Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1914-06-24

man among those VINO came ACQUIRING
al the old brownstone mansion, but
ono vastly different in many respects
from Bonner This mans name was
Willard Max Willard"
i've heard the name" muttered Van
Vechten
1T was an irony OF Fate" pursued
Mr.. Flint. that Bonner and Willard
should not only be friends, but the
closest sort Of intimacy existed be-
tween them, a genuine Damon and
Pyhias attachment
Willard lacked about every ad-
I vartage possessed by his rival; he
y as poor, unattractive in appearance,
and had many peculiar traits which
made enemies where TEMPER Bonner
/ won friends. He was regarded as
/ visionary, crank, man who would
never make his mark However, he
/ must have possessed some unusual
quality. because Temple Bonner had
I implicit faith in believed that he
was genius of some sort; but 1t was
characteristic of Willard that he would
accept no assistance from hts more
| fortunate rival
Bonner. It would seem, felt his own
position keenly He realized that his
friend was almost overwhelmingly
handicapped, and as well as can piece
out from what actually happened. he
withdrew temporarily from the field
and gave Max Willard every oppor
tunity TO advance his suit / suppose
the idea was, that If Willard was sue
cessful. Bonner would abide by the
consequences: if not, then Willard
was to stand aside aud give Bonner
his chance Much OF this Is guess
WORK; it is hard to arrive at the truth
at this late day; but certain Circum
stances exist which indicate that what
/ am telling you is what actually hap
pened,
1T would appear from the sequel
that Max Willard had been the favored
one all along. Temple Bonner went
abroad; within two months Willard
and Miss Henrietta had eloped and
were married: within ten minutes aft
or he received news OF the runaway
wedding Compton Schuyler had blown
out his brains.
There are the naked facts
Temple Bonner never returned to
America, and Max Willard, instead OF
iustfying 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
.t,sId.a,q Ta Nav XyiUa.d ,tttI .If,,n
where Is he, has he any family, what
il his occupation? Those are the
things | want you to find out. fancy
the runaway match, with all its at
teudant circumstances, created some
thing of stir at the time; some of
your older friends should be able and
willing TO supply you with the facts"
"Oh, I have no doubt that can
learn all you want to know" agreed
Van Vecbten Most OF what you have
just told me is not exactly news: but
| had forgotten lit all happened be-
fore my time. you know Josephine
Is generally regarded by her friends as
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 70 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 dlugy 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 a bit he turned to Van
Vechten.
BEFORE answering your question.
| Mr. Van Vechten. | am going TO lay
another matter before you" said he
grayely; "it may seem impertinently
| personal. but there are occasions when
the ordinary civilities and amenities
must be laid aside aud iisregarded.
know that you and Miss Carew are en-
gagged to be married; do not mention
the sentiment that usually accompa-
nies such a conventlonality. for ner-
haps l shall pain you, but isu't there a
! possibility that she has become in
terested in another more recent love
latYair?"
Flint. was the prompt response.
'You are not trespassng upon my feel
ugs in the least. and ! aa going to be
frank with you The engagement YOU
spsak OF has always boon more or less
OF tacit understanding i'm our family
! Paige is only a distant cousin. YOU
49, 49,. -. y - - 49, -