The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-01-10

against him. lhope that if you can help
us at all in the defense you will do SO. Z
eff lean be of the slightest use. you
may be certain Of my services, = he re-
piled. "But am afraid don't see in
what way shall be able to assist you.
.Well, / will tell you, Mr.. Gates.
You see we are firmly convinced OF
Georges innocence, but perhaps fought
first to tell you am engaged to his sis
ter, which will account for the interest
I am taking in the case.
81 believe heard that, y Gates re-
piled.
every we'll. We are, as I Twas saying, (
firmly convinced of our friends inno-
cence, although the facts look very
black. A few days ago ] should have
said the defense was hopeless. but since
the Identification of the murdered wom-
an as the Duke of Lundy's daughter
of which, of course, you have heard
think there is a glimmer Of daylight for
us. - -
"Well. Captain Brett, am listen
ing, said Gates as made a pause.
CIVIL be absolutely frank with you,
Mr.. Gates, continued, "for I think
you may be able to help u.s. since you
have travelled great deal and have con-
sequently rubbed up against innumer-
able people IN all quarters Of the globe.
| We are at present trying to trace Lady
Florence Mostyn's life from the day she
left her fathers house, and it has been
suggested that ne'individual in particu-
lar might shed light on her mysterious
disappearance, if we could only find
/ him.
"And who may he be?''
ga certain Arthur Durant. Do you
happen to know him, sir?"
Mr.. Keighley Gates deftly elected
half dozen rings of cigarette smoke
and then looked at me with curious
smile on his lips.
''Well, yes, 1 do, he replied. eat
one time knew him intimately, but /
have not seen him for the last two or
three years. Still get an occasional
| letter from him."
was overjoyed at this news. What
a lucky inspiration it was that had
prompted me to look up Mr.. Gatesl
"Haye you had letter recently?" ]
inquired.
"The last one would be about-let
me see''-and Mr.. Gates pondered for
moment or two. eyes, about four
months ago, as near as my memory
serves me-"
"And where was he then?"
"He wrote from Denver, and said he
was just moving on to Salt Lake City
and from there he intended going to
Frisco
"Then at this moment San Francisco
might be likely spot to make inquiries
imp
| Gates laughed.
''lt certainly might be, but if you
knew Arthur Durant you would know
the utter impossibility of following his
movements by any known or unknown
method. AS he mentioned Frisco, ]
should think New York or Florida q
likely spot to find him in.
This news considerably depressed me.
So much seemed to depend upon this
man, and yet from Gates account it
was apparently hopeless to expect that
he could be found in time.
Mr.. Gates?''
"Make inquiries by all means in Salt
Lake City and Frisco, but don't build
any hopes in that direction. ought to
have letter from him soon, and that
will put us on his track at once. Think
have his last epistle by me still. If 80,
the address will be useful. I'll look for
it now.''
Gates unlocked a drawer and looked
through some letters fled with extreme
care.
Sim afraid destroyed it, he said,
; at length. 81 now remember what
j: kept it for, and as soon as the purpose
was fulfilled ! burned it. never keep
old LETTERS it would not fit in with my
wandering life.''
This was disheartening. However, /
, determined to find out something about
] the man wanted.
"You say you knew him intimately,
Mr.. Gates?''
eyes, did-that u.s. if living for
three months on end with him gives me
the right to do SO. first met Arthur
: Durant in the Allegheny mountains in
| North Carolina. He had gone up there
to inspect some mica mines and was
! there to look at some gem deposits. We
both foregathered at little three
, roomed wooden house, which was more
drinking shanty than hotel, and as the
mica and gems were in adjacent strata
we did much of our work together. 1t
was a longish job, because the stuff we
were after was undoubtedly there, and
what we had to decide was whether the
: quantities would pay for working, and
SO three months Of daily intercourse
$ had passed before we could arrive at
8 our decision. You can get to know a
. man very we'll in that time.
"Then saw nothing of him until
ran up against him in the Strand about
three years ago. He seemed to be in
clover at that time. He told me he had
, made his pile and was then engaged in