Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-09
CHAPTER TX.
Coincidencas


Coincidences.
Harvey Wiseman and Black were sitting
In the book-lined sanctum at the distillery.
and the distiller was giving the gauger his
version of the episode of the full-rigged
ship. He was i'll at ease, and he made no
attempt to conceal the fact. Black saw
this and. curiously enough, seemed to be
amused by 1t.
'It is a fact" Harvey concluded. that
the scar is an old one. 1t is also a fact
that the tattoo mark is older. How do you
explain it?''
II don't" said Black, unless 1t means
that you are wrong. and he's the real man
all the time"
But the admiralty letter." Harvey OBJ
jected. ''They say they have official knowi-
edge of his DEATH"
Government agents make mistakes" said
the gauger with shrug. ANY way the
sort that is employed to do the low-class
detective work in foreign cities does. I've
met the breed. Sometimes they're pretty
smart; but often they're careless and more
gullible than junior reporter an even
ing rag. The man in Oporto who sent that
news to the admiralty is probably as faIIi-
BILE as the rest. Or If it's swindle, he may
be in IT.
'But what swindle could there be worked
that way?' Harvey objected. Then there
Is the letter from the widow herself which
arrived a fortnight ago. What of that?'
Part of the same swindle, suggested
Black. Il don't pretend to guess how it is
being worked; but If our friend with the
motor car is the real Simon Pure, 1t is be-
ing worked"
But he isn't! He's an impostorv' said
Harvey violently.
Black laughed, saying:
'All right, don't get excited; don't say
he Is. It'll be better for our game II he
isn't But I'd like to be sure. You admit
yourself that if he isn't Simon Pure, he's a
wonderfully close copy of him.
Allowing for the difference of age, per-
feet copy said Harvey But that may
easily be coincidence; such lkenesses have
been known before Probably he and Eus-
tace have met some time, and the resem-
blance suggested the attempt to personate
which he is engaged on now. He heard or
Eustace's death, and having got UP the nee
essary facts beforehand, was ready to profit
by IT..
And the tattoo-mark. which the scar
proves to be DID, and not laid on for the
occasion?" Black asked drily. Doesn't 1t
strike you that there are lot of coinci-
dences?"
Harvey's answer was a gesture of irrita-
ton. and again the gauger laughed.
We'll, he said, whether he's EuStace OF
not, we can't let him stop here. That's
plain. of course. 1t won't be an easy job
to get rid of him. but of course for our own
safety we've got to see that he goes He
| isn't a safe neighbor for US. especially now
| that he has begun to grub about in the
| caves, Besides, I've had proof today thai
| he knows me-"
| Harvey looked up quickly, saying:
| 1.-The cocktail?"
Black nodded.
| Il was afraid of It," said Harvey. HE
said the taste was familiar. and thought
| at the time that he suspected something
| but he dropped the subject at once
| Eyes. he's clever. He dropped the subject
| because he did suspect, and he didn't want
you to know that he was sure. But he wen
| straight to Elgin, gave the prescription tt
the barmatd at the Royal, and told her tt
serve me with the cocktail when she saw
| me. He knows me right enough
| Harvey leaned forward and tapped thu
| gauger on the knee saying:
| 1T seems to me that we come in some
| where here. He knows you-well, what Il
he does? Isn't it on the cards that it may
| "Oh, may 1t? It's more likely to make
| him wonder what am doing here. And as
| he's not a fool, he may guess first, and Their
| find out for certain"
| But perhaps he won't have time" sale
| Harvey, meaningly "If he knows you
that's a knife with two edges. You should
| know him.
| He spoke eagerly. The gauger shook his
head, and allowed a dull look of unintelli
gence to come into his eyes.
I've met lot of people in my time" he
| said, "and a man forgets."
"Cudgel your brains, man! You may re-
| me mber him.
| The gauger stared at him for a moment
Then suddenly the foolish look faded from
| his face. as he said quietly:
| 1T isn't necessary. l do remember him
| And you'll be PLEASED to know that, in spite
OF the condolences, he isn't your cousin
| Erstace."
| You knew that all the time" said Wise
man. angrily. why didn't you say SO al
| frst?"
| Black laughed again. saying, impudently
Life is dull, and your funk amused me
| You're so obviously afraid of the man. ant
| you came up Just now from your row with
| him at the abbey In rotten state of nerv.
| BUSINESS. I've never seen you like that be
| fore, and I rather enjoyed the spectacle. A
| man must have his fun, and as you cam
| afford to resent 1t, 1 played 1t out bit
| that's ALL"
| "Who is her said Wiseman, shortly
| Hes young cub I met when 1 was sur
geon on the Orinoco. l didn't tumble to him
| the other day, but l remember him right
enough now. He helped to get me into the
! scrap was sacked for, confound himp'
| How" Harvey asked.
| "Never mind. 1t isn't anything you could
use against him." said the gauger, with 8
| trace of sullenness in his voice. 1.-THE only
| point that matters to you is that I've got 8
| grudge against him for it, and therefore
| haven't forgotten him. l even remember
what his business was. He was managing
| director and chief proprietor OF a Portu.
| guese and English cork company, and was
said to be doing very well. Since he's come
| down to this fraudulent claimant business
| perhaps he isn't doing SO well now"
| What is his name?'
| ''Wortley."
| "What?' shouted the distiller. For the
| answer was utterly unexpected 1t was, in
| deed. crushing disappointment; for, so far
| from breaking down the claimants case, II
| was only another point in his favor.
''Wortley," repeated the gauger. Didn't
| you hear me?"
A forlorn hope suggested itself to Harvey
| Yes, yes; know" he said. That's what
| he calls himself now of counsel But mean
what is his real name? What did he call
| himself when you knew him on the ORR
noco?'
| Black looked puzzled.
HE called himself WortIey," he said
| so far as I know, 1T was his real name"
Harvey sank into a chair with a groan
whats wrong now?" asked the gauger
| irritably. You're all on wires today!
| And what do you mean by saying he calls
| himself wortley now? isn't the whole
| trouble that he doesn't? He calls himself
| Sir Eustace Holland
"Sir Eustace Holland and Wortley are
| the same person." said Harvey gloomfly
| .'Wortley was the name which Eustace
| took when he bolted twelve years ago"
A long low whistle of dismay was
-, hi Nbay, hah he IN