Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-29
CHAPTER XXI.
Makes a Strange Disclosure.

for some minutes was silent.
One tiny, white-sloved hand rested
upon the arm of the chair. and on the
other her pointed chin was resting as
she looked at me thoughtfully, as
though debating within herself how
much. or how little. she should tell me-
Elfrida Maynards beauty was more
perfect than that of any woman ! had
ever before sazed upon. The one thought
now possessing me. above all else, was
of her She admitted that she had once
loved the man Garshore.
Continuing she told me that fe"
months after the Bristol affair, Ruftofd
was working On new system OF fraud:
He obtained photographed copies OF
mortgage deeds and had them signed
nv man named Bernard and attested
by another man named Lewis. both o.
whom received two pounds weekly LOT
their trouble. He also got INTO nus
clutches solicitor who did the
conveyancing and for some ' Inc
tie scheme worked admirably me
solicitor. however came to tragic emo
hy falling down the stairs OF ms ONCE
in Bedford Row. breaking his neck
Rufford's game came thus TO slano-
still, and his next move was in the gulse
of "a financial agent. With handsoins
suite of offices in Regent street ne opeheu
business and acquired substantial es-
tate called Baddow. near Broxbourne. lie
started operations by raising mortgages
on this property, going for that purpose
To various solicitors. He obtained over
thirty different loans on the same mouse
hv forging the deeds. and producing each
time fresh fire insurance poilcy. Inc
amount of money he thus obtained was
many thousands of pounds.
1T was owing" the girl said, TO one
of the insurance companies suSpecuns
something that the game was discovered
and warrant for Rufford applied Tor
4 detective was sent down to BroXpourne
a few hours later to make the arrest.
Rufford and companion were waking
up from BroXbou1ne station when the
officer, not knowing Rufford, accosteu
them and asked the way TO BaddoW.
I'm going that way, said the hlng OF
Mortgages cheeriy; but what do you
want at Baddow? My name is Ruford.
oh, indeed,' said the other. l m an OF
ficer of the criminal investigation de-
partment. and I hold warrant Tor your
arrest For a moment Rufford was take!-
ahack then he held his breath and SAID.
affably: Come inside. I'm little weak
owing to business worries. and want q
brandy and soda before I go with you.
suppose YOU have no objection to that.
The detective had no objection. and they
walked up the drive and entered the man
sion. where Rufford accompanied his I'M
welcome guest into the drawing room.
In an instant the master criminal stepped
ont Of the room again. locking the door.
Thus in a flash he had the officer of the
law prisoner. and before the entrapped
detective had realized what had happen
cd Rufford was half way across the big
garden. Another officer, who had come
up just before the pair had entered the
house attempted to bar his passage, but
was sadly butted in the stomach. Then
followed a chase through gardens and
along the railway line. While running
the hunted man threw off his overcoat.
and when it was picked up later bank
notes for fifteen hundred pounds were
found in one of the pockets In the end,
however, he got clear away to the CONT
nent with many more notes OF a consid-
cradle value in his possession"
Marvellous I CALCULATED Il had no
idea that Rufford-of whom 1 remember
having read in the newspapers-and Car
shore were the same man..
Nor has anybody, except myself and
one other persona person who will keep
the secret, she responded, slowly. But
let me tell you more. Almost Immediately
after his escape from Baddow ] myself
made discovery. The man whom I and
the Stapletons knew at that time as Gar
shore had a year before furnished a fine
house at Middlethorpe, close to the race
course at York. He had never invited
me to see the place, but he suddenly
disappeared from York. where we had
known him as wealthy man. This
caused considerable comment. Three
months later, however, some auctiOneers
received instructions from him abroad,
contents. 1T was to me apparent that he
had prepared this home of luxury for
The day when his lifes labors should
have brought him sufficient recompense.
The furniture was of a very costly de-
scription, and the large stock of wines
found in the cellars were of the best and
most expensive vintages."
Did you tell Myra ANYTHING OF this?"
Nothing of what I had discovered.
She knew that Garshore had furnished
the house near York and had suddenly
left England. But she, of course. at
tributed his departure and the subse-
ouent disposal of the place to quarrel
that had arisen between u.s.
Then Myra knew that you loved the
man." | said.
She suspected it, was her vague re-
ply. True. Mr. Ralston, admit that
loved him. But imagine my great hor-
ror when discovered all that ! have
just told you-and more. / found that
Rufford's flight from BroAbourne and
Garshore's disappearance from York
caused good deal of regret among the
poorer classes, for he had gone out of
Iris way III both places to court popu-
larity He distributed money lavishly-
4 sovereign to cabman for driving him
TO the station. half a crown to a railway
guard. shilling to a newsboy. and so
on. For d long time after his departure
from BroXbourne hundreds of people
went on Sundays to see Baddow, the
home of the convict findncier. The notes
lie took away with him very nearly
proved his undoing. Whenever one of
them came into the bank the town where
il had been cashed was noted. Thus he
traced to Stockholm Copenhagen,
Hamburg. Berlin, Warsaw and other
places, but the police could never over
take him. Then came an interval of sew
eral months, and suddenly into the clear
ing house came notes from Bournemouth.
This gave the direct clue to the police,
whose attention was instantly concentrat-
ed upon that town. AT last it was found
that Rufford had. i'll order to conceal his
identity, blossomed forth into George
Harvey. B. a, b. c. l., principal of East
mere College. Boscombe. a school for the
the college. good-siZed place with nearly
one hundred pupils, and had for months
been quietly pursuing his scholastic du-
ties. aided by several assistant masters"
He was arreSted?' / asked.
NO. Again he showed marvellous
pluck and ingenuity. From the win
dow OF his private room he one
afternoon recognized d workinSman who
passed the place "a sually old friend,
Detective Sergeant Winter That was
sufficient. Without word TO any one,
he slipped out at the back, and when the
police came quarter of an hour later
they found that the bird had once again
flown. II is believed that that night he
Islands and thence TO Cherbourg. and
eastward across the continent. For
year nothing has been seen or heard of
him-until few days ago he had the
dudacity 10 come back to- Yorkshire TO
visit his old friends, the Stapletons."
Did you see him.
Myra sent me word that he had come