Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-04-03

we spent the last day before the Gull
mination of this strange aud tragic
history.
The first event In that continuous
chain that drew us henceforward
Fortnight to the dreadful close fell
that evening and when we were the
least expecting so odd u turn to the af-
fair We had spent the night hunting
Sercombe, and so, too. had Jones. We
were now to find him. 1t was some
time after o'clock of Il very black and
omnous day that l spied him from the
windows of my library crossing the
drawbridge and passing under the
archway of the guurdroom. At s Shep-
pard pointed out to me the face Of
man looking from the bushes, and just
upon that comes in Montgomery with
the tidings that police officer was In
waiting by the gates.
"What the deuce does he want?" l
growled "Tll let them know better
than to trespass on my grounds"
81 thought knew the face" said
Sheppard. Lets settle him. 1t means
that we're watched"
We hurried out, but the racbxet was
gone. Perhaps he had his orders, or 1t
might be that he had already exceeded
them.
Six o'clock, as l say, had struck, and
1t must have been twenty minutes lat
er when Sercombe came up the drive.
l ran down the stairway to meet him,
th0,,erhf N r,v hnad that
he had escaped the police by a few
minutes. / wanted to warn him of his
danger. | have never to this day be-
lieved that Sercombe had any hand IN
Williams death nor that he was privy
to it, In fact, | am quite certain that
neither he nor Hood knew anything
about the assassination and tnat they
were equally startled with ourselves
and perhaps quite as much put about
The Greeks alone were responsible.
AS the man drew near me l saw for
the first time the change upon his face
The color, which was always high, had
fallen siclily and presented either
CHASTITY green or pallid redness to the
eye. His great mustache was ragged
and blew in wisps about his mouth.
His clothes, which he was wont to
wear in excellent style and condition,
were dusty, torn and soiled. He had,
to my astonished eye, the air of a
drunken lunatic, and his suffered
oaths and his uncertain gait deepened
the impression on me. He came up to
the door and put out hand, as If CROP
ing for the bell; but, though stood by.
he did not seem to notice me.
"Sercomber' callC in amaZement.
He passed his hand across his eyes.
'Is that you, Mr.. Greatorex? Excuse
me, sir; see badly. My eyes Get
me in, for Gods sakew he concluded,
almost In whine.
took his arm and assisted him into
the nearest room, when he sank into a
chair, breathing his exhaustion.
"I'll tell you what, Mr.. Greatorex,"
he said presently, staring about him,
you're good sort-if that's news.
But what price would you put upon
Hood now?"
The man was plainly beyond himself
with fatigue or pain. or both, and SO
l produced glass and some brandy
from the cupboard and poured out a
Dose l seemed to see at bound the
color jump into his distempered face.
It swung back into his cheeks, and his
bloodshot eyes beamed on me.
II feel better for that" he said gen
tally, "and l could do with some food
too"
.You shall have some directly" l
answered. at is preparing now. But
see here, Captain Sercombe, I must
warn you that you are in danger"
"Dangerr' he echoed and appeared
to start in his chair. / could see that
the mans nerve was altogether broken.
Eyes; the police have a warrant out
for you. Something to do with Will
liams, believe"
Sercombe's head dropped on his knee
II see it now" he muttered. THAT
was his game" He looked up at me
and curled his mustache with his fin
gers.
"Well, 1 fancy, Mr.. Greatorex, that
w COluc 1IOm SICotcl 0oA6SA sueAAA
that. l can't quite count the police.
Oh, no!' And he laughed little.
"They are outside keeping guard up
on the CASTLE explained, and NOV
ed to the window and looked out. Il
cannot think how you escaped them"
what! Are you, too, in disgrace|
laughed Sercombe in his old fashion;
then, more quietly: II tell you, I'm not
afraid of the police. What have l
done? defy them to pin a suspicion
on me. know to whom l owe this, and
make no bones about 1t. don't forget
might have seen 1t coming perhaps
I did-but that didn't trouble me-"
II should be wiser, Captain Ser
combe, If knew where this led"
said /.
yro -,e,..-es-r7 '-7e- &c.