Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-07-08

DRY that the individual represents in
his development the whole procession
OF his ancestors. and that such a sud
den turn 10 good or evil stands for
some strong influence which came into
the line Of his pedigree. The person
becomes. as il were. the epitome OF the
history OF his own family"
cit is surely rather fanciful."
Well / don't insist upon It What
ever the Cause, Colonel Moran began
20 20 wrong Without any open scan
dal he still made India too hot To hold
him. He retired. csme 10 London and
again acquired an evil name. II was
at this time that be was sought out 10y
Professor Neriarty. to whom for a
time he was chief Of the stan. Mortar
ty supplied him literally with money
and used him only ina one or two very
high class jobs which no ordinary Grim
inal could have undertaken. You may
have some recollection of the death OF
Mrs. Stewart OF Lauder ia 1887. Not?
Well, / am sure Moran was at the bot
tom OF IL. but nothing could be proved
SO cleverly was the colonel concealed
that even when the Moriarty gang was
broken up we could not incriminste
him. You remember at that date. when
/ called upon you i'm your rooms. how
/ put up the shutters for fear OF air
gunsi No doubt you thought me fanci-
full. ! knew exactly what ] was do
Ing. for ] knew Of the existence OF this
remarkable gun. and / knew also that
one OF the best shots in the world
would re behind IT, When we were I'm
Switzerland he followed US with Mort
Rrty. and IL was undoubtedly he who
gave NE that evil Ave minutes on the
Reichenbach ledge
You may think that 7 read the pa
pers with some attention during my SO
journ in France. on the lookout for any
chance OF laying him by the heels. SO
long as he was free In London my life
would really not have been worth liv-
ing Night and day the shadow would
have been over ME and sooner or later
his chance must have come. What
could / doI could not shoot him at
sight or should myself be ia the dock
There was no use appealing 20 a magis-
trate. They cannot interfere on the
strength OF what woeld appear 20 them
90 be q wild suspicion. So could do
nothing. But / watched the criminal
news, knowing that sooner or late- /
should get him. Then came the death
OF this Ronald Adair My chance had
come at last. Knowing what / did,
was II not certain that Colonel Moran
had done IL? He had played cards with
the lad: he had followed him home
from the club; he had shot him through
the open window There was not a
doubt OF 10. The bullets alone are
enough 10 put his head in a moose.
Il came over at once. was seen by
the sentinel. who would, knew. direct
the colonel's attention 20 my preseLce.
He could not fail 10 connect my sudden
return with his crime and 10 be terribly
alarmed. was sure he would make
an attempt 20 get me out OF the way
at once and would bring round his muir
derous weapon for that purpose. 7 left
him an excellent mark In the window.
and, having warned the police that
they might be needed-by the way,
Watson. you spotted their presence in
that doorway with unerring accuracy
/ took up what seemed 10 me 10 be n
judici0us POST for observation, never
dreaming that be would choose the
same spot Cor his attack. Now. my
dear Watson, does anything remain for
me 10 explainE"
Yes said l. you have not made il
quite clear what was Colonel MoraR's
motive in numbering the Hon. Ronald
AdalrF'
"Ah, my dear Watson. there we come
into those realms OF conjecture where
the most logical mind may be AT fault.
Each may form his own hypothesis up
on the present evidence and yours is
as likely 10 be correct as mine"
you have formed one. them"
81 think that II is not difficult to ex-
plain the facts. IL came out i'm evidence
that Colonel Moran and young Adair
had between them won a considerable |
amount OF money. Now. Moran I'M
doubtedly played foul. OF that have |
long been aware. believe that on the |
day OF the murder Adair had dlscov-
cred that Moran was cheating. Very
likely he had spoken TO him privately |
and had threatened 10 expose him I'M
less he voluntarily resigned his mem |
bership OF the club and promised not 10 |
play cards again. II is unlikely that a
youngster Ike Adair wouie ~ once
make hidepus scandal by exposing a
well known man so much older than /
himself. Probably he acted as I sug-
gest. The exclusion from his clubs |
would mean ruin TO Moran. who lived |
by his Ill gotten card gains. He there
fore murdered Adair, who at the time
was endeayoring to work out how /
much money he should himself return,
since he could not profit by his part
ner's foul play. He locked the door lest 1
the ladies should surprise him and In
sist upon knowing what he was doing /
with these names and coins. Will il .
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