The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1894-06-01
His | asst (ha7ee'
CHAPTER Nv.

| reached the door | had an idea. and.
returning to my desk | put two or
three Of Wilson's letters in my pocket
Mr. Refer IN oldish gentleman with
a reddish face. white whiskrrs. big
shaggy eyebrows and wonderfully
bright eyes. was in. and did not keep
ne waiting more than Il quarter of an
hour.
Glad to see you NJ. IIonnyman.
What can do for yor:" said he when
we had shaken hands. Pray be
seated
went straight 10 the point and
asked him whether he lad ever kaoWn
man OF The name Of Wilson.
Il know twcEty Wilson's. What is
he, or was he. and what may be his
Christian name"
He says Thomas but it may be
William and he calls himself Il solic
itOr"
How old:'
About forty, tall and thin. OF good
address and insinuating manners"
''HumDh. | did once know Il Will
lam Wilson to whom that description
applies. But he was not to call thin
and it is Il commonish name. Have
you anything in his handwriting:
II have" I'roducing the let.cr,.)
.'Ncry like. very like" observed Mr..
Refer, thoughtfully; but it is 50 long
since that | may be mistaken. Let lis
compare"
And with that he took up speaking
tube and asked a clerk in the leN eNt
room to bring him a lctter-copying
book Of date some eight years past.
When the book was brought Mr.. Reef
er opened it and turned over Il few
leaves.
'Do you recognize that he said.
pointing to one OF the copies.
1t was the copy of 4 letter signed
"William Wilson. solicitor with Refer.
Forbes 4 Winslow.' in the same hand
writing as my letters. The signatures
were rs like as two peas, save that one
was Thomas and the other Will
lam
Yes. your correspondent is unques-
tionably the man who was once my
managing clerk, and might have been
my partner by this time if he had not
had an enemy"
IAN enemy"
"Yes. an enemy-himself. But he
was clever fellow. Il very clever fell
lOw--One of the best informed men
and finest whist players | ever met.
He left us under rather unpleasant
circumstances, Mr. Honeyman. l am
sorry to say
''Unpleasant circumstances. Might
ask what they We're: 1t is of great
Importance for us, in the interest Of Il
client, to know something of his ante
cedents"
'.He left us, Mr. Honeyman. to serve
Z term of seven years penal serNitude
for forgery and embczzlement. and !
don't think he can have been out Of
prison more than three or four
months"
This was Il revelation. indeed: and
there could be no question now that
Wilson was working some nefario,is
scheme; but rs to the nature Of it I
was as much in the dark as ever. Nor
could Mr.. Refer. to whom l told the
story, suggest any solution Of the mys-
terry, but he had no doubt that the ''fcl-
low was playing deep game and
meant to take us in somehow"
When / told all this to Mr.. Harlow
he few into rage, banged his fist on
the desk and used strong language.
Hang the fellow" he exclaimed.
"A jailbird. 4 galley slave. convicted
Henry Harlow. ut the Hyperion club.
1t is too awful! l shall never hear the
last Of it,
1T may not get ont"
1T must not get out, Honcynan l
would rather lose f2OO than II should
get out. All the same, should like to
know the fellows game How is il TO
be managed!'
I
think / can write letter that will
fetch him-and talk seriously to him."
Mr.. Harlow. asserting to this pro
posal. l wrote under the heading. In
re Holroyd's mortgage few lines
saying that l shall be glad to have Mr..
Wilson's opinion on Il point of law
arising out Of this matter" and ask
ing him to look in on the following day
at whatever time suited his convent
ence.
He came between 3 and ! o'clock.
when / had nearly given him up, and
we were presently joined by Mr.. Har-
low. who had been informed Of his ar
rival.
Il am glad you have called. Mr. Will
son. he observed. gravcly. something
has happened which requires eXplana-
tlOu. mere ustS DtcIl SD IHuCll ucIdS III
this matter Of Holroyd's mortgages
that we thought 1t our duty, in his in
terest to communicate with our clients
direct. We wrote to them few days
ago, and both letters have been re-
turned through the dead letter office.
Nothing is known OF these gentlemen
at Poole"
Wilson kept his countenance. I did
not detect even the luiver Of IN eye
lid.
1T is all my mistake" he said quiet
~. by pure inadvertcnce l wrote
Poole instead of 'Wimborne.' l am
so familiar with both places that |
often confound them. But it is Of No
Importance I shall bring you the
draft on Saturday, and l have asked