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

1 GU see, uldue all Heterogeneous Ill
case should not be able to return at
all. which, l confess, seemed at one
time more than likely, and thought If
did not come back it would be time
enough to tell you when arrived. as
it is" -,
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: e.. =,
it to do with the business that
took you there? .>.@
mot at all, not at all, assure you
''Then won't you tell me about the
business. The duel can wait"
81 can tell you about the business in
two words-I succeeded"
"Then you are glad you went?"
Most certainly. The fact is, Craig,
I should have gone there long ago or
sent you, as talked of doing l 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 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
would have been easier and better, and
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 | Unexpectedly, entirely. ut
terly. in every way but one and that
one is apparently unimportant. have
brought back Il mystery, and I hate
mysteries, as you know"
''Is the mystery connected with the
business?"
Yes and no.
THAT reply is ambiguous. Burr. OF
Naturally 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 moment before
replying. Then lie tossed away his eli
gar and took III turn up and down the
room. Reseating himself. he said
slowly:
"Briefiy. then. l will say this. for the
present-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 own cOnsummate laZineSs. |
wanted you to go there for me, and
you consented to do SO. But. Craig.
could not bring myself to tell you all
that was necessary for you to know.
If you had undertaken the trip simply
because | asked it, would have felt
that | 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"
"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
emphasis; that is, silence up to a GER
tain point, after which l could, Of
course, exercise my own discretion.
That point could not be reached until
had made personal investigation,
thing that he practically ordered me to
do. Well, have made it. The obliga-
ton of silence is upon me no longer.
can see no reason for keeping still now.
In fact, the time has come when l must
tell somebody, and naturally you arc
the one whom l have selected for con-
fidant. More than that, feel the need
of advice and help, and you are the on
ly one l know to whom | am willing
to apply. There is not time and this is
no place for me to so into details, but
if you will give up this evening to me
in my rooms-well, we'll have it out to
the end. 1t is a mighty strange thing,
Craig, that a man can leave behind
him when he dies tangle which in
wolves two families and which may yet
involve two nations in trouble, but that
is precisely what my father. did. Not
only that, but | have permitted% these
years since his death to roll past, never
dreaming that the matter could take
the serious shape it has. l regard my
self as rather a guilty party as things
are situated now. for cannot help be-:
lieving If had attended to matters at
once much that is now unavoidable
might have been prevented. believed
the old man was deceived-that he i'm
agined a great deal, but I found-well,
wait until tonight, and l will tell you
what discovered" ., r.. ... Z
81 think, old man." said Wyndham
deliberately, while he drummed the
burning end Of his cigar upon the ash
receiver-"I think that perhaps, having
returned from long trip and being
naturally delighted upon meeting an
old friend, you may be inclined to
place too much confidence in, him. Let
us revert to the part Of the business
that I understood before. you went
away. which, as remember, related
only to property. Did you find the
property that your father directed you.
to recover? Have you brought back the