Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-04-18
CHAPTER XIV.

T as oCdlA
He was in doubt, and uncertain as
to how much, or how little was known
by this man who loved his sister.
Il saw you there, Rolfe, with my
own eyes, repeated Max, looking
straight into his face.
He tried to speak. What could he
say? For an instant his tongue clave
to the roof of his mouth.
IL don't quite understand you,'
he faltered. What do you mean?"
Simply that l saw you at the doc
tors house on the night of their dis
appearance"
'My dear fellow he laughed in a
moment, perfectly cool, you must
have been mistaken. You actually say
you saw me?'
Most certainly l did" declared
Max, his eyes still upon his friend
Then all l can say is that you
saw somebody who resembled me.
Tell me exactly what you did see"
Max was for moment silent. He
never expected that Rolfe would fiat
ly deny his presence there. This
very fact had increased his suspic-
ions hundred fold.
We'll, the only person l saw, Char
lie, was you, yourselW leaving the
house. That's all"
Somebody who closely resembled
me, expect"
Then you deny having been at the
house that EVENING" asked Max in
great surprise.
Why, of course 1 do. You're abso-
lutely mistaken, old chap" was
Charles response. "Of course l can
quite see how this must have puzzled
you. But what now arises in my mind
Is whether someone has not endeav-
ored to personate me. 1t seems as
though they have. You say that l left
the house. When?"
"After the removal. You were in
the empty house, which you left Sc
cretly."
"And you were there also, them"
he asked.
"Of course, called, ignorant that
they had left it."
Charlie Rolfe did not speak for sew
eral moments.
WELL" he exclaimed, at last, sit
seems that somebody has been i'm
personating me. certainly was not
there
"Why should they tmpersonate
your"
"Who knows? Is there not mystery
in the whole AFFAIR."
"But if somebody went there dress
ed to resemble you, there must have
been a motive in their visit" Max
said.
We'll, old fellow, as you know, l
have kept away from the house of late
-~--at Maud's request. She feared that
her father did not approve of my too
frequent visits"
"And so you met her at dusk in
the quiet streets about Nevern
Square and the adjacent thorough
fares?'
certainly told you so. made no
secret of it to you Why should II"
Then why make secret Of your
visit to the house on that particular
EVENING""
81 don't make any secret of it," he
protested Gas I've already told you,
l was not there"
"But you didn't leave Charing
Cross, as you made people believe
you had done. You didn't even go to
the station, returned Max.
Certainly I did not
'You had no intention when you
saw Marion at Cunning ton's of leav-
ing at all. Come, admit that"
you are quite right. did not in
tend to leave London"
But Statham had given you or
ders to co."
81 do not always obey his orders
when it is to his own interest that |
should disregard Them he replied
systematically
'Then you had reason fro not go
ing to Servia?"
II had-a very strong one"
Connected with Maud Petro-
vitch?"
'sIn no way whatever. 1t was a
purely personal motive
"And you thought fit to disregard
Statham's injunctions; in order to at
tend to your own private business"
cit was his business as well as
mine" declared Charlie, who, after a
pause, asked: 'Now tell me, Max,
why are you cross-examining me like
a criminal lawyer? What do you sus-
pect me OFF,
"Well-shall I be frank?"
Certainly. We are old enough
friends for that"
''Then, I'm sorry to say, Charlie,
that I suspect you of telling lie
s.Lies are permissible in certain
cases-for instance, where a woman's
honor is at stake" he replied, fixing
his eyes steadily upon those of his
friend.
Then you admit that what you
have just told me is not the truth? p
II admit nothing. only repeat that
was not in Cromwell Road on the
evening in question"
"But my eyes don't deceive me,
al mi Weara Truee