Evening star., 1909-08-18
20

handling it?''
Yes. I've heard of such men; that is,
read of them. 1 never saw one" Traf.
ford answered.
IF you'd seen him you would" de-
glanced involuntariiy over his shoulder.
HE had more than fifty thousand dol
lars in actual money in that old shanty
the night" he checked himself sudden
ly. II mean." he resumed. che had 1t up
to the time my mother went away. and
suppose it was still there the night he
was killed. though, of course. I do not
know"
"Who knew Of this?'' demanded Traf-
ford. This strikes me as being as i'm.
portant as ANYTHING you've said; |
going regarding the affair." II it was
there, and you can tell who knew the
fact, don't. you see what bearing 1t may
have on the question of his death?',
I've no means of knowing whether he
cepting that I'm told he had it up to that
time Certainly. I can't tell you who
knew Of it besides my mother and me-
Calden began with an air. as 1t were. of
feeling for his words. but he grew bolder
as he continued to speak and ended with
his old show of frankness.
"As a matter Of fact. did anybody know
Of it besides your mother?"
Il don't know!' The answer had a
dogged sound that rung unpleasantly
even to Beckwitk.
Were you at the house often?" Tfaf-
ford kept up his questions.
mo. My mother knew my dislike for
her brother and his for me, and during
the first five years they were here she
kept me away as much as she could.
She always went four times year to
see my father. and each time spent a
month near him. Then she always had
me with her, but here. no. After my
quarrel with John Altenburg. five years
ago, never went to the house, excepting
to my mothers rooms, and then always
at night. when there was no danger of
meeting him..
Who told you that he had this money
and how much there was Of IT,"
my mother. about six months ago, just
after, In fact. she had left here. l had
always, in a way. known that he kept a
lot Of money in the house-that is. lot
for such an exposed place
But after she finally left here, six
months ago, she told me how much
there was"
YES"
How did she know the amount?''
Il did not ask her and she did not tell
me-
But as an actual fact YOU only knew
the amount through her telling. and that
quite recently, say within few months p,
Beckwith raised his hand as Ii he
thought the time had come to interfere;
but before he could quite make up his
mind Calden had answered in the af-
f1rmative, and the lawyer let 1t go, per-
haps because he was caught with Traf.
fOrd's next question.
SO you did have a quarrel with your
uncle?"
Il had a quarrel with John Altenburg,' -
replied Calden. doggedly.
We'll. he waA your uncle. wasn't hep
haven't called him SO for years"
had quarrel with him?'
Yes. l supposed all Lanceboro knew
that ! came here and went out to the
farm. Altenburs was in bad humor,
. especially bad humor, and wanted to
know why didn't 50 to work and stop
| living on him and my mother. I retortel
that II I'd ever had q dollar OF his
money I'd never forgive myself or him.
He sneered. If you hadn't. you'd have
| starved to death long ago said. I'D
rather thousand tfmes.s At last lost
control Of my words and declared. Twas
your lie put my father in the insane
asylum. And IL hadn't put him there
he'd be convict in states prison today,
| shouted. He never stole q cent and you
know it. I'd a thousand times sooner
think you were the thief! Al that he
seized me by the collar and, with a
strength 1 wouldn't have thought a man
OF his age could have, threw me out Of
doors. declaring that If ever 1 came in
side the house again he'd put me where
| my father was. IT I'd dared, I'd have
struck him. but l knew that III did once
I'd kill him before / left him.
Ito be continued tomorrow