The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-09-11

Or course he went on, you can see
that / We had some education; know
books; questions Of the day, for IN
stance, interest me; but about myself
! I'm all in the dark. Sometimes my
head feels as IL it would crack when l
get to thinking-Just as if there was
something inside there just ready to
burst out.''
Valentine nodded. "Of course
there's an answer to all this,' he said,
but we must go carefully to work.
Recollection may come to you any mo-
mcnt. Meanwhile you Just leave the
matter in my hands. It II 20 hard If
we can't find the end of the tangle.'
AS the young man went out q Iele
graph messenger came In bearing the
answer from Warimoo-and incidental
ly another surprise. This is the way
it read:
"Billy Merwin not wanted. Party
assaulted recovered; declines to prose-
cute.'
That very night Finney Valentine
took train for the west; somehow he
felt sure that the key to the Benson
Merwin Roby- Owen mystery lay in or
around that little Minnesota town. And
SO it proved.
On going straight to the chief of po;
lice and introducing himself he learned
that William or 1FBiIly'' Merwin had
been a native Of the place where his
father had amassed a fortune in lum-
ber Billy had been educated in col
| lege, but Just before graduating the
elder Merwin died suddenly, leaving
his money to his only SON William, but
in the care of a trustee named Jacob
Windell, who had been the father g
partner. But old Windell was crooked
though no one had ever caught him
with the goods.
Young Billy Merwin, after the fune-
raj. wished to go back to college and
finish his senior year, but first he want
ed to know where he stood financially
and urged Wlndell TO make some SOFT
of settlement. The trustee put him
off on one pretext or another till the
hot headed youngster took to making
went to Jacob Windell's house, Hot
words ensued land it was inferred that
| in the heat Of nassion the young man
struck the elder and fed, leaving behind
him, rs he supposed, corpse. That 8
what everyone else thought at first,
and a warrant was issued for the run
away; also the reward bills were print
ed and distributed.
But old Jacob pulled through after
all, and was still active about his af-
fairs When he heard what the police
|
touched him! So there you were.
Valentine listened to all this very
gravely. Then he inquired:
"Do you know anyone named Roby
Owen9"
"Surel" was the answer, "Bllly and
Roby were chums'
"Then perhaps you can tell me what
this means9'' querled Valentine, show
ing the torn deuce of diamonds,
"No, l can't; but no doubt Roby
can," said the chief, handing back The
bit Of pasteboard. "I'll call him. u
And in response to a telephone mes.
sage there presently slouched into the
Office typical specimen of the village
"sport.' Roby Owen quickly identi-
fed the card and his own signature
| it was half Of an I. o. U. he had given
to Billy Merwin for losses at poker and
small sums loaned at various times.
Now all this was very satisfactory to
Valentine SO far as proving the iden
| tity Of Mrs. Benson's protege went
But what about her own son9 At a
venture he showed the chief and Roby
Owen that photograph of Martin Ben
son, saying:
"Do you know who that is7"
"I do,'' said the chief, and - Cert.
said Owen 'But first, - said the chief
"T'll tell you who it ism II 1t isn'
Billy Merwini No, siri Looks like