The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-01-30
CHAPTER v.

A
| only a few moments In the
~ cafe Of the club when n card
was given to him by one of
the servants. Upon it was engraved.
| Carlos de Escudera Y Romero, 4 In
| carnaccion, Ciudad de Mejico.''
ASK the gentleman If he will not
| join me here" he said to the servant,
and presently. approaching him. he
discovered the same parsonage whom
he had twice seen that evening and
whom he verify believed to be the as
sassin of Burr Pendleton.
With a look OF unrecognition in his
eyes Wyndham rose from his chair to
receive the stranger, extending his
right hand as cordially as if he did not
believe the one it grasped to be guilty
of the foulest deed he had ever known.
"Mr. Craig Wyndham?'' said the
stranger interrogatively. THE friend
of Mr. Burr Pendleton?"
YES" replied Wyndham, noticing
that Escudera used perfect English.
'Your name is not known to me, how
ever. Will you be seated, sir:''
THANK you. / also claim friendship
with Mr.. Pendleton. I made his ac-
Quaintance in Mexico, where we had
many pleasant hours together. / met
him here early this evening-before the
dinner hour, in fact-and expected to
see him again about this time. / have
heard him speak of you SO often that
when the clerk at the desk told me
your name-I entered the club imme-
diately after you'll took the liberty of
sending my card to you"
- -xrI1 n ~
Pendleton and 1 had only just met
when he was called away, doubtless
By you. also expected him here about
this time. We will wait for him to-
gether In the meantime be my guest,
Mr.-pardon me, but / am unused to
Spanish names. May l ask how you
pronounce your nameT'
Il use the first one of the two, Es-
cudera. Yes, / did leave the club with
Pendleton. In fact, 1 went to his
house with him, but remained only a
moment. l discovered that he was
very tired and SO agreed to meet him
here later, where he did me the honor
to say that he would present me to
you"
Wyndham's eyes sparkled for one
brief instant. for he knew that state
ment to be q lie. He knew that Pen
dleton did not intend to return to the
club that night and that he had not
promised such an introduction to the
Mexican for the very reason that he
expected TO spend the evening in his
rooms with Wyndham. 1t was the
first tally in the score that he intended |
to make against the Mexican.
Refreshments and cigars were order |
cd and two hours passed while the |
men conversed upon every subject that |
either could think to introduce. and at |
last it was the stranger who suggested |
that the hour was so late that there I
was small chance that Pendleton would 1
appear at the club that night
1t was Wyndham's suggestion that I
they should 20 out together. and they l
strolled along the avenue side by side i
as far as the hotel where the Mexican
TO the club and. finding n
number Of congenial friends engaged
at one of the card tables. played with
them until daylight.
1t was rarely that be did such a
thing, but that night he had especial
for 1T. ana never nad ne ap-
,eared to better advantage or played
he game with more scrupulous care.
Always during the game It seemed
% him that he could see his friend as
ne saw him in the sleeping room OF mis-
Ipartment sitting dead in the chair in
~--c-. z..s a. >usTs a.I<s11ss 80 e.