The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-08-11
THE FATAL
| |[A|[II [;][ [7 |
By CHARLES GARVlCE.
Copyright. 1909, by George II. Doran
Company.)
CHAPTER III.
he Hero.

ished the tragic tale. Dexter Reece
forgetting that he seldom took spir-
its, helped himself to a neat whis-
ky. and drank it in a kind of sup
pressed excitement.
It's a terrible story; a tragedy,
indeed" he said and his usually
soft voice was so thick that he was
compelled to clear his throat. Sure
/ ly the murderer or murderers were
discovered, the child regained?"
No" replied Mr.. LeXham grayely;
/ though it is scarcely necessary II
say that every effort to track thi
criminal, to recover the child, was
made. Detectives We're at once Sc,
20 work; every port was watched moi
a foot of ground for miles round
was uneXamined. Unfortunately thers
had been a fall of snow in the
night, and any foomarks that the
murderer may have made were et-
fectually covered. No stranger had
been seen in the place-which was
not extraordinary, because the dis
trict was even more sparsely settled
than it is now. The surgeons who
examined the wound were convinced
that the murder had taken place
early in the night, probably during
Sir Mortimers first sleep, certainly
many hours before his death was
discovered; for Sir Mortimer was
a late riser, and his valet had or
ders never to disturb him before
ten o'clock There was plenty of
time for the criminal to take the
train at some small stations, and
reach London"
But good heavens! there must
have been some cl~e." exclaimed
Dexter Reece.
There was none" said Mr.. Lex
ham grayely. THE death-blow was
delivered in such manner as to
cause no flow of blood to mark
the criminal; the footsteps were
effaced, as | say; there wouli have
appeared nothing extraordinary in
a man or woman travelling with a
little child"
You do not know whether ii
was a man or woman" said Reece
quickly. Surely you have your sus-
piciOn. Mine went at once directly
TO the former lover of Sir Morti-
mer's wife, the man of whom he
had robbed her"
Quite So" responded Mr.. Lex
ham. That suspicion should be di-
rected towards him was only natu-
raj. Nobody knew him, knew what
he was like"
You sent to Italy, the place
where he lived?' put in Reece swift
ly.
"Of course. 1t was one of the first
things We did-to learn that the /.
man was dead. He had left his ma.
tive place, VicOnza'-Dexter Reece's
lips moved as they mutely formed
the word, and he indeliby impress
ed 1t on his memory-"soon after
the flight of his bride. He had gone
to sea in one of the small vessels
trading from Venice, which went
down with all hands. The man was
dead, drowned and so beyond sus-
picion."
Then | cannot see the motive. .
the object, in stealing The child"
said Reece thoughtfuly "Taefe was
he ruby, Of course, that was
enough for al ordinary .
criminal, burglar; bur why should .
such man RIA the awful risk of .
h.n i'erius bi'1se!f witt az infant?
The presence u; the chi'd -endered .
his escape more difficult. his detec-
tion almost certain"
That is So assented Mir. Lex.
ham. /
There is only one way Of account /
ing for the abduction Of ;he child" .
remarked Reece Tie mln who |
stole her. who murdered Sir Nor
timer, must have been something (
more than an ordinary burglar. J /
mean that he must have been a per
sonal foe, an enemy Of Sir Morti- /
mer's. and a bitter and ruthless
one
"A very reasonable confusion" /
said Mr.. LeXham; but, 50 Ear as 1
We could discover. Sir Mortimer had F.
no personal foes, no enemy Who /
would 90 so far in his desire FOR F.
revenge as to commit murder. With I.
all his faults and vices, ne was .
most popular man. The whole f.
of his past history was rakad mp