The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1912-10-17

tflal Things Woulu nave Deen ulHer-
ent"
Were you going to sell the letters?"
Margery demanded. with quick scorn.
81 intended to. butt didn't 1t was
little bit too dirty. after all. | met
Mrs. Butler for the second time in my
life at the gate down there as l came
up from the train the night got here
from Pattsburg. She had offered to
buy the letters. and had brought
them to sell to her. And then at the
last minute | lied. said couldn't
get them-that they We're locked in
the Monmouth avenue house. | felt
like cad. She wanted to clear her
husbands memory. and l-well. Mr..
Fleming was your fathe-, Mlrgery. |
couldn't hurt you like that
'Do you think Mrs. Butler took your
leather bagi" l asked.
Il do not think so. 1t seems to be
the only explanation. but / did not let
1t out of my hand one moment while
we were talking. My hand was cramp-
ed from holding it when she gave up
in despair at last and went back TO the
city"
"What did you do with the letters
she wanted:"
Il kept them with me that night and
the next morning hid them in the Sc
cret closet That was when l dropped
my fountain penn
And the pearls?" Margery asked
"When did you get them, Harry
To my surprise his face did not
change.
Two days before l left" he said.
I'VE were using every method TO get
money, and your father said to sacri
fce them If necessary"
My father
lie wheeled on us both.
Did you think | stole them?" he de-
manded And / confess that was
ashamed to say / had thought precise
ly that.
''Your father gave me nine unmount-
ed pearls to SELL" he reiterated. II
got about a thousand dollars for them
eleven hundred and something, | be-
lieve."
| think Margery was fairly stunned
to learn that her father had married
again. that he had been the keystone
in an arch of villainy that. with him
gone, was now about to fall and to as
sociate him with so small and mean
thing as the theft of handful of
pearls.
Then" I said to bring Wardrop
=. cFp found w had
been robbed OF the money, and you
went in to tell Mr.. Fleming. You had
some words. didn't yOu?"
"IIe thought what you all thought,
WarGrop said bitterly. He accused
me of stealing the money. / felt worse
than a thief He was desperate, and
| took his revolver from him.
81 came back here to Bellwood. and
the first thing | learned was about
Miss Jane When | saw the blood
print on the stair rail | thought she
was murdered, and | had more than l
could stand took the letters out of
the secret closet before could show it
to you AID Hunter. and later | put
them in the leather bag gave you and
locked it. You have it. haven't you,
Knox"
i nodded.
"As for that night at the club. told
the truth then. but not all the truth. |
suppose l am coward, but | was
afraid to. If you knew Schwartz you
would understand"
With the memory of his huge figure
and the heavy undershot face that |
had seen the night before l could I'M
derstand very well, knowing Wardrop.
Il went to that room at the White
Cat that night because | was afraid
not to go. Fleming might kill himself
or some one else. | went up the stairs
slowly, and l heard no shot At the
door l hesitated, then opened it quiet
ly. The door into the built in staircase
was just closing. 1t must have taken
me only an instant TO realize what had
happened Fleming was swaying for
ward as | caught him. | jumped to
the staircase and looked down. but |
was too late. The door below had
closed. knew in another minute who
had been there and escaped. 1t was
you remember. and Schwartz |
had forgotten to take his umbrella
with his name on the handle"
Schwartz
"Now do you understand why | was |
being followed?" lie demanded. Il I
have been under surveillance every |
minute since that night. There's prob /
ably some one hanging around the gate /
now. Anyhow | was frantic. | saw (
how it looked for me, and If had /
brought Schwartz into it | would have
been knitted in forty-eight hours. !
hardly remember what | did. know
[ ran for doctor. and took the UNI
lrella with me and left it in the vesti-
1ule of the first house | saw with
loctor's sign. l rang the bell like a
ray man. and then Hunter came
llong and said to go back; DR.. Gray
vas at the club.
"That is all / know. I'm not proud
# it. Margery. but it might have been
worse. and it's the truth. 1t clears up
ometning. but not all. 1t doesn't tell
where Aunt Jane is or who has the
hundred thousand. But it does show
Who killed your father. And if you
now what is poOd for YOU Knox you