Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-10-13
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Tho dcru you sdy'
sythe and a young girl about 20 years
old, who looked enough like her to be
her own child This same girl / had
previously seen drivile out with MrA
Forsythe that very afternoon. She was
now lying ON n bed under the influence
Of ether. From what saw judged that
her feet were bare, and there were spots
Of blood ON the sheets that covered them.
There was redhot curling iron in some
Goals and the smell Of scorched f1esh in
the ROOM
The lawyer suddenly removed the
hand with which he had been shading
his face and struck his closed fist forcibly
on the table:
stop. stopr' he cried in . little.
sharp voice, very unlike his former ur.
bane tones. I'm q plain man, Miss
Maxey, and an old lawyer. State your
claim in plain words plain words, Mis
Maxey. I have dealt with some hum
dreds Of similar cases in the last II
years, and feel entirely competent to
deal with this one. This beating about
the bush may do with q younger man,
but it will not do with me. Tell me at
once, frankly and fairly, what are your
claims? That's the best way-much the
best way. What are you after? What
do You know about the Forsythe easel
What is your attitude and the attitude
Of those whom you representa-
Miss Maxey returned the keen gaze Of
the little twinkling eyes, which accom-.
panied the delivery of this speech, with
look Of establishment and utter mysti-
fication.
UNFORTUNATELY, Mr.. Bernstein, Z" she
said, ''you have forgotten what / said
to you when came here-that / know
nothing whatever of this matter except
the facts that have told you. am
very sure that I never in all my life
heard Of the Forsythe case''
The old gentleman looked at her nom
plused, but still incredulous.
"Oh, come now, come" he said in q
milder tone, that's impossible, Niss
Maxey. That's quite impossiblep'
VERY well, then," Ellen replied
quietly. Then the impossible is for
once the truth I have told you all that
I know"
Then why should you come here?"
Il will tell You, sir. Almost every
day since saw that, to me, inexplica-
BILE scene in Mrs. Forsythe's chamber ]
have been trying to invent some theory
to account for it. Last night / heard
never mind what, for I cannot tell you
that without betraying a confidence.
But I heard something which seemed q
possible explanation, and as your name
was mentioned in connection with the
mysterious affair I came to you"
In other words, somebody told you
about the new claim set up by Miss Ste
venson?"
mo. sir. I never heard that name
before. My information had reference
only to left foot and missing toe"
A light seemed to dawn upon the
lawyers mind
"Oh. see Some doctor has talked
Very well: very well That may be;
that may be- I may have to apologies
to you. Miss Maxey, for my rudeneaS
but IL You knew how ] have been both.
cred and worried over this interminabl1
AFFAIR you wouldn't wonder. I certain.
y shall avail myself Of your informa,
ton certainly shall examine into Il
and in the meantime. despite the unf9.
tunate improbability which il bears q
in face. do my best, for the sake Of you,
ladylike ways and honest appearance,
to believe what you have told ma Now.
surely, that 10 honest and candid md
fafs. Miss Nancy. This ID treating you
eaQdidlx. im't it1''