The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1903-01-15


all. which, I confess, seemed at one
time more than likely, and thought If
did not come back it would be time
enough to tell you when l arrived. as
it is" 49,. .ari.,. -.
Craig Wyndham calmly lighted a
fresh cigar before he ventured a COM
ment on the statement of his. friend;
then, rather to Pendleton's surprise,
he did not refer directly to the subject.
Instead he asked quietly: ~, : !
Habit TODD with the business that
took you there" 7ats
mot at all, not at all. l .assuresyou."
'Then won't you tell me about. the
business. The duel can watt
Il can tell you about the business in
two words-I succeeded"
Then you are glad you went?'
Most certainly. The fact is, Craig,
should have gone there long ago or
sent you, as talked of doing. think
the trip has been good for me in more
ways than one. 1t surely has per-
formed one miracle, for have discov-
cred that I still have left sufficient en-
ergy to do things if only work myself
up to the proper pitch. left this Mex
lean business altogether too long. l
should have attended to it Immediately
after the death of the gov'nor 1t
would have been easier and better, and
I think the people down there would
have understood things better. How
ever. fancy it is all right now"
"You fancy? | thought you said you
had succeeded"
$50 l Unexpectedly, entirely. ut
terly. in every way but one. and that
one is apparently unimportant. have
brought back mystery, and T hate
mysteries. as you know"
lis the mystery connected with the
business?" ~
Eyes and no. .
THAT reply is ambiguous. Burr. OF
course possess ordinary curiosity.
Naturally l would like to hear all about
all that you will tell nae, but you must
remember that l was left in ignorance
of many points in this affair of yours,
and do not like to ask questions"
Pendleton waited a moment before
replying. Then he tossed away his CT
gar and took n turn up and down the
room. Reseating himself. he said
slowly: ..'.............
Briefly. then. will say this. for the
duel as you say, can wait;
in fact. it came mighty near waiting
anyhow: You know. ever since the gov
nor died | have felt that ought to
take this trip. and you also know that
the only reason why | did not do so
was my OWL consummate laziness. l
wanted you to go there for me, and
you consented to do So But. Craig. l
could not bring myself to tell you all
that was necessary for you toEknow.
because | asked it, | would have felt
that l. was not keeping faith with my
dead father. You knew or ought to
have known. and, / believe. did know,
that my hesitation. did not arise from
any reluctance to- take you into my
confidence" .'.s'~r,'. = :,
"Assuredly. Burr
"The written injunctions that the
gov'nor left for me-you remember that
did not get home until three days aft
er his death-imposed the obligation of
silence upon me with considerable
that is, silence up to GER
tain point, after which 1 could, Of
course, exercise my own discretion.
That point could not be reached until
had made a personal Investigation, a
hing that he practically ordered me to
10. Wen, l have made it. The obliga-
lion of silence is upon me no longer. l
IAN see no reason for keeping still now.
In fact, the time has come when l must
ell somebody, and naturally. you arc
he one whom have selected for a con-
idant. More than that, feel the need
If advice and help, and you are the on
y one l know to whom l am willing
to apply. There is. not time and this is
40 place for me to so into details, but
f you will give up this evening to me
n my rooms-well, we'll have it out to
he end. 1t is a mighty strange thing,
Craig, that a man can leave behind
him when he dies tangle which in
7olves two families and which may yet
involve two nations in trouble, but that
s precisely what my father did. Not
,nly that, but have permitted@th
years since his death to roll past, never
that the matter could take
he serious shape it has. regard my
self as rather guilty party as things
Ire situated now, for i cannot help be-
ieving If l had attended to matters at
,nce much that is now unavoidable
night have been prevented. believed
he old man was deceived-that he i'm
lgined great deal, but found-well,
wait until tonight, and will tell you
What discovered"
81 think, old man." said Wyndham
deliberately, while he drummed the
burning end of his cigar upon the ash
'eceiver-"I think that perhaps, having
eturned from long trip and being
delighted upon meeting an
I'D friend, you may be inclined to
,lace too much confidence in him. Let
is revert to the part of the business
hat / understood before you went
way, which, as remember, related
My to property. Did you find the
property that your father directed you
D recover? Have you brought back the