Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-13
CHAPTER xxXv (continued).

CHAPTER XxxV (Continued).
"TT WAS from there started. 1t was
i no use to look for William Meriet
or the girl that might have been boy
One cannot find people at the bottom Of
the sea. So there was the other man to
look for-the big man with the false
beard. After much labor 1 traced the
party back to Paris, which they had left
that night 1 met them in the train, and
1 found out where they had stayed-a re-
sort of thieves and people of that sort
And 1t was there l found out that they
had come to Paris from Berck 1t cost
me money to find out that, can tell you
nearly all I had. And SO 1 went to
Berck." The footman entered with the
wine and left the room. Lopez drank
half a tumbler and lit his cigar.
"At Berck I stayed for a month, and l
got news of a little yacht that might have
been the one that was wrecked on the
coast OF Spain, and found out that a
man like your Ricardo Merlet had visited
the place from time to time Tor many
years, that he went under the name or
Voincourt, and that he was married and
had son."
"Great Scott" calculated Lord VIM
berley. "I don't think any one here knew
that. A son? Then the boy is my heir
and those other two-Willlam and Her
bert Meriet-upon my word, this Is a
"And there Is news yet more startling.
my lord. oh, have been very patient
and have gone very slowly, and the path
has led me into great expenses
"oh. don't worry about the expense
said Lord wimberley impatiently. "Are
you sure OF your facts?"
"Quite sure" he replied, and taking an
envelope from his pocket he drew out a
faded photograph and handed 1t to Lord
WImberley. 1t represented, in a smudgy
sort OF way. a man. a woman, and boy
OF about ten on the sands.
II got that" said Lopez. from the
concierge OF the apartments where they
lived. It cost me 80 francs"
Lord Wimberley studied the photograph
carefully. Then he picked up magnify
ing glass from table and examined the
picture through the lens.
at Is certainly very like Dick Meriet."
he said, "and the boy is not unlike my
poor little nephew when he was that
age"
isof course. There Is the Same blood
IN their veins. Well, that Is Ricardo
Merist and his wife and son. The woman
is dead-she died four years ago and is
buried at Berck. have seen her tomb
o. marble"
sand the sOn-ths heir to the title and
estates7"
well, he is. of course, dead too. my
lord. That is without doubt"
Lord Wimberley passed his hand across
his forehead. "It beats me entirely" he
said. 'It seems as n they had all gone
mad.
I fNot 50. my lord. There was-what do
you call it-'method In their Madness
II was obvious that al the three brothers
were Ia this game. II one can call 1t
such. Richardo Meriet brought your
nephew 10 Berck in the yacht, and handed
him over TO the other two. Then Ricardo
Meriet took his own son on the boat"
by Jover' said Lord Wimberley, rising
from his chair IN his excitement Il be-
Iieys you may be right"
II know that I am right. my lord The
boy Ia the train was certainly not Henry
Volncourt. or else why should they drug
hlanf And Il was only natural that the
son should 80 with his father"
Lord Wimberley paced up and down the
room a see. / see." he said quickly.
''Of course Dick Meriet wished 10 put
every one on tbs scent. He kneW that the
Dollaa of europe Nerc tFyias . ana HIN.