New-York tribune., 1906-11-04
CHAPTER XVII.

plans on nv own account. KuSJ was WIN
me a good deal of the time; but the visitor
whose coming | was expecting every minute
did not arrive till early IN the afternoon. /
sent out word TO Stanley that / was exceedingly
| busy. and should be glad To be excused; but
as had confidently expected. he was lnslstent
/ In about quarter OF an hour l received MN
| in the library
He sank softly into the chair toward which
| had pointed. For a moment he sat and
blinked at me behind his gold rlmmed spec
| taCles. so our friend" he murmured. has
passed awayl It IS indeed very sad-very sad
| indeed"
| leaned back in my chair and regarded him
steadfastlv. :" Mr. Stanley" | said, YOU did
not come here TO express Your sympathy Tor
the man whom YOU have done Your best, If
not 10 Kill, at least TO frighten to death Ask
me all the questions you want TO-, say any
/ thing YOU think necessary; only finish 1t up
/ When YOU leave this room. let me feel that
| circumstances will not require any further
meeting between Us.
Nv words seemed to afford Stanley matter
| f)r thought. His brOws were slightly puck
| cred. | knew that from behind his glasses /
was being subjected to a very keen eXamina-
| ton. Il only trust, Mr.. Courage" he said
softlv that the wish YOU have expressed
may become a possibility. | myself have
always regretted your intervention IN this
affair You are, If YOU will forgive my saying
| so, IN stra~ waters.
Il don't know about that" / answered
done other than | have done. But, anyhow,
I'm sick OF it. l don't want to seem dI5cour-
teOus; but if YOU could manage to say to me
| IN the course OF, say, quarter OF an hour all
that you have to say, I1d ask all the questions
you want to, | should be glad to have done
| with the whole business, once and for all
| My visitor nodded thOughtfullv "Nery
| good. Mr.. Courage" he said. Il shall endea-
vor to initiate your frankness. Is there TO
| be post mOYtem?"
There is not" I answered. CDR. Rust
does not consider 1t necessary, and | am forced
to confess that | cannot see anything TO be
gained by it. You and your friends may have
been responsible for his DEATH cannot say.
At any rate. | am sure that we should never
be able to fix the guilt in the proper quarter"
Stanley shrugged his shoulders slightly IL
must congratulate You upon your common
sense, Mr. Courage" he said. Il pass on now
TO more important question. Did our friend
before he died, impart TO you any of the
hallucinations under which he Suffered?"
He did not" l answered. ''I believe that
he intended TO: but his death, when it
came. was quite sudden. All the secret in
formation | had from him was his name and
the address of his lawyers"
There was a short silence. / was able to
bear with perfect calnness the keen scrutiny
to which my visitor was subiecting me.
II congratulate YOU heartily, Mr.. Courage"
he said at last. Mr.. Guest story, if he had
told 1t to you, would have been a mixture of
stolen facts and halluCInationS, which might
have influenced your lie very fOrcIblv for
evil. / wished for his DEATH admit 1t
freely. But | wished it for this reason: be-
cause in all Europe yesterday there did not
breathe more dangerous man than the man
who called himself Leslie Guest"
We'll, he has gone" | said, land his life,
as tar as know OF IT, has been a very sad one.
| have already explained h YOU nv wishes
IN the matter. | want u fIrJet as speedily as
possible the events of the last eight days.
have sent for his lawyer. and am making ar
rangements for the funeral. There is nothing
more to be said or done. except to say good
afternoon to you. Mr. Stanley"
He rose slowly up from his chair. "You
are little precipitate. Mr.. Courage" he said
but l do not know that | can blame YOU.
Do YOU object to telling me when the funeral
viii be-"
81 am not myself informed, at present" |
answered Il am waiting for the arrival of
the lawyer" | had risen to nv feet, and was
standing with the handle of the door in nv
hand.
Stanley took the hint. vet fancied that he
departed unwillingly. Il should like" he
admitted, ito have seen him. and also the
LAWYER"
Then YOU can find another opportunity"
| answered stitfiy. Mr. Guests friends would |
receive every consideration from me His
enemies, | must admit. | cannot under tha