The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-10-11

thousand pounds, you'll have your
share"
Il know you'u treat me straight, Bill
IT," said the actress, with much salts
faction. Il always say that my broth
or il as square a man as l know"
"The deuce you do" said Hurd, rath-
or vexed. Il hope you don't go telling
every one that am your brother, Au-
rora?'
"Only one or two special friends-not
Hay, you may be sure. Nor does that
nice Mr.. Beecot know that we are
brother and SISTER"
You'd best keep it dark and say
nothing, Aurora. It's just as well you
left the private detective business and
went on the stage. You talk too much"
"Oh, no. 1 don't" retorted Miss Dian,
eating a sweet. Don't be hasty, Billy,
or I'll tell you nothing"
Her brother shrugged his shoulders.
He was very fond of Aurora, but he
saw her many faults, and she certainly
had too long tongue for one engaged
in private matters. what about Hay?"
he asked.
Aurora raised her eyes. Il thought
you wanted to know of my discoveries
at Christchurch?" she said, pouting.
''WelI, do. But Hay
"Oh, he's all right. He's going to
marry Miss Krill and her money and
is getting cash together by fleeing
young Sandal. That fool will play and
keeps losing his money, although I've
warned him"
'Then don't warn him. wish to
catch Hay redhanded."
"Ah," Miss Dian nodded, you may
catch him redhanded in a worse mat
ter than gambling"
aurora, you don't mean to say he
has anything to do with the murder of
Aaron Norman?"
"Well, I don't go so far as to say
| that, Billy. But when 1 got settled in
the private sitting room Of the Red
Pig on the plea that l had come down
| for a change of air and expected my
| brother
(Which you do without any lies"
eyes, that's all right, Billy she said
impatiently. "Well, the first thing
I clapped eyes on was a portrait of
| Grexon Hall in a silver frame on
the mantelpiece."
Hum" said Hurd, nursing his chin
in his hand, "he may have given that
to Miss Krill during the engagement"
81 dare say" rejoined the actress
| tartly, for he has been engag ed for
many long day-say two years"
81 thought So" said Hurd trium-
phantly. Il always fancied the meet
ing at Pash's Office was a got up
thing"
what made you think SOP"
Because, when disguised as the
| Count de La Tour, l overheard Hay
| address Miss Krill as Maud, and it
was the first time she and her mother
came to his rooms. Sandal was there,
and gambling went on as usual. I
lost money myself" said Hurd, with
q grimace, lin order to make Hay
think I was another pigeon to pluck.
But the mention of the Christian
name on so short an acquaintance
showed me that Hay and Miss Krill
had met before. l expect the meeting
in Pash's Office was a got up game"
''You said that before, Billy. How
you repeat yourselfi Yes, there's
an inscription on the portrait-'From
Grexon to Maud, with much love-
Sweet, isn't it, when you think what
an icicle the man is? There is also
a date. Two years ago the photograph
was given. l admired the photograph
and asked the landlady who was the
swell"
whats the landlady's nameT
Matilda junk"
Hurd almost jumped from his seat
That's queer" he said. 1.-The woman
who is devoted to Miss Norman and
who nursed her since she was a baby
is called Deborah Junk"
at know that" said Aurora 'T'm
not quite a fool, Billy. 1 mentioned
Deborah Junk, whom 1 saw at the
inquest on Norman"s body. The land
lady said she was her sister, but she
had not heard of her for ages, And
: this Matilda is just like Deborah II
looks-a large Dutch doll with beady
eyes and a badly painted face"
well, that's a point" said Hurd
making a note. What did she ga.
about the photograph"
ooh, that it was one of Mr.. Hay, wht
was Miss KrilPs young man, and tina
they had been engaged for two years.
: Matilda seems TO be a chatterbox'
"She is. 1 got lot out Of her.''
''Then there can be nothing to con
ceal on the part Of Mrs. Krill?"
WELL" said Aurora, throwing tn
empty sweetmeat bag out Of the win
dow and brushing her lap, so far as
can discover, Mrs. Krill is a perfect,
respectable person and has lived 70
t thirty years as the landlady of tn
Red Pig. Matilda acknowledged tina
her mistress had inherited the none,
, of Lemuel Krill, and Matilda knows al
about the murder
i. Matilda is wrong" said the detec
tive dryly; Miss Krill gets the money.