The sun., 1908-10-11

pocket. He opened It and took out a
bundle Of crisp yellow backed bills.
by one, fifty In all. and each for o. 900.
Il can do that much for you II will.
he said.
There was q fierce sparkle IN Bsrgsn's
eyes and his fingers twitched involun-
tarily. Already he saw himself, light
hearted and gay. advancing along that
dSS ower Es ,Ss Pats on 50 nrsssnt SS
would have felt for the momept that his
judgment was corToborated.
grew grave. He leaned back with folded
arms. scanning the otherscloeely.
who are you7" he demanded.
Il told you when We met" returned
Cronkits. My name is Dapcomb. More
particularly. Amos Dauoomb. the bene-
ficiary under this instrument when II 10
made right and tight by your signature
The instrument proved to be an obliga-
ton In writing dated two years before,
whereby Herbert Vail bound himself.
bis heirs and assigns to pay 70 Amos Dau-
comb che sum OF 500 900.
you internal scoundrel!" cried Bergen,
springing to his feet.
wait a moment until l answer your
first question. said Cronkite calmly.
-You ask what know aboat you"
Il know that two years ago you were so
close to Mr. Vail that your signature al
witness to this bond. together with your
would cause Judge Ma rcellus, his ex-
ecutor. to honor 1t without any ques-
ton. i know that you had reason to
by Vail.
"I know that you have been unjustly
treated by him and his daughter, now the
sole heir to an estate 30 large that thia
know that you are a man OF spirit, to
whom money is a necessity, the very
breath Of your noetrils.
Stop broke In Bergen passionately
stop this instant, you fool as we'll az
villain! Money Is nothing to me.
never cared for 1t; it never stayed with
me long enough for even bowling ac-
quain ntance.
But were 1t otherwise. were I as sore
and oovetous as i am needy, do you dare
think that / would flch from an unpro-
tected girl-rob the one when dead who
was good to me while livin&i Why.
would be worse than his damnable MUIR
derer!'
That's the very point. my dear fellow
said Cronxite briskly, as he tore up the
obligation and slowed away the crisp
bills in his wallet. IF you had yielded
to this trifling test should have been con-
strained to waste my time by following
up the suspicion that you were in some
degree privy to Mr.. Wallis death. AS IL
is we will work together, you and I--Abe
Cronkite, at your seryice-and 1t will go
hard II between us that murderer doesn't
feel the clutches OF the law
Then the first thing to do is to find out
why old Anne was young Anne, replied
Bergen enigmatically.
III.
This then was the sum of Bergen's 8
vague suspicious. which had led to his
being vaguely suspected.
On the evening before the murder
he had strolled disconsolately around
the square made by Mr.. Wallis estate,
thinking Of the days when a warm well
come awaited him within. AS he paused
idly in the deep shade, looking through
the palings. he saw old Anne emerge from
an arbor and trip rapidly down the grav-
elled walk toward the house.
As she passed under an electric light
she raised her skirts daintily TO avoid the
mire, and the hand that flashed from under
her skirts seemed white and plump and
small, the hand OF a young woman.
Though half ashamed, though half doubt
ing the evidence OF his own eyes. Bergen
went to the house and tried in vain to see
Mr.. Vail.
After the news Of the murder he tried
to seeGertrude and the old servant. only
to have the one obstinately deny herself
and to learn that the other had gone from
town. In answer to Cronkite's sole
inte ruption he gave the name Of a vii
lage ten miles away where old Anne's
sister, Mrs. Lugland, lived. Whereupon
it was agreed between the two that Cron-
kite should 60 at once to Mrs. Lugland's g
cottage and that Bergen should hold him
self in readiness TO respond TO any call
from him for joint action.
Meanwhile smoke the pipe Of con-
tentment,' said the detective reassur-
ingly.
He started to 60 and then turned back
his hand on the door.
soh, by the way he said, indifferently
Il don't suppose you saw any one else
besides old Anne or her double2'
.Only that confounded Rhodes pokine
through the grounds to his worse CON
founded courting," answered Bergen
with a grimace OF contempt.
A closed and vacant cottage put Cron-
kites hopefulness to the test. Inquiry
in the sparse neighborhiood ELECTED but
little information. Mrs. Lugland had
gone away for good. Why2 Well, she
had seemedlow spirited after the funeral
Of her old sister about ten days since.
The village Undertaken proved more
communicative. Yes. he had had charge
of the funeral OF Miss Anne Coyne. who
had died suddenly at her sisters cottage
about two weeks ago.
EVERYTHING had been in the best Of
style, and Mrs. Lugland had paid cash
down, like the lady she was. By check
or draft? No, indeed. in crisp new bills
OF which she had a-plenty-more than
enough TO pay for her passage to Scot.
land by the Lomond, which was to sai
that very day.
IL was already dusk when Cronkite hur.
| ried back to town. The Lomond truly
was billed to sail that afternoon at =;
clock, but the day had been overcast
with fog growing denser; there was ye
a possible chance.
The possible chance was positive wher
Cropkite Skinned up from an ocean tus
to the deck Of the Lomond, lying dis
creetly at Quarantine until the mist
should roll by. andawhen after a glanc,
at his credentials he was brought to
conf ortable old rnatron In the SECOND
cabin who asked him anxiously whethe
anything was wrong.
mot at all. my dear madam, answered
Cronkite easily, az II his presence was