Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1897-11-27

His mind in moment reverted to
Treadway's questions the past sum
mer.
"There's some connection there,
sure. lam going to see Treadway
some day and ask few confidential
question myself
He did meet Treadway, quite by
accident, the next day, but be look
ed so pale and haggard that he
wouldn't bother him.
Jack saw him hesitate, as if about
TO ask a question, and burst out
with:
look here, Shepard, you are the
very man I wanted to meet, and still
did not want to--a paradox, you
will say. You are an officer high in
your company, still, must tell you
a strange story"
Another time, Jack you are not
yourself today
mo, now come to my rooms /;
it nt.take you over half an hour"
Walking along, Shepard mention
ed Hardy's Investment.
Jack turned on him:
ssDon't-for Gods sake don't tell
me anything about the Hardys until
you have been in my rooms for half
an hour.
Now, Shepard, here is letter or
rather, two letters from Phil Stanley
in London. I give them to you
with the understanding that, after
you have finished them, they go in.
to that fire, and that you, |, and
these four walls hold the contents of
this little bundle. l have your
promise"
"Yes.u
Taking the two letters, be opened
the smaller enc and read
AGAIN IN LONDON, Oct. 8, 1898.
slack, old man, l can't get back
to America for possibly year. |
want you to read the enclosed and
at once destroy it; and, l almost
wrote, forget it,
"Poor Gwynette died last month
blood poisoning from an operation;
knife slipped. Write when you can.
Always in haste-ss usual,
phil"
The second and longer letter Shep-
ard picked up, while Treadway threw
himself on couch, his eyes half
| closed.
The stiffness of the room was
broken>at length by:
"Good God, Treadway Can this
be true? l must read it again and
aloud"
eco on; | can listen TO it, but l
could never read it alone.'
"As / told you, Jack, in my short
note, cannot get home; 50 send
you the Hardy story almost as l
copied it from POOR Gwynette's jour-
nal.
Hardy came to London, you
know, shortly after his wife's death,
to recuperate little things will
creep ont.
HE met Gwynette here, and the
old grudge was forgotten.
"Gwynette was a mailman that
night be told his love to Anna, and
Hardy never knew all the particu.
lars, and so forgave him, and they
became almost constant companions.
You recall the fact of Herbs falling,
or almost falling, into that old FIRE
place, after his outburst OF passion
to Anna, and she, striving to save
him, fell on the hand iron, breaking
her wrist2
swell, that wrist was never set
properly, and, after Annals recovery
Gwynette had occasion, on a profess
sional visit, to discover that the
bones had knitted together in Pc
culiar fashion.
"Aiter the accident, you remem-
Der, Mrs. Hardy grew FESTIVE, and
worried constantly, and had many
fanciful ideas. One, to insure her
life for large amount, she carried
out. Then came failing health, and
her trip to Europe.
while here she met Miss Shell.
bourne, and the two became fast
friends. Miss Shelbourne was poor;
Anna rich ; still she would take no
aid from The Hardy's. Anna finally
persuaded her to go home with them.
"You remember Anna's return
home, and her rapid decline in
health, ending in her death.
at seems, shortly after her return,
she had, with Stuart's aid, had her
policy OF life insurance changed in
favor of Miss Shelbourne.
"After Annals death, it was inn
possible. almost, to persuade Miss
Shelbourne to take this money-a
fortune but Stuart's arguments of
having no children and abundant
means Of his oWr--she finally con-
sented.
at seemed inconsistent that such
g large amount of money should be
given in this way, and there were
ugly rumors /; and they grew so that
Stuart insisted on post-mortem ex-
animation, which stilled all tongues.