Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-04-19

II
'That / do not know, sir"
'Why did he buy the house and why
did he pass his time there instead OF at
his rooms In the hotelf'
81 did not know until long afterward,
Mr.. Wyndham, but the fact is he had
fallen In love with Mexican lady and
married her"
"Ah, 1 begin to see daylight, James.
Tell me all you know about that event"
Il know very little-only that he
married within q month after wo ar
rived IN Mexico and therefore within
four months OF the death OF Mr.. Burr's
mother. Perhaps 1t was for that rea-
son that he insisted upon keeping the
matter a profound secret and made me
promise that would never refer to our
/ visits there to anybody under any cir
eumstances. l have kept that promise
until today. sir"
do you think that Burr knew ef this
second marriage Of his father. Jamesr'
Il am quite sure that he did not, sir :"
7 mean at the time he went to Mex
ico-at any time before his death"
II do not think he ever knew or Il,
M. wyndham."
DO you know the samiiy namo Of
the lady who became Mrs. PendletonT p
mo. sir, and, besides. there Is an
ether thing. sir. which may be impor-
tant - the lady was never known as
Mrs Pendleton. We Travelled In Mex
| leo under another name. but cannot
tell you that name. Mr.. wyndham, be-
| cause / have forgotten It"
Forgotten II, Jamesf'
"Yes. sir. have forgotten It."
| Wyndham did not believe this state
| ment. but no amount OF argument
| could induce James to change his re-
ply to the question. and 1t was finally
abandoned.
Tell me about Jour second TIP
! there James" he proceeded.
I'VE were called there by the lfinoss
Of the lady who was Mr.. Pendlston's
wife. She died and was buried before
we arrived. BE was greatly shocked.
We die Hot remain very loRg-about
ten daya ! think I saw very little Of
him then. as before. He did not seem
Ike himself ST all. and he never recov-
| cred from the shock Although he lly-
ed many years afterward, 1t affected
him until his death"
WAS there 4 child or were there
children by that second marriage,
Jamesr
mo. sir - that is. don't really
know, but think not. / think AIR.
Pendlston would have told me had
such been the case"
Let me sum this business ND a little.
An~nrsIlpu, a., -.
dleton lived with his second wife tive
months and then came north again Is
that rightr'
About that. SIR"
How long after that was It that you
made the second trip to hexico7"
About ysar-s little more than
that. think. No. sir. pardon me; 1t
was something less than a year. Ny
memory is not az clear an 1t used to
be-"
How do you account for the fact
that be remained so long a time away
from his brideT
Il hardly know how to reply 10 that
know that he was very fond OF her,
and IT Is my belief that when we came
north and left her there be expected
that she would follow him very soon.
think there was some trouble OF some
kind, but ! never knew what It wss.
he was overwhelmed with business. l
know that he received letters from her,
or at least from Mckee, constantly,
and / know that he wrote to her very
often. think 1t likely that Ter COM
Ing was delayed from week to week
and that he rsfrained from going to
her during that year at her request 1
am sure that nothing else could have
kept him here waiting"
"He did not take you into his conf
denee in this matter. thenT
mo. sir; only concerning the mar
riage itself"
did you ever see the ladyT
Never, SIR"
"Nor q picture OF herY
81 did not"
1T wish you could remember the
name under which your master lived
In Mexico. James"
81 am sorry that cannot" replied
the old man obstinately. but 1t has
gene from me entirely. would not
recognize 1t even If should hear it"
1t was plain to Wyndham that James
had determined that he would net re-
veal the name and had adopted the
plan Of forgetfulness as the best means
OF avoiding argument, and the old
mans resolution could be accounted
for in only one way, which was that
he had given an absolute promise that
he would never tell 1t.
Robert Pendleton must have had
strong reason for binding his servant
to such inviolate secrecy" unused
Wyndham. "and he also must have
had strong reason for adopting 1t in
the first place"
He turned to James again.
why did Mr.. Pendleton make use
OF an assumed name at all?' he asked
"He never told me that, sir"
do you known
II think so--partly. do know that
1t had nothing to do with his mar
rage, for he chose the name before we
left New York and he never saw her