Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-12-06
CHAPTER XVI.
A WEST END TRAGEDY.

information, though broken to my I'M
Gle by me with bated breath. occasion
ed him any surprise. Something very
like a look of inward comprehension
few from his eyes to mine. and read
there a decided confirmation of my
worst fears.
'Humph!' he muttered. II expected
as much. Let US make inquiries"
We accordingly went to the office
and there learned that Mr. Wentworth
had left during the dinner hour In
reply to further inquiry we were In
formed that a telegram had been de
ivered TO him during mealtime. But
to the individual In charge this meant
nothing. People were always coming
and going. To us, however, 1t had a
fuller significance. Why had that young
gentleman left so hastily?
81 think l should like to look at the
ROOM" said my uncle as we turned
away. LET Us so up stairs"
On reaching our floor we rang for the
chambermaid and by her were admit
ted to the room which had lately been
occupied by Mr.. Wentworth. but a
minute examination disclosed no clew
to the antecedents Of that young gen
tleman. The girl regarded my uncle
with half curious, half superior smile
Of establishment as he peered here and
there, but her look was strangest of all
as l pointed to the bullet splash on the
wall.
Law" she gasped. 'how did that
happenT
1 told her, and asked If nothing had
been heard of the report
Nothing" she answered. "But
don't understand It"
''Nor l. But there is the proof"
Here my uncle. who had been closely
examining the mark, turned and said:
81 can't find the bullet, Davie. 1t has
been extracted"
1t was true, but why could not
imagine. Jim shook his head sagely.
"The police have a way of following
up slender clews," he said. 'No doubt
the person who extracted this bullet
had a very good reason"
The next morning at breakfast my
uncle, who was an Unsuitable reader Of
the newspapers, stopptA suddenly In
tue rafdst o. perus,n~of his faSorite
journal 1--WE ali have onel and looked
muttered below his breath. ''the devils
have been Mt IL again.
My heart seemed suddenly TO turn
cold. for knew to whom he referred.
what Is 1T What has happened
nowY'
For reply he handed me the paper.
pointing with his forefnger to a head
ing in large type. II ran thus: "Trag
edy In West End Hotel. Murder or
Suicide?"
A mist seemed 70 swim before my
eyes. ! was almost afraid TO read.
Then I pulled myself together, my
brain, with strange insistence, assur-
ing me Of the fact that 1t could not re-
fer to any one who was dear to me be-
cause, with the exception OF my uncle,
there was no one in the world / loved
Not that I was too selfish 70 love, but
my destiny had not given me choice
OF friends.
Looking down the column / saw tina.
man had been found dead In his room
at the Victoria hotel His breast had
been pierced by q dagger, and the
weapon itself. a curiously wrought
piece of eastern workmanship, prob
ably Malay or Chinese, was now In the
hands Of the police. The gentleman, It
seems, who had registered in the visit
ors' book as Mr.. Charles Hilbury OF
Melbourne had but lately arrived In
this country with his wife and daugh-
ter, both Of whom were naturally pros
trated with grief. The report went on
to say: mo cause is assigned for the
deed-if It be one OF suicide, as the
officials seem inclined TO believe-as
the gentleman was supposed to be in
comfortable circumstances. This fact
renders the mystery stin more incom-
prehensible." Then followed a descrip-
ton Of the man and the manner in
which he was discovered. A couple
Of lines in connection with his personal
appearance burnt themselves into my
brain: ION the deceased gentlemans
forehead there is a strange eiliptical
mark, which is evidently the result of
some former accident"
l dropped the paper with the one
word, THE Sign!"
Eyes"
Our further attempts at eating were
a hollow mockery. After a few inef-
fectual efforts / abandoned even the
pretense. My uncle drank copiously OF
his coffee and turned once more to the
news sheet. The food lay untouched
before him. When he looked at me
again, the trouble had settled deeper on
his brow.
What do you make of itP' I said,
more by way Of breaking the ominous
silence than the expectation of gaining
a new idea; for in my mind had al
ready sketched vivid outline of the
unhappy mans career. Needless to say
we did not entertain the thought of sui
eide.
ut is evident" was the reply, "that
this unfortunate Mr.. Hilbury had, like
ourselves, run counter to the society.
How, or in what way, remains to be
seen. Perhaps he may even have been
an associate OF your father. We shall
LOT