The Washington times., 1913-11-15

brothers and the wife and baby OF one
Of them. They all lived on lonely farms
in New Hampshire. They were prosper
GUS; he was not. He visited them one
after the other, cut their throats as they
lay asleep, buried their bodies and dis
appeared with the small fortunes each
had boarded in his house, for they lived
far from banks. For some time he es-
capped detection, but at last he was tried.
convicted, and-hanged. His wife died
when her baby was. born, a month later.
That baby-was Victoria Van Rensse-
laer."
Dysart moaned like stricken OK.
Il cannot, will not believe it! There
must be some horrible, CHASTITY mistake. .
Victoria, gently bred, pure and sweet,
and tender. and good to have the blood
of John Corte flowing in her veins
Dysart cried out, starting from his chair.
Such a thought is madness
And the manner Of her death" re-
turned Yorke with quiet insistence. DO
you remember your own words to me,
when We met last year in the public IL
brary, each unknown to the other, but
on the common ground Of criminal re-
search? d.
You said: 'One at least of the de-
scendants Of any atrocious criminal will
prove to be connected with some other
similar crime, perpetraated in precisely
the same manner. and usually Tor the
same or fancied motive. should circum-
stances force him or her to pass where
such a deed. will seem expedient: at
least, that one or more descendants from
every three subsequent generations shall
be Of such a caliber-they cannot escape
the law which governs this terrible heri-
tage. The heritage Of Cain descended
swiftly upon Neil Corte. and he killed
his sister even as his father before him
had slain his brothers"
Yorke spoke solemnly, and Then ne
ceased there was silence for fun mo.
ment, broken only by sharp intake OF
breath which was like a sob.
Suddenly Velsk, the dog, looked up.
ears pointing forward, and growled
ominously. Then there sounded two
pause, and then third.
Dysart, his face set and colorless, rose
from his chair, but Yorke laid con-
trolling hand upon his arm.
"It is all right" he said. They are
some early guests of mine-two gentle
men from the central office whom i
may need as-extra witnesses. There,
williams is admitting them. He will sta
ton them in the library here, where
they will be in instant readinesse mess ,sr,o
person 1 am expecting will soon be mere.
Remember, you are to do absoiuteIV
nothing but keep your seats and watcn.
Everything depends upon your obedience
"One thing that / cannot comprehend.
Mr.. Yorke." said Paul Hildreth. speak
ing in a low, guarded tone. is why my
cousin, Mary Bigelow, should have
chosen a child Of such parentase for
her purpose.
"Perhaps from the fact that the rural
authorities would be glad not to look
too closely into any references given by
a person willing to adopt so unde-
sirable a child. and save the county
] -sx,rr IN n
poor farm. For no one in the sur.
rounding country would have haroored
it The feeling against the father ran
too high at that time.
perhaps. she was actuated by de-
sire to do penance-as II in some way
she might mitigate the sin of the fraud
she was perpetrating, by giving refuge
to SO unweicome a life-by saving
soul predestined to destruction. l know
that the woman who adopted the ooy
fuenced in her choice by 4 desire for
the salvation Of his soul. But the blood
of his father proved too strong for her
gentle influence to prevail
"You are sure ne will Gomez? RoDin
asked, with subdued eagerness. There
won't be any mistake? He can't fail
to walk into this trap you've laid 1or
.There will be no mistake said
Yorke gravely. He will not ran u
come.
| What name does he use? And whs
| should he come here to see you! He
knows you are on the case-he must:
, Won't he suspect a trap?
II have earnest reason TO thlnK not'
Yorke replied. -,
"Ah. God. II he will only come soon;'
breathed Dysart This suspense is
! maddening beyond human endurance!
. l want to meet the slayer OF my wite
, face to face"
He had not long to wait Even as he
spoke the sound of a football on the
| marble floor without came family TO
| them through the closed han door,
and Yorke held up his hand in an i'm.
peratiye warming: even before the bell
rang confidently. decisively.
They all sat motionless, scarcely
seeming to breathe. as If galvanized
| into silence. while Williams, imperturp-
able, as ever. opened the door.