The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1903-01-29
were over.

udu, WIFI smile.
Then in few words he related all
that he had done to obviate such pos
sibility, and she laughed heartily at his
description.
Craig Wyndham had prepared to en-
counter beauty when he entered the
presence of Carmen del Puente. and
yet when the reality was before him he
was conscious of a shock Of surprise
Beauty in women had never affected
him beyond the point of mere admira-
ton, but the earnest, Steadfast eyes,
perfect features and high character
that shone in the face Of Carmen del
Puente awoke some hitherto dormant
sense of appreciation within him. Be-
fore he had been ten minutes in her
presence he felt as if they were old
friends, as if somehow or somewhere
they had known each other always.
There were sincerity, truth, earnest
ness, high purpose and indomitable res
olution in every expression Of her fea-
lures, in every gesture she made, and
Wyndham, who rarely trusted anybody
until that person had been thoroughly
tried, felt that he might with COM
placency put implicit trust in this wo-
man.
1--WE have long interview before us,
Mr.. Wyndham," she said presently. II
want you to be comfortable and thor
oughly at your ease, so l have taken
the liberty of providing some very ex-
cellent cigars for you to smoke. You
need not hesitate. You know, in my
country we are accustomed to tobacco
smoke. You will be more comfortable
if you can waste your temper on the
end of cigar when l say things to
annoy or astonish you"
He took her at her word without
comment. They sat opposite each 9th
er at one end of the room, while, the
duenna remained at the other, industri-,
drawnwork. Wyndham could not tell
which.
II believe our talk was to be about
the duel" he began by way of opening.
II think" she replied slowly, that
the duel is only an incident among
many Others we are likely to discuss.
l told you this afternoon that was
a former friend of Mr.. Pendleton.
That statement was quite true. though
somewhat misleading l was his friend,
but he did not know it. 1t is possible
that he regarded me in a contrary light.
1t is strange, if he mentioned the duel
to you, he did not speak of me-"
"He might have done so. senorita,
had his life been spared a few hours
more. We were to have discussed his
affairs the evening Of his death, but
he was murdered before 1 arrived"
Murdered"
She leaped to her feet with flashing
eyes and for support grasped the back
of the chair on which she had been
seated. For moment she stood gaZ-
ing, wide eyed at Wyndham, and then
slowly she reseated herself.
did you not know that he was MUIR
dered?' asked Wyndham calmly. d"
''No. knew that he was dead, Of
course. Word came to me of that in a
letter from this city, but there was
nothing said about violence"
1.-THE papers were full of the affair.""
"Ah, yes. But such news seldom
reaches us in Mexico. Murdered! My
God! 1t is awful! should have warn
ed him of his danger. 1 might have
done so, but did not regard it as nee
essary. Tell me about it, Mr.. Wynd-
ham,"
'"There is not much that l can tell.
The affair is great mystery. believe
the detectives are still at work upon
the case, but only in the effort to find
a man whom 1 know to be innocent"
'Tell me about it." she repeated.
''Tell me all you know about it."
She uttered the words in the tone Of
one who has the right to know, and
Wyndham. with sudden confidence
that was ineXplicable to himself, CON-
piled. He related in detail everything
that occurred from the. moment when
he first met Pendleton after his return
from Mexico until the discovery of the
body and the sending away Of old
James in order that he might be sus-
pected. Two things only he omitted
he did not mention the fact that he
suspected Escudera of the crime. and
he said nothing about his belief that
an explanation of the motive could be
found In the secret matter connected
with Pendleton's visit to Mexico. Nor
did he refer to that brief instant when
he stood before the dead body of his
friend and glanced back toward the
open door as If to measure the dis
lance. He had thought then that the
weapon was thrown at it's victim from
the doorway, but he had never men
toned that idea to anybody. Even
now he remained silent concerning 1t.
She heard him through to the end
without uttering word in reply, but
when he had finished she said very
quietly:
Describe to me again the room
where you found him; or, better-have
you a pencil ?-draw me a diagram Of
it."
He did so, and she studied it long
and earnestly. Presently she asked:
els there nothing between this
.point''-she placed the point of the
pencil on the spot which he had indi-
Gated as the position of the chair
land sthis?'' She touched the place
marked doorway. II mean by that, Is
fltprp M chandelier or table with a