The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1907-10-11
CHAPTER III.
A Private Inquiry,

tectlVe department OF Scotland Yar(
under circumstances not altogethe
| creditable to himself, but, as nothins
could be proved against him to justif.
more than hint that he had better
resign, the authorities were unable tt
prevent him poisoning forth as al
advertising private inquiry agent.
He had been recommended to Sill
Mark by the family solicitors, who
had previously employed him, and haG
found him smart and successful. Mr.
Hank had taken up the inquiry en-
trusted to him by Sir Mark Bretting
ham with enthusiasm, firstly because
his client was man of vast wealth
and secondly because it was delicate
family matter, and the knowledge OBJ
tanned in the course of the investiga
ton might be exceedingly useful later
on.
Mr.. Hank, gentleman with close
cropped brown beard sprinkled with
gray, bowed politely to Sir Mark as he
entered the library of Drycott Hall
and with quiet, professional cough
drew notebook from his pocket.
"Sir Mark" he said, II have not
written you since our last interview
because had no solid facts to lay be
fore you. To-day 1 am, however, in a
position to inform you that my task
is at an end"
You have traced my son? He is
dead?"
Il have traced your son, Sir Mark
he is alive"
The baronet reeled as from a blow
But he recovered himself with an eff
fort.
you are absolutely sure?"
Absolutely. There is not a single
flaw. Let ma@briefly tell you what ]
have done. With the information you
gave me I started first at. the work
house at which your wife died. That
was clue. With considerable trouble
l was able to trace her from casual
ward to casual ward by the name she
had assumed in England-Mary Viii
son-the name by which she was reg
lstered on the books of the workhouse
III which she died, until she confessed
her real one. You are aware that
every tramp is duly entered in the
books, and has to state the place at
which he or she slept the previous
night. They do not always tell the
truth, but they cannot have tramped
very far in a day."
Eyes, yes; go on"
Furnished with the dates of this
registration at the various work
houses, it is not difficult task to find
every one through which they have
passed. Eventually I traced Mary
Wilson to workhouse in Warwick
shire, where she arrived on Oct. ~ OF
the year she died. In all the places
up to this date she had no child with
her. But on Sept. 10 she was register
Ell alta house about fifty miles distant
with a child. Therefore 1 had presum
ably arrived at the week in which she
slept in the barn where she left he,
| child. The farm house, conjectured
would be somewhere on the main road
between the two warehouses;"
"Ah, you are keeping me in sus
pense! Tell me the worst at once!'
must give you the facts, ST,
Mark. The period being fixed and the
area defined, set to work to make ex
haustive inquiries. I visited dozens Of
villages and scores of farmhouses
Eventually was successful found
the farm. The farmer whose wife, il
seems. had taken pity on the tramp.
deserted baby was alive. told hin
was making inquiries on behalf of 6
relative, and begged him to give me
! any information he could"
! You did not mention my name?'
said Sir Mark, anxiously.
! mo"
And the farmer told you
THAT he had brought the boy III
and treated him as II he'd been hi
own. He was bright, clever lad
said the farmer, but he turned out
villain. When he was twenty, an,
might have been of some use to m,
and have repaid us for our kindness
he robbed me of large sum of none,
and ran away.
And you know nothing more o
him?' asked.
I didn't hear Of him again until
saw his name in the papers. He wa
being tried for a robbery. It seems h
had enlisted and had robbed an off
Ger. went to the trial TO see II tn
prisoner John Wilson was the boy VIII
ran away from me. and l. found tina
i he was. He was sentenced to . tern
Of penal servitude. 7 .. n 81
4 Mr.. Hank looked up from his note,
i The baronet's face was deadly white.
4 Y0u are III. Sir Marx, exclaime
I the detective. shall l call for 4,
sistance! Can ind the brandy?.s
4 No, mo-" gasped 4he unhappy MAJ
Go on. He va sentenced rs pens
{! seryitude. spd nov Z