Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-03-31
CHAPTER XVIII.

loOk sne TWO enVel0peS from thu
man and told him he might go. Now
for 1t! thought. Now to see whether
the edifice had built had bat a foun-
dst,on OF sand, or whether wiidred
had merely been clever enough to pun
wool over the eyes of the police
My heart was humping with excite
ment as 1 opened the first envelope.
''St Paul in tonight First class pas
senger on board named Harvey Farm.
ham,"
laid the bit OF paper down dazedly
and took up the other. 1t was from the
manager of the Fifth Avenue Hotel in
New York. "Mr. Farnham ttlegraphed
to keep room for him. Is spending
day or two with friend"
I did not know what TO think. 1t all
sounded straightforward enough, and
1t was not credible that either the off,
Gals in the Office OF the American lin
ers or the manager of hotel could bt
In collision with Carson Wildred. Still.
was far from being satisfied.
Days never dragged as they did with
ule until l received the promised init
nation from my friend the inspector
that tidings had arrived from the police
10 New York. 1t was all right, so far as
my friend was concerned, and need
have no further fears regarding his
safety. The body found in the Thames
was certainly not that Of Mr.. Harvey
Farnham, as he was In New York, and
had actually been interviewed there.
he had been very I'll In crossing. and
had had the misfortune to fall down
the companionway on shipboard I'm n
heavy gale, spraining his ankle. He
would not be able to resume his Jour
ney and proceed to Denver for some
time to come, but had laughed at the
Idea OF any foul play. When ques-
toned on the subject of the ring he
said he had given IL to his friend. Mr..
Wildred at parting. and jokingly added
that he had experienced great Difficult.
ty In getting IL of.
A hot sense OF injustice burned with
In me. had been thwarted on every
side, not, l believed, by the revelation
OF truth, but by Carson Wlldred's su-
pcrior cunning.
I could, / thought, understand what
his motive for SO foul a murder might
have been. BE had just purchased a
valuable gold mine from Farnham.
Should Farnham be made 10 vanish
without fear of suspicion falling unon
Wildred, the latter might not only ha
the owner of the mine, but repossess
himself OF the purchase money. which
must have comprised a very large sum.
In the midst of the cogitations which
followed upon the receipt OF the in.
spector's letter another cablegram was
handed In to me from Farnham him
self. merely saying: "Many thanks 20,
kind inquiries. Have turned nm bara
smiling, but too seedy to write or
present. Glad to hear from you.-Fifth
Avenue Hotel"
1t was then Friday. In five minntas
after reading this kind and apnarentIv
conclusive cablegram I hal resolved
that on the following day, Saturday
would sail for New York
Ny decisions when made are USUALLY
soon acted upon. within a couple @,
hours after receiving the inspectors
letter and the message from New York
my passage was engaged for the fol-
lowing day. A curious mood was upon
me as I began my preparations. Hard
ly more than fortnight ago had been
congratulating myself on the prospect
OF a considerable stay In London. My
Ideal existence had for the moment
been an utterly aimless one. / was
stated with excitement and what Is po'
pularly called adventure" and had
only wanted to rest and amuse myself
had meant to be man about town
until should again tire OF the life,
drifting agreeably here and there, TAX
Ing pleasure as 1t came, troubling my
self little either about other peoples
affairs or my own.
by o'clock everything was ar
ranged for my departure on Saturday
ana L was at Waterloo, taking my
ticket for Haslemere, which was the
station nearest to Sir Walter Tressidy's
country place.