Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1899-11-10

him. They had beon married in Bom-
bay, and had sailed for England before
the Colonel and | reached that port.
81 returned to England a few
months later, to find that Kerr had
never entered upon his duties in his
new regiment, but had sent in his
papers Immediately after his arrival.
/ sought for news Of them, but could
learn nothing.
about three years later read in
the papers the announcement of Laura
Kerr's death 1t had taken place at
Cheltenham, to which town l Mt once
proceeded. Here my inquiries led to
my ascertaining that she had died in
lodgings in the High Street. and that
her husband had taken his departure
Immediately after the funeral. accom-
panied by his little daughter. The
landlady of the lodgings gave me the
address of the medical man who had
attended her, and on him l at once
called. He courtequsly answered my
inquiries, and ibtorned me that the
cause of death was catalepsy
"Catalepsy againl That was indeed
singular. But my suspicious were not
as yet awakened. There was no trace
of Kerr or his child, and could do
nothing.
Another period of three years
passed, and had set up my brass
plate here in Birmingham, and had
built up a prosperous and remunera-
tive practice One lovely summer af
ternoon l received a telegraphic call
to an accident case at Dudley. The
carriage came and l started. But we
had not passed through Handsworth
yshpn ~ hnuay,,a ,p
the horses was dead lame accord
ingly dismissed the carriage, and de-
cided to complete the Journey by cab.
This was done, and it was nearly nine
O'Clock when, after partaking of some
food, l left my patients house.
"There is always a scarcity of cabs
in the outlying parks of the Black
Country, and | had perforce to make
my return by tram. At HandswOrth
/ changed on to a cable tram, and
mounted to the top of the vehicle to
enjoy cigar in the pleasant night air.
MY nearest neighbor on the tram
was a tall, thin man, clOse-shaven and
with short iron-gray hair, and appar-
emily fifty years of age. though he
might be younger. He had mounted
the vehicle at its first stopping place,
bearing in his-eI-ns,a a little girl-a wee
winsome maiden OF four or five sum-
mers, with long silken blonde hair and
lovely violet eyes. Surely | had seen
those eyes before, l could not see the
mans face; it was too dark a night.
Suddenly, from some failure of the
brake, our car cOllided roughly with
the preceding one, and was thrown
off the lines. The child was ierked
violently from her fathers knee on to
the back of the so-called garden seat
in front of us, and her face was badly
cut the blood streaming down.
81 had never seen such horror and
dismay as blaZed forth in an instant;
the silent, self-cOntained man snatched
VI his child's senseless form, sprang to
his feet and almost screamed: My
child is hurt! Run for a doctor; don't
lose a moment l put my hand on his
shoulder, and said quietly, L am a
medical man. and as | saw those
stcely gray eyes, l added. Capt. Ru-
pert Kerr
HE turned angrily upon me, and
thought he was about to strike me.
Then he remembered his little one, and
said: DIR. Dawson, l did you great
wrong once. But be merciful and
save her child!
'"rhe child was carried downstairs
and into a shop close by. l took out
my Instrument case, lint etc, and
washed, stitched and bandaged the
wound in the baby's forehead. Then
! asked, Where do you live? | will
see her safely to bed Thank you
was the sullen response, my address
is my own business;' and he carried
his child out got into a cab with her
and said, birmingham to the driver
There was no means of stopping him
but | had presence Of mind enough to
lot down that drivers number on my
shirt-cuff.
"The next day l employed a secret
inquiry agent to find Rupert Kerr. He
had driven to New Street, taken q
fresh cab, and doubled back to Hands
worth. where he directed the cabman
to take him to II Roman road The
second cabby had been found through
the help of the police at New street
station.
II now did what should have been
done before. While the first agent
was instructed to find out Kerrs pres.
ent manner of life, second detective
was sent to Clendennin to inquire into
his earlier proceedings.
Kerr was, as | had always known
an inveterate gambler. 1t was ascer
tained that he had brought to England
with him the greater portion of his
first wife's property, and had almost
dlssipated this, when poor Laura S
death put him in possession of heI
fathers savings-for poor Col White
had died soon after his daughters
elOpement and-abad bequeathed his
possessions to her. Moreover, both
wives had been heavily insured. From
the other detective l learnt that he
followed no occupation, but frequented
betting clubs and hOtel-bars, and
seemed to be rather deeply involved
Moreover, 1t was popularity believed
that he would soon marry a lady OF
supposed wealth, whose acquaintance
he had made at local garden party
/ Fagg, the inquiry agent, had also as
certained that his daughter Laura had
recently been insured for 800 pounds
She had hitherto enjoyed absolutely
( good health, but since the assurance
had been completed she had suffered
from cataleptic fits.
when this last development of the
/ situation reached me, my smoulderinG
suspicious of the man blazed into
flame at once. Remembering thai
Percival, who had been stationed will
the cavalry brigade at the canton
ment, was then in command at Lich
! field, l wired to him to come over a
| once ON a matter of life and death
as / really feared 1t was.
Gen. Percival arrived that night
and we sat up till dawn discussing the
state of affairs. He had remained IL
/ India some years later than had, anC
| was able to give me a clew. 1t seemi
1 that previous to his marriage will
/ the half-caste woman who was hi