Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-09-09

! lS "lOlS, Ol hlS. AIlll Woulu uOI U so anxious to get you out of the coun try"
 'Oh, Paul, do you think she know
 anything about the murder?"
 No, dear. I don't think that Mrs
 Krill is far too clever woman to pu
 her neck in danger. But there may b.
 chance of her daughter losing tn
 money. Sylvia" he asked, you saw
 Maud Krill How old would you tak'
 her to be-"
 ''Oh, quite old, Paul." said Sylvia
 decisively; "she dresses well and paint:
 her face, but she's forty"
 "Oh, Sylvia, not so much as that"
 "Well, then, thirty and over," insist
 ed Sylvia. "Debby thinks the same as
 do."
 Don't you think Debby's zeal may
 lead her to ex'aggerate?
 Tt doesn't lead me to exaggerate, ' said Sylvia, slightly offended, "and have eyes in my head as well as Deb-
 by. That girl, or that woman, should say is over thirty, Paul."
 ''In that case" said Beecot, his color rising, T fancy I see the reason of
 Mrs. Krill's desire to get you out of the country. Maud," he added deliber- ately, may not be your fathers daugh- ter, after all.
 What makes you think that?
 Well, according to the marriage cer- | fifinata fn NTrs TSrilIc ol she was married to your father thirty years ago. If Maud is over thirty can't you see, Sylvia?"
 "Yes." Sylvia colored. You mean she may be the same as amp
 Not exactly, dear" replied Paul, soothing her. q mean that Mrs Krill may have been a widow and have had her little girl with her when she mar ried your father In that case Maud certainly could not get the money, anu so Mrs. Krill wants you to leave Eng iand."
 "In case I would get it," said Sylvia, excited.
 Paul looked puzzled and rather sad. T can't say, dear" he replied doubt fully. Certainly the money is left to my daughter but as the marriage with your mother unfortunately is void I fear you would not inherit. However" he said grimly, "there would be certain pleasure in taking the money from that woman. Maud is a mere puppet in her hands," he laugh ed And then Hay would marry q poor bride,' he ended maliciously.
 Sylvia could not quite understand all this and gave up trying to solve the problem with pretty gesture of indif- ference. What will you do, Paul:" she asked
 "I'll see Hurd and tell him what you and Deborah say about the age of Maud Krill."
 Why not see Mir. Pash?"
 Because he is traitor" replied Beecot darkly, 'and, knowing be has lost your confidence. he will certainly i try and give Maud Krill possession of l the money No, I'll speak to Hurd, who ! is my friend and yours. He is clever !, and will be able to unravel this tan gle"
 Tell him about the goor also, Paul" |
 "Yes. I'll explain everything I can, and then I'll get him to go down to i Christchurch and see what happened i there when your father lived with Maud's mother"
 What did happen, Paul?" asked Syl- via anxiously.
 Nothing" he replied with an as- sumption of carelessness, for he did not want to tell the girl about the fate of Lady Rachel Sandal, but we may find in your fathers past life what led to his murder
 Do you think Mrs. Krill had any thing to do with it?"
 My own, you asked that question before. No, don't. Still, one never knows. I should think Mrs. Krill is a dangerous woman, although. fancy, too clever to risk being hanged. How ever, Hurd can find out if she was in town on the night your father was { killed"
 That was on the 9th of July" said Sylvia. Il "Yes. And he was murdered at 12.r ( After 12," said Sylvia. "I heard the policeman on his beat at a quarter 'ast, and then I came down. Poor fa- her was strangled before our very ( yes she said. shuddering. Hush. dear. Don't speak of it." said Paul. rising. Let US talk of more in- eresting subjects" Paul, can think of nothing till , earn who killed my poor father and yhy he was killed so cruelty" ' Then we must wait patiently. Syl- 1 ia. Hurd is looking after the matter, [ nd have every confidence in Hurd. md, by love-" added Beecot, with an | fterthought, Mrs. Krill doubled the T eward. Were she concerned in the C natter she would not risk sharpening he wits of SO clever a man as Hurd. ' 10. Sylvia. whosoever strangled your o lther 1t was not Mrs. Krfll." 4 Tt was this Indian" insisted Sylvia, V and he's q thug" n Paul laughed. although he WIS far {. rom thinking she might be wrong. q f course 1t seemed ridiculous that e f lus should strangle the old man. In s' le first place. the thugs have been D ins~cd fsr4 Tn tFa anrn-H Ff nrr ur-