Evening star., 1912-11-03


end off it for himself; but Clancy only snig
gered again, because he knew that he was
irritating a hard-headed American Scot.
Il don't blame you for losing heart, Mr..
Forbes" he said. "You lawyers invariably
go by the statute made and provided, and if
YOU cannot fit your facts into clause you
find fault with the facts, never with the
clause. Now, | don't often prophesy, as
Steingall here will tell you, nor am a betting
man; but | predict now that within a week
from this day Claude Waverton will either
confess that he is Charles Scott, or bolt. If
you disagree with me, III bet new hat on
it, and you yourself shall Judge whether |
have won or lost.
"What sort of hat?" inquired Forbes.
ooh, as the weather is hot shall we say
twentydollar Panama." and Clancy man
aged to wink at Stengall unseen by the other.
| "Man, are you crazy to talk about giving
twenty dollars for hat? Anyhow, I'll go
you my twenty to yours hard cash.
"The winner to stand a dinner" put in
Steingall
Forbes considered the point. He regarded
the money as being as nearly his as was
possible in regard to a bet, and he could
afford to be generous with little detectives
superfluous wealth "Done!" said he.
"Look here!" cried Steingall. II want to
1
out that he really is Claude Waverton, and
convinces Forbes himself that he is telling
the truth, who wins"
a do" claimed Forbes.
Hardly. Both you and Clancy agree
that he is a fraud. The point at variance
between you is simply his,-within a week,
will he own up or vanish9'
"Tell you what, said Clancy. "If he
proves himself to be Claude Waverton, the
bet is off, and you will stand the dinner!s
| The three dined together many days later;
but time alone could determine which would
pay, and why.
CHAPTER XVI The Only Way
V7AVERTON and his inseparable COM
W panion, Rice, returned to Lake Cham
| plain on Thursday evening" and both master
and man sighed contentedly when each was
| installed in his own quarters. Rice had read
| the newspapers II the train; thus gathering
almost as much information as if he had at
tended the inquest Indeed, he was better
able to weigh and analyze the evidence,
since the New York papers had printed
every word of it, and he had underlined a
| good many sentences with pencil.
| His sallow face flushed when he read the
passage wherein Waverton had described
him as faithful and devoted servant and
i
| that particular paragraph, even while he was
pondering the curious argument between
| his master and the District Attorney, or the
question that led up to the encomium on
| himself.
| "Failed to remember my name when they
brought him to Asphodel House-now, |
wonder who said that?" unused Rice, and
when, as he fully expected, Waverton dis
cussed the inquest with him on the morning
after their return, he reverted to that some
what significant statement.
"What did Mr.. Traherne mean by it,
Sir?" he asked. "Who could have put him
up to tell such downright lie? You knew
me we'll enough when | KEN in-and that
was the very first minute | could get past
Mrs. Delamar. Hello, Rice!' says you,
faintlike, but with pleasant sort of smile
that fair choked me up, it did. Good
morning, Mr. Claude, says |. L hope you
are feeling better this morning. And Right
as rain, says you. Not know me, indeed! |
wish I'd been in court when they told that
whopper!"
"Don't blame the lawyer, Rice said
Waverton. "The question was suggested
by Mrs. Delamar. Possibly it was based
on some silly thing said while my wits were
wool gathering"
"If you had lawyer there, Sir, an I'd
happened to be sittin near him, I'd have
/ u,h;c,,erad thir1o or two in his when