Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-12-12
CHAPTER VI.

WHAT JAMES KNEW ABOUT THE PAST.
Y I is not necessary to describe in de-
"a tail the discovery of the body of
"A Burr Pendleton or the effect that
the discovery and its consequences
produced upon the community and par
ticularly upon those who knew him in
,nately.
The mysterious disappearance of the
s,.vant James pointed the finger of sus
!. ion in his direction and naturally d-
vcrted it from other suggestions. Not
evon a faint indication of such thing
attaching to Craig Wyndham was heard
or thought.
The coroner's jury found that death
had been caused by a dagger in the
hands of one James Ferguson, valet to
the deceased. and every effort of the
police was cXcrted to bring about his
capture, but even such a sensational
affair was soon partially fM gotten, and
the newspaper comments diminished
from columns to paragraphs and then
ceased altogether.
The day after the funeral Pende-
tons lawyer sent for Wyndham and
told him of IA will in his possession by
which Craig Wyndham was made sole
legatee of all the property that Pendle-
ton had owned. 1t directed him to pay
TO James Ferguson a stated annuity as
long as he lived, and there were sew
fral minor requests OF like nature. The
will also contained the following
clause:
Il make also the following express
wish; With this my last will and tesla
ment | will place in the hands of my
attorney certain sealed envelope
which will be delivered into the lands
Of my leg0tee and executor, Craig
Nyndham, as soon as convenient after
he has been made aware of the con-
tents of this my will. The contents Of
the envelope aforesaid will explain to
my executor certain duties which | de-
sire him 10 perform in the event of
my death and which l believe he will
perform to the best of his ability and
which, for reasons of my own, | do not
care to embody In this document. |
do, however, consider it just that |
should here ask pardon for placing
such grave responsibilities upon him
and also for keeping secret from him
the fact that have done So
The will was drawn and executed i'm
medately before PendletOn departed
for Mexico, and only the lawyer who
drew it and Pendleton himself were
aware Of It's contents. Inasmuch as
tt,., 4 ,,ln tix..,s
the will was prohated without objcc-
ton, and Craig Wyndham found him
self suddenly very rich man.
In the meantime he met Escudera
frequently ut the club, on the street
and in divers places. Indeed it seemed
to him that it was the intention of the
Mexican to throw himself constantly
III his way, but between them on the
occasion of such meetings there was
always exhibited the utmost cordially
Escudera retained his quasi member
ship In the club, and always Wyndham
watched him furtively while he await
ed replies to certain inquiries he had
sent out to Mexico and to other places.
1t seemed to him that Escudera had
the air of one who was killing time as
best he could while he awaits the hap
pcning of some expected event, but
what that event might be Wyndham
could not even conjecture.
The interview between Wyndham
and old James had taken place 49, in
fact several of thcm-but at this point
1t Is necessary only to refer to one Of
| them.
They had, as usual, at such times
been engaged in discussing the Incl
dents that had happened to Pendleton
| In Mexico and for the third or fourth
time referred to the duel, WyRdham
had already connected the name of Ro-
nero with that of Escudera and was
of the opinion the two We're related.
did you ever see the man with
l u. D Q}Sl ~ = = 4 y - u ~