The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-12-31
you impugn the good name Of my sister.

you impugn the good name of my sister.
if you dare
Keep quiet said Hendricks calm
ly, and he leaned back on the sofa.
Don't be impulsive. If you had known
me longer, You would know l do not
na'ae rash statements. Besides, l have
said nothing against the character Of
your sister. If you can account for Miss
Benton's and .Montcastle's conduct that
night, you may do them a valuable serv-
ice. For the present, however, I am
bound to own that their actions, togeth-
or with their evident secrecy since that
night, have decidedly ugly look"
The young mans anger subsidized. It
was as if sudden fear and suspicion had
overpowered it. He leaned on the back
of his chair with trembling hands. His
face was deathly pale.
Pardon me-" he said. "But you
say you know what you have just stat
ed? You know that they tried to catch
the 1880 train for New York;"
~ do. They were not quick enough.
The next train was not due before 8:20.
They came back home, bringing their
luggage on cab. Montcastle did not
unpack his bag, but Miss Benton took
out her wearing apparel and hung it
up.'
Ralph stared; his white lips parted.
They could hear him breathing.
"It's absurd-perfectly absurd" he
said, trying to smile. my sister would
mott
Hendricks interrupted him with a
gesture of the hand.
81 am not" he said, working on
the theory that your sister had hand
in the crime. But, if may ask, do you
think the relationship between Miss
Benton and Montcastle is such that if
mind you, if-he were to tell her he had
accidentally killed your father, or did
it in the heat of passion, under impulse,
or in self defense, and was afraid to
face the law-do you think, I say, that
she would stand by him?"
An expression of vast relief trembled
in the young mans eyes and passed
over his face.
"They are engaged to be married, !"
he admitted, land she thinks the
world and all of him. The truth is ia
ther did not like Montcastle and took
pains to let him see it. Sister thought
Montcastle was not fairly treated. So
you think he may have had designs on
my sisters fortune, and"-
Hendricks interrupted him.
Your father was not killed till after
he had declared he would disown Miss
Benton the next day, and you say Mont
castle is engaged to her"
Ralph sat down. He looked as if his
legs had refused longer to bear the
weight Of his body.
"It is an awful situation" he said,
almost with groan. "Montcastle
doesn't look like man who could
Again Hendricks interrupted him.
Has there been any sort of intimacy
between Montcastle and this Mr.. Brooks
Allen?" he asked.
Ralph reflected
II don't know" he began, land yet
Montcastle has seemed to be interested
in the old mans inventions and plans
that is, little more than the rest of
us. You see, Mr.. Allen had got to be a
sort of bore, and we didn't care to
listen, but Montcastle always treated
him considerably. They went fishing
together once and came back from the
city together two or three times, and"-
Ralph broke off suddenly. His eye be-
gan to kindle with determination.
"Look here, Hendricks" he said. Il
want to get at the bottom of this matter
at once and have done with it. Let me