Omaha daily bee., 1911-04-16
CHAPTER MIX.

CHAPTER MIX.
The next morning Mcbride received Miss
Ohstroms letter, and he lost no time in
answering II. He began by expressing his
entire wilingness'to assist in running down
Mr. Maxwell as he had promised; adding,
with great care to make 1t seem like most
commonplace announcement, that he had
had the pleasure of meeting Mr. MAXWELL
wife at dinner the night before, and that
the task OF finding MIR. Maxwell himself
would probably be much simpler now.
lie sent the letter out to the post at once;
so that.r should reach her that afternoon.
He spent most Of his leisure that day in
wondering what effect that latest piece Of
information would have.
The effect was a telephone message, ask
ing him to call that evening. She did not
ask for him; but gave the message to the
office boy. so that he had no chance to
speak to her himself
Miss Ohlstrom received him in the par
Tor She looked very pale, and her eyes
betrayed that she had been weeping. II
cannot stand this suspense any longer" she
began abruptly. What is the meaning of
that dreadful letter you wrote me about
meeting a Mrs MAXWELL"
Mcbride explained the circumstances
without the slightest regard for the an
guish he was causing the girl before him.
He seemed to glory in his triumph. and in
the proof that his estimate of Mr.. Max
well was correct lie presented the connect
ing links that had led to the discovery
showing how various contradictory stories
told by Mr. Hartley had been pieced to-
gether; developing the fact that Mr. Max
well had been Swallowed before his escape
and had been frequently seen with this wo-
man, who acknowledge that her name was
Mrs Stewart and Stewart was the name
that Maxwell had given at the first hotel
he went to, and was undoubtedly his right
name. The headwaiter in the restaurant
had told Mr., Groscup that they were a
married couple
Then went on to tell how Mr.. Groscup
had sent to the address given to Mr.. Hart
ley by the detective, and had found out
about this woman's dining at the cafe
and how Groscup had gone there himself
and got into conversation with her without
the formality of an introduction. He made
no concealment of the fact that Mr.. Hart
ley had supposed, when Miss Ohstrom
called at the office, that she was the
person whose address the detective had
given him, and Mcbride took great credi,
to himself for having discovered the mis-
take. He said nothing about the scene in
the office with the lawyer the day before,
In fact he was rather ashamed of IT,
ut seems TO me that II all comes back
to Mr. Hartley again" Helen said sadly
Il could believe the story, perhaps IL he
were not mixed up In It; but l have no
faith in anything that comes through him
Did you address this woman as Mrs Max
well?"
"Of course not She goes by the name of
Stewart"
why didn't you say something about
him. or about some of his friends, so that
you could see II she knew them?'
lie had to acknowledge that the LAWYER
had tried that experiment on two occasions,
without success. You see, Miss Ohlstrom.
these criminals are very clever. Yon can't
catch them that way"
And who introduced you to this woman
and told you she was Mrs. MAXWELL"
mo one introduced us. Mr.. Groscup got
into conversation with her at the cafe.
The detective had followed Mr. Maxwell
and seen him with her several times"
Then It may be all a mistake. Her name
may not be Stewart at all It may not be
Maxwell. think you said she had never
been addressed as Mrs. Maxwell II this
woman will come TO me and tell me she
is his Wife ! might believe her No: |
don't think ] should. I never dreamed there
were such liars in the world as | have
heard of lately. ! don't wish to doubt your
word, Mr.. Mcbride; but ] think you are
being humbugged." Then. taking a long
breath, and shaking her head with a very
positive air she added, in a much more de-
termined tone; II don't believe a word
OF this Mrs. Maxwell story. There is only
one person in the world that | would be-
lieve, and that is Hardy himself"
But YOU must acknowledge that he Is
a shocking liar, He changed his name three
or four times. There is no getting round
that"
Il have thought over that too. ! am not
SO sure that it is not a mistake Just like
all the other things ] cannot help thinking
that the person you call Milton Fletcher
and Mr. Maxwell are not the same No one
ever saw the two men that claimed those
two names together, Did you ever meet any
one that knew him as Mr. MAXWELL"
Mcbride had u acknowledge that he had
not but he insisted that he knew OF per,
sons who had known him as Fletcher and
as Walton.
Did you know him as such?" she asked
quickly
No; but Mr.. Hartley did"
There comes Mr.. Hartley again No
Mr.. Me Bride, / may as we'll tell you the
truth. I don't doubt your good faith in
the matter; but don't believe that Hardy
Is a liar. I don't believe he is a forger.
don't believe he is married I don't believe
that this woman you have picked up in
a cafe is his wife. / should not be surprised
10 learn that he never met her In his