The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1899-03-30
CHAPTER XIV.
A CONSULTATION.

Commander Brett was not able to re-
port his interview with Mr.. Keighley
Gates to Miss Fenton until the follow
ing day. The mornings post had
brought letter from his friend Wray,
and with this in his pocket he proceed
ed to De We're Gardens.
"Well, Duncan. have you brought
any news?' Mabel asked anxiousIy,
when lovers greetings had been ex-
changed.
''Indeed have, dear, and somewhat
surprising news too. 1t was Gates him
self who substituted the photograph for
Lady Florence's in the album"
"Mr. Gatesl What in the world did
he do it for?'
"That is what l should very much
like to know myself. AS matter of
fact, he told me he had not done So
told ne empEat' oall7, apd without b.
IN asked :. guest On. { 81 vac
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"A g.. .oal 10 1.lA
10 II IA : he bib
efto3u Nh 81 lev Us nav Il
! la matt T?
THAT dc not !ZnoW-~ia fact, / know
very little OF the man. He was friend
of Georges, was he not?''
"An acquaintance-hard friend.
George met him at some club Or Other,
and found him interesting. They had
one or two tastes in communicating,
big game shooting, and haunting, and
Mr.. Gates suggested trip to the Zam-
bezia for elephants; but don't fancy
George really liked the man, or he
would have jumped at the idea
"Then you know Of nothing that
would connect him in the faintest way
with the present trouble?'
Nothing. But stop! You remember
he was here on the day of the murder
it was then, indeed, he noticed the
dagger that led to suspicion falling on
George. That day he spoke to George
about his infatuation for Harriet Sta
Piles, and urged him to break with her.
He had never alluded to the subject be-
fore, and George considered he had
taken a great liberty in doing so at all,
and he told him so. George was very
much annoyed, I remember, and he
spoke to me about it before he left the
house that evening""
"Did Gates give any reason for men
tioning the matter?"
"He said he did it out of pure friend
ship for George"
This was certainly news. Brett knew
nothing against Mr.. Gates, except the
lie he had told him about the photo
graph, if the police were to be believed.
But he did not think he was the sort Of
man to interfere in q matter of this
kind out of pure disinterested friend
ship. Still he might be doing him an
injustice.
"Well, it is useless specializing on
his reasons" said he. "There's the
changing of the photographs to bring it
home to him, but for the life of me I
don't see how it is to be DONE can't
very we'll tax him with it, for he has
distinctly told me he did not do it,
"Never mind, Duncan. But we must
be on our guard against him. If he is
playing false, he will be sure to betray
himself before long,"
II have had letter from Wray this
morning." said Brett after pause.
"He has sent me description of Lady
Florence Mostyn's brother-a sandy
man, with a cut across his forehead
But let me read you exactly what he
says about him: Il never saw Robert
King, the dukes stepson, SO I cannot
give you a description first hand, but I
am told he was fair youth, with light
brown-almost red-hair. There was a
scar across his forehead, the result of a
fall against the bar Of crate when a
mese Child. This scar a. ruticeab,s
when he was grown up, and I do not
think will have lett him. He was tall
nearly six feet. No, he had not lost
an arm. Beyond this am afraid ! can
tell You nothing of his personal appear
ance -
Mabel listened intently.
"Then it must have been the actor,
Lambert, who was her brotherl' she
exclaimed.
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