Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-25

close to recognize him7"
II believe not" l answered, hesitating at
that moment to tell him all l knew. The
local police are making active inquiries, l
believe
Il wonder who II could have been?" Sir
Bernard exclaimed reiectively. Mrs.
Courtenay was always so devoted to poor
Henry that the story Of the stranger APP
pears to me very like some invention OF the
villagers. Whenever a tragedy occurs In a
rural district all kinds Of absurd canards
are started. Probably that's one Of them.
II Ia only natural for the rustic mind to
connect a lover with a pretty young
widow"
Exactly. But l have certain reasons for
believing the clandestine meeting to have
taken place." I said.
what causes you to give credence to the
story?"
Statements made to me-" 1 replied
vaguely. And, further all the evidence
points to murder"
THEN why did the jury return an open
verdict?"
at was the best thing they could do in
the circumstances. as 1t leaves the police
with a free hand"
But who could possibly have any motive
for the poor little woman's desth?" he
asked, with a puzzled, rather anxious, ex-
preston upon his gray brow.
The lover may have wished to get rid
Of her." l suggested.
You speak rather ungenerously, Boyd
he protested. Remember, we don't know
for certain that there was a lover In the
case, and we should surely accept the ru-
mors OF country yokels with considerable
hesitation"
81 make no direct accusation said. 81
merely give as my opinion that she was
murdered by the man she was evidently In
the habit OF meeting. That's ALL"
well, II that is SO, then l hope the po-
lice will be successful in making an ar
rest" declared the old man. Poor little
woman! When is the funeral?"
"The day after tomorrow"
~ must send a wreath. How sad 1t is!
How very sad!" And he sighed sympathet-
ically and sat staring with fixed eyes at
the dark green wall opposite.
tits time you caught your train" l re-
marked, glancing at the clock.
mo" he answered. I'm dining at the
House of Commons tonight with my friend
Houston. Perhaps l shall remain in town
all night. l so very seldom allow myself
any dissipation" and he smiled rather
} sadly.
Truly the old physician led an anchorite's
life. going to and fro with clOckwork regu-
; larity and denying himself all those diver
} sions in society which are ever at the com
! mand Of a notable man. Very rarely die
, he accept an invitation TO dine, and the
fact that he lived down at Hove was II
t,rder to have a good excuse to evade So
ciety. He was a great man, with all a grea
iaAn's little eccentricities.
! The two following days passed un
eventually. Each evening about tel
Amber JevoDs came In to smoke and drink
e stayed an hour, apparently nervous
cd and hdgetty in a manner quite un
J.. but to my inquiries regarding tn
Is OF his Investigations he rename
re you discovered anything?" l aske
r. on the occasion Of his second visit
'~sitated, at length answering:
and no. / must see Ethelwynn to
without delay. Telegraph and as
meet you here. l want to ask he
ion
20 you stlll suspect herr"
40 shrugged his shoulders with an air G
: distinct vagueness.
wire to her tonight, y he urged. "You
a man can take the message down to tn
Charing Cross office and she'll get II a
s O'Clock in the morning. The funeral !
over, SO there is nothing to prevent he
coming to town"
was compelled to agree to his sugges
e tion, although 10th to again bring pain an
n annoyance to my love. l knew how she ha
v suffered when a few days ago l had ques
toned her, and l felt convinced by he
n manner that. although she had refused t
speak, she herself was innocent. Her lip
q we're sealed by word of honor.
The message l sent requested her to me-
L me at my rooms at half past 8 in the after
- noon, for, it being Saturday, Sir Bernar
d was absent according to habit. Saturda
e was always a light day. for my chief de
clined to see patients. He liked to renal
h at home always from Friday night unit
IS Monday.
According to appointment Jevons me
me when had finished my mornings wor
: at Guys and we took a glass Of sherr
e together in a neighboring bar. Then, {
his invitation I accompanied him along tn
A borough High street and Newington Cause
way to the London road until we cam
to a row OF costermongers' barrows draw
a up beside the pavement. Before one G
r these, piled with vegetables. ready for tn
Saturday night market. he stopped and wa
- Immediately recognized by the owner
n a tall, consumptive looking man, who's
q face struck me somehow as being familiar
e well, Lane?'' my companion SAID
BUSY, eh?"
mot very. sir" was the answer, wit
the true cockney twang. Trade ain
very brisk. There's too bloomin' many c
us ERE nowadays.
Leaving my side my companion advance
toward the man and whispered some con
hdential words that I could not catch, q
e the same time pulling something from hi
breast pocket and showing it to him.
y "Oh, yes, sir. No doubt abawt it,"
IS heard the man exclaim.
Then. in reply to a further Questio
3 from Jevons, he said:
larry 'Arding used to work at Cults
So | fancy that I'D be the place to I'm
IS out somethink. I'm keepin' my ears opel
you bet" and he winked knowingly.
/" Where / had seen the man before
W could not remember. But his fact wa
certainly familiar.
When we left him and continued alon
the busy thoroughfare OF open shops an
itinerant vendors / asked my friend VIII
n he was, to which he merely replied:
1t well, he's a man who knows somethin
OF the affair. I'll explain later. In IN
meantime come with me to Gray's In
road. / have TO make a call there" an
he hailed a hanson. into which "