New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1915-08-18
' y FS'~''s y 49,. = ' '
;,A
The Window
at the
White Cat
-
By MARY ROBERTS
y RlNEnART
Copnitht. 1910. BY Bobbs.Msr.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Wardrop's Story,


and no had half hour alone together.
had known. OF course. that It must
come, but under the circumstances,
with my whole future existence at
stake was vague as to whether 1t
was colored undergarments on white
orphans or the other way round.
When got away at last I found Bel
la waiting for me in the hall. Her
eyes were red with crying, and she had
crumpled newspaper In her hand.
She broke down when she tried to
speak, but I got the newspaper from
her. and she pointed with one work
hardened finger to a column on the
first page. IL was the announcement
OF Mrs. Buffers tragic accident and
the mystery that surrounded It. There
was no mention Of Schwartz
Bella told me that she had lived with
Mrs. Butler since she was sixteen and
had only left when the husbands SUI
eide had broken up the home. I could
get nothing else out Of hep, but grad
ually Beila's share I'm the mystery was
coming to light.
Wardrop was looking better that aft
erno0A than he had when I saw him
before, but the news Of Mrs. Buffers
approaching death and the manner OF
her injury affected him strangely. He
had seen the paper. like Bella. and he
turned on me almost aerceiy when I
entered the library. Margery was at
the window.
rs she conscious| Wardrop asked
eagerly. indicating the article in the
paper.
"No, not now; at least, it is not like
IT,"
He. looked relieved. Then he paced
the room nervousiy. His next action
showed the Development OF a resoau-
ton, for he pushed forward two chairs
for Margery and myself
''Sit down. both Of you," he directed.
I've got a lot to say, and went you
both to listen. When Margery has
heard the whole story she probably
will despise me for the rest Of her life.
I can't help It. I've got to tell all
know, and It isn't SO much after all.
You didn't fool me yesterday, Knox;
l knew what that: doctor was after.
But he couldn't make me tell who
killed Mr.. Fleming because. before God,
l didn't know
Il hayo to 60 back to the night Miss
Jane disappeared-and that's another
thing that has driven me desperate.
Will you tell ME why should be sus-
pected OF having hand tn that when
she had been q mother to mel If she
Is dead she can't exonerate me; ii she
Ia living and we ind her she will tell
you what tell you-that l know
nothing OF the whole terrible business
x am quite certain Of that, War
Drop interposed. Besides, think
l have got to the bottom of that mys-
terry" :
Margery looked at me quickly, but 1
shook NJ head. It was too early to
tell my suspicious.
THE things that looked black against
me- were bad enough. but they had
nothing to do with Miss Jane. l will
have to, 60 back to before the night
she went away, back to the time Mr..
Butler was the state treasurer and
your father. Margery, was his cashier,
Butler was not business man.
He let TOO mich responsibility lie with
his subordinates,s and then. according
to the story. he couldn't do much any
how against Schwartz. The cashier
was entirely under machine control,
and Butler was neglectful. You re-
member. Knox. the crash when three
banks. rotten to the core, went under
and It Yves found large amount Of
state money had gone, tooS Il was
Fleming who did H. am sorry.
harsery. but this 10 no time to mince
words. u was Fleming WHO deposit
ed the money IN the wrecked banks.
knowing what would happen. When
the crash came Buffers sureties TO
save themselves conflscated every dol
lar he had IN the world. Butier went
10 the penltentlary for Sax months on
some minor count. and when he got
out, after writing 30 Fleming and
schwarts protesting his innocence and
asking for enough out OF the fortune
they had robbed him Of to support his
wife, he killed himself at the White
Cat"
Margery was very pale, but quiet.
She SAT with her fingers locked IN her
lap and her eyes on Wardrop.
It was bad business" Wardrop
went OF YEARLY. Fleming moved
into Buffers place as treasurer and
took Lightfoot as his cashier. That
kept the lid on. Once or twice when
there was an unexpected call for funds
the treasury was almost empty, and
schwartz carried things over himself.
] went to Plattsburg as Mr.. B1eminR's
private secretary when he became
treasurer, and from tho nrsk I knew
~ - ---