Waterbury Democrat., 1900-12-01
4A1A.aA0MS 3AG } } THE STURGIS WAGER { A DETECTIVE STORY. < < ar. ' ---- J , By EDGAR MORETTE X x Copyright, 1899, by Frederick A. Stokes Co. y S&H&e@@&N@ @eaws>we@e%1
 CHAPTER NTT '

Late that same evening SturglS re- turned to his lodgings, after busy day spent in working upon the Knicker- booker bank case. He was tired and he was perpleXed; for, with all his unhag- ging energy, his quick intelligence and his plodding perseverance, he had come to a stands.ill in his investigation. The Evening Tempest had appeared with no further mention of the Quinlan case. and with only perfunctory report of the cab mystery, no attempt having been made to connect the two, for Stur- gis would, not consent to publish his evidence until he was sure of complete success in his undertaking.
 As he approached the house the re- porter saw a light in his window, and inferred that visitor was awaiting his coming. It was MT. Dunlap, who, pale and careworn. was striding nerv- ously back and forth in the room, with his hands behind his back and his head bent forward upon his breast.
 'Ah, there you are at last!" ex- claimed the banker, eagerly; 1T have been waiting for you for over an hour"
 Has something new turned up?" asked Sturgis.
 ''Yes; read that
 At the same time Dunlap handed the reporter a letter.
 Let me tell you about it first. After leaving you this morning l went to the morgue and saw the body. You were right; it is Arbogast's. I had been only half convinced by your evidence; but ] now saw that you were proba bly, right in all your other inductions. and l became anxious to learn something definite concerning the amount of Ar bogast's defalcation. As l could not reach the books for some time. called upon Mrs. Arbogast, thinking I might be able to learn something from her. You had not been to see her. had you?''
 ''No," answered. Sturgis. gravely, Il did not think it likely she know as much about this matter as we do, and I shrank from the ordeal of revealing to her the fact of her husbands crime and tragic death. wished at any rate, to exhaust all other means of obtain ing information before resorting to this one.'
 "Of course. of course.' said Dunlap, somewhat impatiently; ''the woman is naturally to be pitied; but I could not allow any sentimental consideration to stand in the way of the discharge of my duty to our depositors.''
 "What did you learn from her?" asked the reporter.
 When I reached the house the maid }old me that Mrs. Arbogast had spent the previous evening at her sisters house in the country and had not yet come back. l was about to leave. in tending to return later in the evening, when the lady herself arrived. Upon learning who l was she seemed some what surprised, but invited me in. As we passed into the parlor the maid handed her mistress a letter, stating that it had come by the mornings mail. Mrs. Arbogast glanced at the envelope, but did not open it. At my first cautious questions she seemed to be very much surprised. Arbogast had announced to her by telegram the pre- vious day that he would be obliged to go out of town for few days on busi- ness. He allowed her to infer that he would soon return, and that his busi- aess was connected with the affairs of She bank She could not understand how it happened that l knew nothing of this trip. But, said she, I have just received letter from him, which will doubtless explain matters She evi- dently knew nothing of her husbands peculation. Thereupon she opened the envelope and took out this letter. I observed her closely. At the first words I saw her cheeks blanch and q look of agony pass over her features as she instinctively pressed her hand to l, l, T., l. lot ter contained some important revela tion, and l became anxious to obtain possession of it. When she had done, I could see that she was Ia boring under n strong emotion; but she controlled herself, replaced the letter in it's en- velope and said, merely: This does not tell me my husbands whereabouts; but 1 shall doubtless have further news of him in the course of a few days l saw thatshe was attempting to shield him in the suppositiop that he was still alive. l therefore broke the news of his death to her as gently as l could. The first shock seemed to utterly un- nerve her: but after awhile she became somewhat calmer. After all, it is bet ter so,' she said, at last. Then she handed me this letter. There was no further reason for within oldingit. Read it now"
 ''It is postmarked at the general post office at five o'clock,' said Sturgis; ''it was therefore mailed before or during Chatham's visit to the bank. It may have been mailed by Arbogast- before the scrubbing was done, or perhaps by the chorewoman when she left the bank
 The reporter drew the letter from it's envelope and read: a ~ -',+ "The Knickerbocker Bank, New York, Dec. 31, 1S96 '3dy Darling Wife: When you receive this letter I shall be far away-a disgraced criminal-and you will be worse than a widow. E A-E tr. T dare not ask your. forgiveness for the trouble I bringing upon you; for I realize all too clearly the extent of the wrong I have done you. But feel irresist- ibly irpelled to lay before you in all their nakedness, as do before my own conscience the circumstances which have led to my downfall A knowledge of these may per haps enable you to derstand, in meas ure, the temptation to which have suc- cumbed; although I find it hard myself rf, hat all ic fn 1fzo hnu T