Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-09-27

She reDlied 10 his tlrSt statement OF the
| case by saving that She had Mr. Bene-
diets picture and that she valued II
| highly. He had been good friend TO
her. and would have got her good thea
/ trical engagement if he had lived montA
/ longer. This revealed the cloak IN
which enedict had disguised his folly,
eXcusing his visits thus TO her and per-
haps 10 himself She eXp2tiated on
I Beneiict's good qualities, in the voca-
/ bulary Of mild melo-dTama. He was
. gentleman. every inch Of him, and he
| had always treated her with the utmost
I respect.
Coming down TO business she thought
the world of his picture but she pided
his widow II the poor woman wanted
the picture so much. she should have If.
Now where had she pm, i,? She remem-
hc~el having nu. (; where j, would be
perfectly safe. Ii might be in the bureau.
She made Q search of the drawers in
that article Of furniture, but without
success. Then she investigated the con-
tents of o little old box covered with red
plush. There were in it some odds and
ends Of fancy work. q few Old letters and
/ half dozen photo graphs, including that
eli her husband which had been torn in
two. and upon which she made spiteful
comment in an undertone When she
found it. At the bottom Of The box, face
downward lay John Benedict.
Here IL IS" she said, bringing it into
a better light: "a splendid likeness of
him. | think he was one Of The hand
soonest men I ever knew, and you
wouldn't meet more stylish man on
Broadway in month
The remainder of the interview may
be passed over in a few words. The law
YER bought the picture for hundred dol
! lars. together with q prOm.se-s0 solemn
! thai The woman shed tears while repeat
/ ing it-that she would not disclose VIVA,
! had occurred that nigh or ever speak
AGAIN of her acquaintance with John
! Benedict.
IF you are ever in need Of assistance"
said tn lawyer send for me and l viii
! help YOU"
| And he regarded that remark as the
principal safeguard of the secret
The photograph which nc had thus So
| cured had not been preserved so carefully
! that It could pass for the other without
| few words OF explanation. There was
/ STAN upon TT w i'lt.ll i'NN'''A 40 a. 7't4L'
| had Inadvertently set down a damp beer
! glass upon it. These blemishcs were very
/ sknfulIy rcmedied. on the following morn
ing by the photographer who had made
the picture: and then Mr.. Allerton took it
to Mrs. benedict
He could not imagine n physical injury
that would have panied him so bitterly, as
IL did. to lie to that woman. but he thought
rfsf.. H.. e-.tf1
had been thrown away by the thief an! n
policeman had found it. II was stained
somewhat by having lain on the ground
all night as she would doubtless observe
hut she could hardly expect to receive It
back intact.
Mrs Eenedicts gratitude nearly broke
the old lawyers heart, and her perfect
Faith i'm his story laid q load upon his con-
science under which it seemed to groan
/ auJibly in his bosom. He left her weeping
over the picture and caresslng it with
many pretty and childish gestures.
/ 1t had been agreed that he should call
again that evening. and accordingly. about
I half past eight o'clock. he was approach
ing the house. The street on which it
stands IS quiet. and on this occasion was
almost deserted Mr.. Allerton could not
see n single person stirring between his
own position and the intersecting avenue
! ahead of him. Then. suddenly. he was
aware of o. man who seemed almost as If
no had come up out of the pavement. Tho
u,,bt of n street lamp fell upon him for an
instant and it may Toe said that Mr.. Aler-
! ton recognized him doubly. For not only
did the lawyer know this man in his true
character. but also from Mrs Benedicts
dissertation. he recognized him as Albert
smith though the man had presented
tir,soIf In disguise. His real name was
/ bancroft and he was employed rs a de-
! +octive nv the insurance company that
b,5 taken the risk upon John Benedict's
life His sudden appearance could he eX-
nIo,Dod on the supposition that he had
co,,e ONT Of the paSsaCeway that ran be-
..5a "a, house in which Mrs. Benedict
lived
,fr Ausrton had met this man several
.t,,,., ,.bils. conducting the negotiations
hitch had resulted in the payment Of Mrs.
r7s,a5ict's claim He believed the man to
ho thoroughly INSCRIPTIONS. and he knew
him by reputation as one who never aoan-
4,,,, an idea if It once had found lodg-
mont in his brain. The detective had
storted of with the theory that Benedict
was MT dead. II was evident that he had
never ceased to think so.
I-oq,1a and strange theories OF the theft
! ~ tbe nortrait tortured the lawyers mind.
t1a remembered several facts which had
come 10 his knowledge while he was deal
inc with the claim. and now seemd u be