The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-12-19
wedding Compton Schuyler had blown

out his brains.
There are the naked facts.
Temple Bonner never returned tt
America, and Max Willard, instead OF
justifying his friends confidence In
his talents-whatever their bent might
have been-had dropped entirely from
sight. His wife. you tell me, has been
dead long time; but were there no
children? Is Max Willard still alive,
where is he, has he any family, what
is his occupation? Those are the
things want you to find out. fancy
the runaway match, with all its at
tendant circumstances, created some
thing Of a stir at the time; some of
your older friends should be able and
willing to supply you with the facts. /"
"Oh, have no doubt that / can
learn all you want to know" agreed
Van vechten. Most of what you have
just told me is not exactly news: but
! had forgotten tit all happened be-
fore my time, you know. Josephine
is generally regarded by her friends as
q woman who has suffered much, one
deserving pity and sympathy; but
heavens and earth-she is no martyr
to tribulation; she's the jolliest sort
imaginable. But how will this
help you to solve your murder prob
lem, or-what more nearly concerns
me-find some trace of my cousin?"
For some moments Mr.. Flint sat
silent, gazing meditatively through the
window. Number 1888 dingy front
loomed dingier than ever in the late
afternoon sunshine; but Mr.. Flint had
no eyes for the old house just at pres
ent. After bit he turned to Van
Vechten.
Before answering your question,
Mr.. Van Vechten, am going to lay
another matter before you," said he
gravely; ut may seem impertinently
personal, but there are occasions when
tho ordinary civilities and amenities
must be laid aside and disregarded.
know that you and Miss Carew are en-
gagged to be married; do not mention
the sentiment that usually accompa-
MES such conventionality, for per-
haps shall pain you; but isn't there
possibility that she. has become in
terested In another more recent love
AFFAIR.""
Flint" was the prompt response,
you are not trespassing upon my feel
ings in the least, and l am going to be
frank with you. The engagement you
speak Of has always been more or less
of tacit understanding in our family.
Paige Is only distant cousin, you
know; but we are clannish set, we
Van Vechtens, and she and have al
ways been awfully fond of each other.
But as for love. That's another
matter. In strictest confidence, Flint,
have an idea that we shall never
marry-simply. | am convinced, be-
cause | could not insist without fore
ing myself upon her. No, no; ! am
iIuSh wv lulu VI HCI III lHdI. Anu ttso
for another love affair, what earthly
reason is there for her making secret
of it? She is not girl given to ro-
mantle fancies or schoolgirl senti-
mentality; she is Of age, her own mis-
tress; and were she to learn, as |
have, that it is possible for either Of
US to care for somebody else in way
different from our present feelings to-
ward each other, why, she couldn't let
me know it fast enough. That's Paige
if anybody must be hurt, have 1t
over and done with as soon as pos
sible."
Il am beginning to form pretty
fair idea of your COUSIN" observed Mr..
Flint. Her intelligence, courage and
character make it all the
more necessary that learn everything
possible about Max Willard. suppose
chat she and Mrs. Devereaux are very |
much attached to each other?'
Paige and Josephine? / can't say |
they are like mother and daughter
Josephines heart is much too young
for that-chums would be more nearly
accurate. Yet Mrs. Devereaux has
been a mother to Paige, and the very
strongest ties Of affection and conf
lence bind them together" !
Mr.. Flint slowly nodded his head, as
t these disclosures were right in har-
nony with whatever theory he was
evolving.
zone thing MORE" said he. ut is
strange that it has never occurred to
you, with your ultimate understanding
If your cousin, that nothing at all has
happened to her; that her prolonged
tbsence without communicating with
'elatives or friends is an act of her
,wn free will"
"But it did occur to me-" Van Vech-
en- contradicted "And it is my knowl-
,dge of Paige that renders such a
hypothesis wholly absurd"
Again Mr. Flint nodded understand
ngly. II
Now" said he, 'I1l answer your
question as to why attach SO much
Importance 10 finding Max Willard; al
hough what have already told you
hould supply the explanation. | want
0 discover the motive that Influenced
'emple Bonner to disregard his own
ron-bound system Of doing business
nd establish a precedent by interpos-