ncNrrtobc forgotten first inter
view between Won and, 10 do him justice. it was
always in terms of the highest praise"
Very good Of him, am sure. especially as he
knew nothing about me
Rcmorse for his past crime may have had
something 10 do with II though that l. scarcely
an explanation. 1t j. true he found me an in
crcstcd listener and he generally chose subjects
Of conversation which he thought would please
me
slight, almost impcrccptiblc blush was her
only answer 10 this remark.
" Have you relative alive, Miss Leo" !
asked after = pause
None Mr. Burton is the only friend have
in the world.
" IL would give me more pleasure than | can
express if yon would consent ~ reckon me ~
another friend
The red upon her cheeks became moro plainly
visible.
Thank YOU, she said " will always felt
grateful for your kindness 20 that man when we
both thought he father: and | now feel
m IL llI.na. l...a.-