Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1905-07-08
CHAPTER ".

CAAk'lEn ~.
Jethroe fell back a step In amazement.
and some answer to the wonder and hor.
ror Of his look translated itself into his
visitors face.
"What's the matter?" the newcomer
asked rather gruffly.
IL beg your pardon" Jethroe STAN.
mered. you took me by surprise.
have only just left a man who has iden.
tilted my uncle's dead body In the local
morgue."
When he came to think matters over
afterward, he knew that he had felt no
real doubt Of his visitors identity. Jeth-
roe's dead father might have been In
the flesh again and newly returned from
a long foreign journey. The tan Of for.
eign suns and seas were on cheek and
brow, but the eyes were George Jeth.
roe's and the stature was his, and the
very pOise Of the figure and the very
tone Of the voice.
I'm pretty substantial phantom.
don't you thinky" said Uncle Martin.
striking his own broad chest with
heavy hand. But this Is a wild business
to come home to. anyhow. Tell me about
1t, Harvey. ! know you, II you don't
know me. Tell me about 1t. Let me
understand"
| The bank manager told the story Of
the night exactly rs It had happened.
and his listener, keeping his eyes fixed on
his narrator's face, drew a chair up to
the table and sat down. with his big
hands resting ponderOusly on his knees.
He made one interruption only:
"Man about my height. you say? This
kind Of beard, ehY"
Being answered In the affirmative. he
nodded several times. and when the story
was over he sat thoughtfully for a min.
ute or two before be again broke 81
lence.
Harvey, my lad, I've got a partial
clue to this In my own mind. It's q
million to one that the chap who came
to that bad end tonight Is Tom Edge
come"
"You can't mean the many" said
Jethroe.
II mean the man whose daughter l
wanted you to marry. He was my part.
ner In one or two affairs out yondsr.
and ! believed In him. But he turned
out bad egg" he added. after q pause.
He vanished eight weeks ago, and left
everything at skies and sevens. He had
let In everybody, more or less--me
among the rest. My share 30 far Is
about seven thousand, and ! should be
glad to be out Of 1t at that price. AZ.
sure you. ! should not have been here
yet awhile II II hadn't been for him. I've
missed q heap Of valuable securities since
Tom Edgecome legged It, and It's my
belief hs had EN-. and came here to ne
gotiate 'em. I've been away 20 long that
It might not have been q very dangerous
game for him to 'persondte me here. They
called ~ The. Twins out yondsr. We
stood the same height to a barley.corn
and scaled the same weight to a pound.
He knew 40 much about my private at
fairs as anybody did. Oh, yes. that's
Tom Edgecome, right en0ugh-that's
Tom, for a million. But the murders
another pair of shoes. Who murdered
him2 And why? ! don't know any
one over here who had grudge against
him, except me. OF course I'd have
broken his rascally neck as soon as look
at him. but I should have had a reason
for It,"
II wouldn't say So" said Jethroe.
"Oh. WE'LL" said Uncle Martin. "you
mustn't suppose feel like that now the
poor beggar's gone. Was the body rob.
bed?"
apparently not" Jethroe answered.
"There was gold and silver In the pock-
cts. and there was handsome watch
and chain. I'm no Judge Of diamonds.
but on his finger"
ION this finger" interrupted Uncle
Martin, indicating the third Of the left
hand, there was big Oblong stone
Ell? With cluster Of brilliants round
It. That settles 1t. It's any odds on
Tom now. Now, Harvey, we'll put this
wretched affair by for the moment, and
III say what came to say. l won't
NEEDLE in your affairs any longer. It's
very good thing, as 1t turns out, that
you didn't let me stuff Polly Edgecome
down your throat; and SO far as I'm con.
cerned, you're free to marry where you
will. You're the only blood relation I've
got in the wide world. The only pal I've
had this last ten years has turned out Q
rotter, and has gone to his account.
don't think 1t will take q lot Of trouble
for you and me to learn to like each
other, and - That's a checkb0ok, and
your names good for fifty thousand dol.
lars whenever you choose to sign for It."
n This. coming upon all the other
amazements Of that eveutful night, left
1 a.