The Washington herald., 1915-10-17
The Latest Adventures of the Wonderful Cleek


tering work-thinkine his own Wv
out OF the riddles maze vet tat;,s ~
man into his confidence.
At the end of that time Col Nc.
Manus again spoke.
DO you find anything significant
Mr.. Cleek" he ventured. "Anyth;ne
that may possibly be termed a soil,
Yes" said Cleek, breakiny s;,.r,.
suddenly. 81 find all elewsLsIIi !
snail not need to go to the cliffs. |
shall not need to look for the weapon.
sometimes a wound speaks-and this
one speaks to me-"
"Cleek! My dear chap. YOU don't
surely mean to say"
Let me alone. please. Mr. Mar.
kom. Don't worry me; don't bother
over me. Simply go back to the ho.
tel and let me alone. Give me nv
head; leave me to myself and looL fn,
me again only when you see me. That
Will be here. in this place at some time
tomorrow night-this same hour i
! can manage it. but at later one if
cannot. Gentlemen all, l kuow N,
riddles answer. When I come bach,
so too. shall you"
Then he screwed round on his h..,
walked swiftly to the door and was
gone in wipking. What became of
him from thai instant non. of them
knew, tor not man of them all saw
him again that night
AS near as possible to half pas
nine on the night following he had
promised them that he would return
and 1t was half past nine to the verv
tick OF the minute when he came back
and walked into their presence again.
Gentlemen, I am the bearer of
grave and solemn news" he said a.
he walked in and faced them. "If il
falls erushingly upon you, if it de-
stroys one OF your cherished illu-
sions. find happiness in the thought
that 1t also gives you the power to
right mighty wrong and to do an
innocent man Justice. That man is
he who is named James Pebblecot.."
"Pebbleeote:' they roared at him i.
one many-throated cry "Pebbiecote
the traitor? Pebblecote the murder
err Pebblecote the ally of German
spies?"
No" he gave back, spiritedly.
"Pebblecote the hero; Pebblecote the
martyr; Pebblecote the loyal English
gentleman, who stopped to neither
trickery nor lies. You want to know
the traffcker in state secrets,-the
Germans ally'-the dog who sold his
country and sold her with a smile,
Well. there he is-dead and on his
bier as such hypocrite deserves to
be: Lieut.. Roy Stanheld, a good
mans unworthy son! And Pebblecote
knew, yet kept silent, Not for the
sake of that degraded hypocrite, but
tor love OF the woman who was to
have married him. and above that for
the honor of that old Spartan father
who begat him! Oh. hold your indie
nation IN check, gentlemen, and I'll
give you all the proof you require. Do
you want to know who is my author
ity for that statement Well then Won
shall. 1t is a man, a hero. a soldier.
who will not live to see tomorrow's
dawning-Gen. Audrey Stanheld
himself
His was the tall figure in the erav
paddock coat. He was the man who
was seen in violent alteration with
that dead rascal over there. Mere
chance had brought into his hands
letters and papers from Won Blum
WITT which proved beyond question
the tie existing between his CON and
the German-a tie which was to be
broken now that that son was the
fance of a rich heiress and had no
longer need for money. When he
knew that. the great heart of that
grand old soldier all but broke. and
in his grief and shame he did what
you might be sure such a man as he
would do in his country's cause. With
the aid of his manservant. weak as
he was. he left the house-alone and
in secret. He journeyed down to this
place and seeking ont his dishonored
son. taxed him with his treacherv and
wrung from him at last a snivellinc
confession. He promised. did that cur
of son. to leave England with his
bride the day they were united and
to never again return to it If his father
would but hold his peace and let him
60"
THE blackguard,"
"You are right. oolonel-that !.
exactly what he was. But do vor
think that Old Sammy Standfast
would be likely to listen to an appea'
like that, Not he! What he did ir
response to it was to pull out one of
his old army pistols and to reply. Tn.
man who sells his country is not Fl
to live nor vet to die soldier.
death. Either you will walk out ther,
on that cliff and blow out your owr
brains or will do it for vou anc
finish the disgrace voh have brough'
upon me by delivering myself I'D Il
justice as murderer
"The son who brought shame anc
dishonor to him spared that grand ole
man the disgrace of going to his gray,
a murderer. In the presence Of hi,
father he went OFT there on that clia
and finished his career by the oniy
act of heroism which had ever mark
ed the whole course of it from cradle
to grave Old Sammy Standfast'
waited until IL was all over, then ne
picked up the pistol and put it in hi,
pocket, stopped a moment to kneei
beside his dishonored boy to offer uu
just one little prayer and to cry like
David of old oh. Absolom. my son.
and then turned and went his way.
81 went to a garage and hired
motor car when left this place last
NIGHT. | oelted IN To Iondon =. f,e,