Los Angeles herald., 1907-02-03

Bennington. 81 followed Richford's cab
- and traced him TO No 100 Audcy
lAHsGHI Place, which is somewhat at the back
of Wandaworth Common. There | was
so fortunate as to find policeman
who had been in my regiment, and he gave me
all the information he could az to the inhabitants
Of the house The gisL of that information was
that the owner of the house was lame gentle
man who sometimes went out in bath chair
Now you do see why ! cried out when the cab
man finished his story today?'
Field nodded thoughtfuly. 81 see,' he said at
length "The lame gentleman, of course, sent
n message to Mr. Richford Within few hours
the body of Sir Charles disappears. Why, them
was this message sent? SO that the lame man
could get posted in all his facts with view 70
stealing the body. In other words, Mrs. kicb'
ford's husband party to that daring crln''
What [ want to know is what Mrs. Richiord ana
her husband quarrcled about"
"All right, Inspector" Bennington said, not
without some irritation. "I'll go and see the
lady, and let her know what you have already
found out"
Beatrice listened calmly enough to all Berring
ton had to say 1t was not nice to have to tell
her story over again, but she decided to conceal
nothing. She had done a foolish thing, a wrong
thing to save her father, and the world was going
to know the whole sordid truth. But so long as
Mark stood by her, what did the opinion OF the
world matter?
Inspector Field came in, very sorry and very
apoogetic for the trouble he was causing.
81 fancy YOU can give certain intornation
he said. 81 have some little hesitation in say
ing anything personal as to the character OF Mr.
Richford-"
You need not hesitate" Beatrice said bitterly,
ION my account ! going to speak freely,
and all the more so because | see the possibility
of having to repeat it all in the witness box. l
married my husband with the sole idea of saving
my father from dis"
'Unpleasantness, Field said swiftly. "1here
is no occasion for anything of that kind to come
out in the witness box. For family reasons you
became Mrs. Richford. There is reason why
your sacrifice should have been altogether in
vain"
THAT is very good of you,' Beatrice said CRATE
fully Let me say that ! not in love with
the man whose name | am supposed to bear Had
ANYTHING happened to my father before yesterday,
nv marriage would never have taken place My
quarrel with my husband that he knew MY
father was dead two hours before the ceremony
was fixed to take place"
Hardened as he was, Field started. This n-
formation was unexpected as it was dramatic.
"1 am not speaking idly" Beatrice went on
az came back here, directly my fathers death
came to nv ears. In his room | found telc
gram II was dated yesterday. the hour was
clearly marked upon it--about ten o'clock yester-
day morning. That telegram addressed 20
nv husband; it found by me close to my
fathers body. The doctor said that Sir Charles
had been dead some hours before he was dscov-
cred Therefore had conclusive proof in MY
hands that my husband had my fathers
corpse and that he had stolen out of the roon,
and said nothing, knowing that I should never
he his wife if he spoke the truth"
Field had few questions to ask. hundred
theories were flying through his nimble brain.
Beatrice seemed to divine something of this.
"In common fairness / am bound to say that
Mr. Richford could have had nothing to do with
nv fathers death" she said.
"But there is another side to the question. l
have already told YOU all about the Countess and
the General. | told you how my suspicious were
aroused, and when I up to my room as
quickly as possible-the door shut and two
peope were talking inside. You asked me just
now. Inspector Field, if I could recognize the
asain-the man who was in the room when .he
Countess was actually taking impressions of the
seals on the door. and said l could. Can you
guess who that man was?"
The inspector looked puzzled for moment,
then the light Of illumination over his face.
He glanced up eagerly; his dark eyes were dane
ing.
"You don't mean to say that it was Mr.. Rich.
ford?" he asked.
'Indeed do Beatrice said quietly. "I had in
tended to keep that piece of information to my
self, but you have forced my hand. Of actual
crime, Of actual murder, I quite sure that
Stephen Rchford is innocent. But as to the rest
I cannot say. At any rate have concealed moth.
ing that is likely to injure the course of justice"