Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-03-04

"That do not know, sir"
"Why did he buy the house and why
| did he pass his time there instead of al
his rooms in the hotelY
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. begin to see daylight, James
Tell me all you know about that event. y
81 know very little-Only that he
married within a month after we 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 profound secret and made !ne
promise that | would never refer to Our
visits there to anybody under any cir
cumstances. have kept that promise
until today, SIR"
"Do you think that Burr knew OF this
second marriage of his father, James"
II am quite sure that he did not sir. V
"I mean at the time he went 10 Mex
ico-at any time before his death"
81 do not think he ever knew Of it,
Mr.. Wyndham."
"Do you know the family name of
the lady who became Mrs. Pend!etOn?'
mo, sir. and, besides, there Is an
other thing. sir, which may be impor-
tant - the lady was never known rs
Mrs. Pendleton. We travelled in Mex
leo under another name, but | cannot
tell you that name, Mr.. Wyndham, be-
cause have forgotten it,
Forgotten it, James"
"Yes, sir, have forgotten it."
Wyndham did not believe this state
ment, but no amount of argument
could induce James to change his To-
ply to the question, and it was finally
abandoned.
"Tell me about your second trip
there, James," he proceeded.
1--WE were called there by the illness
ef the lady who was Mr.. Pondleton's
wife. She died and was buried before
we arrived. He was greatly shocked.
We did not remain very long-about
ten days, | think. | saw very little OF
him then. as before. He did not seem
like himself at all. and he never rccov
cred from the shock. Although hr liv
ed many years afterward. it affected
him until his death"
WAS there child or were there
children by that second marriage,
James"
mo, sir that is. | don't really
know, but think not. think Mr.
Pendletor would have told ne had
such been the case"
"Let me sum this business up Il little.
According to your statements, Mr.. Pen
dleton lived with his second wife two
months and then came north again. Is
that right?"
about that. sir"
How long after that was it that you
made the second trip to MeXico:'
About Il year-a little more than
that, | think. No, sir, pardon me: it
was something less than year. My
memory is not as clear as it used to
be-"
How do you account for the fact
that he remained so long time away
from his bride?'
81 hardly know how to reply to that
| know that he was very fond of her,
and 1t is my belief that when we came
north and left her there he expected
that she would follow him very som.
think there was some trouble OF some
kind, but never knew what it was
He was overwhelmed with business. |
know that he received letters from her.
or Mt least from Mexico, constantly,
and know that he wrote to her very
often. l think it likely that her COM
ing was delayed from week to week
and that he refrained from going to
her during that year ut her request.
am sure that nothing else could have
kept him here waiting"
"He did not take you into his conf
dence in this matter. then|
mo. sir; only concerning the mar
riage itself"
"Did you ever see the lady|
"Never, sir"
"Nor a picture of her?'
81 did not"
81 wish you could remember the
name under which your master lived
I'm Mayjco lanes"
81 am sorry that cannot" replied
the old man Obstinately. "but it has
gone from me entirely. would not
recognize 1t even if should hear ii"
1t was plain to Wyndham that James
had determined that he would not 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" mused
Wyndham. land he also must nave
had a 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 know"
81 think so-partly. l do know that
1t had nothing to do with his mar
riage, for he chose the name before we
left New York, and he never saw her
until after we arrived In Mexico. He
went there on some business that had