Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-28

from him yesterday. mailed in New York
at the very hour that | found the last
warning"
rs an assistant an impossibilty?"
How unlike your usual logic. ! said.
with some heat Notwithstanding the
fact that Mr.. Milbrath has offered me an
inducement 70 track down his uncle
slayer. and despite his willingness to
have me come to Overlook, YOU think he
is the man I am after"
"On the contrary" drawled Eilbourne.
delighted TO get me excited. If he were
the criminal he would scarcely object to
your presence here, ] should suppose. for
are You likely to learn anything about
him that has not already been paraded
by the courts? Granting, however. his
innocence. there may or may not be
reason, which has occurred 10 him since
he saw YOU. why he does not wish you
to make your residence in this house. In
deed, IL / remember correctly, he even
suggested at your conference that you
would be more comfortable a the farm
house"
with these notes." I said obstinately.
We'll / don't insist that it is neces-
sary. However, l think it Is as reason
able conjecture as yours that Horsford
is connected either with the crime
with the warnings"
Then how do you account for his
manner and for what heard in the cot
tage?'
nat Il VIII answer later. Tie MAY ne
a bit Of a domestic tyrant, but 1 have
theory which covers the whole ground,
and l will prove or disprove it before
leave here on Monday"
The following morning, which was sun
day. SkilbOurne'S room was vacant when
| left mine. / was somewhat surprised
by this, for I knew that a habit of early
rising was not among kilbourne's virtues.
/ concluded, however. that the crisp salt
air and the prospect OF exploring without
/ Information o
on the previous evening had been the al
lurements.
When. however o'clock passed and
kilbourne had not been seen, / confess
to having felt a curious anxiety as to his
whereabouts. AS l entered the dining
room | recalled what he had said about
probing the Horsford matter. and | in
structed Gaspard to go down to the cot
tage and see whether Mr.. kilbourne was
there or had been there. Then | re-
turned to the portico to await Gaspards
return.
Presently ! caught a glimpse between
the trees of a man walking briskly along
the gravel path that bordered the sunken
gardens at the northwest. He was COM
ing toward the house. and for an instant
thought il was Kilbourne. Directly.
however, | saw my mistake. The man
was a stranger and was clad in overalls.
/ recalled that Horsford had referred to
a helper who would be coming shortly
and decided that this was probably the
man. But l was curious as to why he
was coming to the house instead of tran
sacting his business with Gaspard. whom
he must have passed a few feet back. At
that instant the stranger disappeared
and ] hurried into the house and to the
back door, expecting to find him awaiting
me. To my surprise there was no one
there, or anywhere about and / followed
the Path around to the portico without
| seeing the man. / decided that lie had
left the gravel path and made a cut to
the high road through the triangle of
woods. But j could not see what would
possess any one coming from the cottage
to take such a roundabout way of get
| ting out of the grounds.
/ was about to put Oft I'm the direction
he must have taken to satisfy myself
that he was there. when Gaspard return
ed. Mr.. KilbourEe had not been seen at
the farmhouse, and Gaspard had been
turned down frigidly by the laird of the
cottage. He was smarting little as
result. for Mrs Horsford had been more
gay and laxative than ever before TO
him, and his fancy had flown high for
moment that he could get some informa-
ton for me.
listened to Gaspards chatter. only
half needing II. for the feeling of anxiety
concerning kilbourne had returned
made a somewhat hasty disposition of the
breakfast. and just as ] was folding my
napkin kilbourne entered the room. radi-
ant from his usual morning dip" and
faultlessly attired.
All he exclaimed with animation as
his quick eye took in the situation Il
have to beg your pardon for keeping you
on tenterhooks as to my whereabouts.
have redeemed my promise. Behold the
possessor Of the Horsford family skele-
ton"
(To be continued tomorrow