The Washington times., 1913-10-22

witness
Yorle waited until th2 violence OF
the paroIysm had spent itself. then said
Il shall do all that is humanity pos
sible. Mr.. Van Rensselaer,. but l shall
, want Your help, you know"
! Yes, YES. l know that, of course. ]
will tel you anything You wish to know
anything l can think OF that will heiD
YOU to discover the man VINO robbed
ished. ] want only to live until 1 have
| brought TO my own justice this foul
| hearted Wretch and then-I shall 20 to
her.
Gone, come, Mr.. Van Rensselaer,:
| this won't do at all You must pull
| Yourself together. Il ycu are to be of
| any assistance IN this investigation"
Il know, i can realize what a bitter
| bow you nave suffered, and how useless
\ words are to mitigate such a sorrow.
1 bit II YOU viii allow i to crush you,
| you will sit passive while the SLAYER If
Our wife goes unmolested through the
] world
/ Never cried Dysart starting up on
! mis- couch with his ciencheG fist up
| raised.
Il shall put aside from this moment
every thought, every sign OF human
grief and emotion until my hands are
uron that man, and then Go on
with Your Questions, ir. Yorke. 1 will
I
MY fortune and my brother She has
1 tlaced ms unreservedly at m: disposal
arc, Yours to, draw upon as you will:
! Starch the world over, ic you must, and
take days, or months, OF years! 1 shall
be patient. but-fnd me the man.
II can promise nothing but my most
earnest eEdeavor. the greatest effort Of
my life. As to money. you are at lib
ertv to -defray M cxnenses, OF course
-anyIhing else can be discussed when
The investigation is closed.
Yorke drew up chair. and seating
: himself by the couch, ne pulled out his
notebook.
Nov, MI. Van Rensselaer," he went
on In order not to tire You with un-
necessary questions. I'm going to read
yoa :, few general facts 1 have asceI-
tanned from yoiGr brother and friends
concerning your marriage, and 1 want
you TO correct me if l am wrong in any
particular.
Mrs. Van Rensselaer, was twenty
nine years Of age. She was Victoria
Abbott BiSelow. and his wife, who la|
beer Mary Hildreth. She-Mrs. Van
Rensselaer-had a second cousin, Paul
Hi:dreth, who in the event OF her
death without issue comes into an cs-
tate Of great wealth through the will
OF her great-Erandfather, Cornelius
Du-year Hlldreth.
You. net Victoria Hildreth eight
years ago. al the home of her great
aunt. Mrs. Schuyler liiidretn. in New
York. and married her about one :ear
later. Mr.. Van Rensselaer," closing the
notebook with snap. what disposal
WAS made of Irs. Van Rensselaers
fortune al the time q: your marriage?
Size was of age, and the property. there
10, g. must have been und~r her own
ccrtrcl.'
1T was Until our marriage she had
left all charge of it in the hands If the
Empire State Trust Company, which
had long been its trustee.
However. at our marriage. she i'll
sisted-much against nly will. for | am
in no sense a business man-to transfer
il to ire, entirely and without reServa-
ton | placed il in the hands of my
agents, who are thoroughly reliable and
trustworthy. and it has never been
crous charities, and these have not con-
surred two thirds Of the interest on the
original intact fund.
Mr. Van. Rensselaer,. what is your
opinion of Paul Hildreth:
II like him thoroughly. He is n fine
man. The pity Of it is that his qualities
have never been directed into more
worthy channel than the trivial social
world. which has occupied his life. He
was genuinely fond of--of Victoria. and
bore her no malice for the prejudice
which had robbed him of his just :nher-
itance She was most anxious to make
r. stitution, but the will could not be
broken. and even had IL been possible
to do so. he would not have accepted II,
desperate as his position has been, finan-
cially, more than once
Il understand that you have, on vari-
Gus occasions, given him substantial
aid?''
Dysart's pale face flushed.
Very rarely have been able TO per
suade him to accept loan. He has all
the pride Of his family. and had he
thought my offer had been instigated by
Victoria or even had been made with
her knowledge, he would have refused
it"
And now. as to Mrs. Ashley. She was
an old friend Of Mrs. Van Rensselaers.
] believer"
and they have been inseparable since
they were girls.
And you approved Of this friend
ship
and courageous woman. who has on
dured rnucn trouble, and emerged from
il Who'll. .somc and unembitt, red. She did
Victoria a world of good-wnen she was
in one of her moods.
Her moods?
DSsart ht STATED.
Mr.. Van Rtnnscls er. said YOrhe
earn, stly. II am sorry to prob" into
any intimate family details, but the very
Inys stcry and seeming purposeies3ne IS Of
sGuuld u. put i'll pusst Ssiom of any small.
facts wnicn may seem 10
; ou to nave u,ttrl" no bearing "n the
matter Particularly do | want to learn
:.n can OF Mrs. van I;Gnn -ClacrS state
of mind during the last few months.
JySd.I's aEsaru. sunhcn yes opened
fui ca lorKe's.
why. do you ask particularly the
lat fC" months?
Doe 1t surprise you asked Yorhe
gently.
III" las; wear that Victoria has evI-
ci r:auneT-therc have been occasions
..ncn she has scarccly seemed to be
her real self
Please explain. Mr.. Van Rensselaer,
j am as YOU know, an unobServant
n.n am at times-the greater part
OF the time | fear-wholy cngrossed in
m. studies. to the blind exclusion OF
everything about me. but ] began To
notice that Victoria seemed very pale
and intensely nevous. She was never
never lacking in affection for me
mere the weak voice faltered and al
most stopped.
She seemed even to cling the closer
TO ne. and her little. tender, unselfish
attentions 10 my comfort and care were
unrcmiitIng. But she had seemed dis
trait and troubled, as II her thoughts
were far away, and were not plea Mt
ones. The low spirits seemed to in
crease as time went on, and once or
twice ! found her in tears, the cause
OF which she was unable or unwilling 10
explain. laughing 1t off as merely
nerves" and Of no consequence.
She was so much better b. the early
Inyf