The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1902-02-01
CHAPTER V,

the servants. Upon it was engraved
Carlos de Escudera Y Romero, In
tarnaccion, Ciudad de Mejico."
"Ask the gentleman If he will no
join me here" he said to the servant
and presently, approaching him, hi
| discovered the same parsonage whom
he had twice seen that evening ant
whom he verify believed to be the as
sassin of Burr pendleton.
With a. look of unrecognition in his
eyes Wyndham rose from his chair tt
receive the stranger, extending hi.
right hand as cordially as if he did llo
believe the one 1t grasped to be guilty
Of the foulest deed he had ever known
"Mr Craig Wyndham?" said tho
stranger interrogatively. "Thc friend
Of Mr.. Burr Pendleton?"
"Yes," replied Wyndham, noticing
that Escudera used perfect English.
"Your name is not known to me, how.
ever. Will you be seated, sir?
"Thank you. also claim friendship
with Mr.. Pend1eton. l made his ac-
quaintance In Mexico, where We had
many pleasant hours together l met
him here early this evening-before the
dinner hour, in fact-and expected TO
see him again about this time. l have
heard him speak of you SO often that
when the clerk Mt the desk told me
your name-I entered the club imme-
diately after You'll took the liberty OF
sending my card to you"
II am very glad that you did so. Mr..
Pcndleton and l had only just met
when he was called away, doubtless
by you. also expected him here about
this time. We will wait for him to-
gether. In the meantime be my guest,
Mr.-pardon me, but l am unused to
Spanish names. May l ask how you
pronounce your name"
81 use the first one of the two, Es-
cudcra. Yes did leave the club with
Pendleton. In fact. went to his
house with him, but | remained only Il
moment. discovered that he was
very tired and so agreed to meet him
here later, where he did me the honor
to say that he would present me to
YOU
Wyndham's eyes sparkled for one
brief instant, for he knew that state
mcnt to be a lie. lie knew that Pen
dleton did not intend to return to the
club that night and that he had not
promised such an Introduction to the
Nav ionp f,p 1p hat |,
expected to spend the evening in his
rooms with Wyndham. 1t was the
first tally in the score that he intended
to make against the Mexican.
Refreshments and cigars were order
cd and two hours passed while the
men conversed upon every subject that
either could think to introduce, and at
last 1t was the stranger who suggested
that the hour was so late that there
was small chance that Pendlcton would
appear at the club that night.
1t was Wyndham's suggestion that
they should go out together. and they
strolled along the avenue side by side |
as far rs the hotel where the Mexican |
was stopping. After that Wyndham
returned to the club and, finding |
of congenial friends engaged |
ut one Of the card tables, played with
them until daylight !
1t was rarely that he did such !
thing, but that night he had especial
reasons for it, and never had he ap-
pcared to better advantage or played
the r1ime with more scrupulous care.
Always during the game it seemed
to him that he could see his friend as
he saw him in the sleeping room Of his
apartment sitting dead in the chair in
the corner. and ut such moments DEATH
ly fAintness stole over him, which re-
CURED all his strength Of will to con-
qucr.
He knew that he was mourning a
deadly risk in acting as he had done,
for if it should appear that he had been
to prndlrton's rooms suspicion, which
might in any case attach to him, would
In the minds Of many take the form Of
certainty
Still for the plan that lie had formed
during the few moments when he stood
by the window while James wept near
him lie was pursuing the only logical
course. He felt that he must take the
chances.
What nervous force he was compelled
o exert in order not to manifest the
perturbation he felt during those hours
If ia, niulIt nni,pI,, lint l;p,,,If
'vcr know, and when he left the club
u the full light Of the early morning ,
II the company Of one of his compan. I
ons in the game 1t brought the first
moment OF relief he had had from the
errihle strain.
At his own door he left his friend G
nd, saying that lie would get two or
llree hours sleep, entered the house !
'here he lived. lie knew that he was :.
a position to prove an albi for every :
our lWt had passed since he parted
Nth Pcndleton except those that were n
pally the most vital-between 5 and !
0 o'clock the preceding cvening-and !
Or those he must trust to nerve and
hance III case the question should @
rise :
As soon as he was in his own room y
g carefully examined the papers that
e had taken from the safe and in the
,tercst he felt in them for the time
artially forgot the awful reason for
re examination.
From them he selected several which fl
2 concealed. The others he destroyed. d.
ut after he had bathed and refreshed E
msclf, thus destroying all outward "
Dpcnrance of the effect Of the events cI
the mast night upon him la rpt,,rn- ~