The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1917-04-28
CHAPTER XIV.
trep,riKht. Page, New.pspes servtecl
fCenttnurd From Our Last tssucl

ana close tho uOuTs no ntu lHHtihN =
cd the man and another to remain
In the hall The blind man then
walked slowly TO large chair In
the center of the room and sat down.
when did you learn that Eaton
was. Hugh overton. Avery" he
asked.
To-day"
"tIow did YOU discover IT."
'He gave himself awiry ut polo"
AT polo1 Then you knew about
Il the other day"
"Oh. no." Avery denied. Il saw
that he was pretending not 20 know
a game which he did know. The
men IN this country who can play
great polo are few. SO | sent for
tho polo ANNALS lila picture with
his name is IN the group OF the
Spring Meadows club. he played
back for them five years ago"
You didn't tell me. however. that
he could play polo when YOU frs,
found II out"
mo. wanted TO be surc OF him
before spoke"
"of COURSE" said Santoine. know
Ing who Eaton ia. gives us no aid
in determining who the men were
that fought with him in, my study
last nightf"
II gives none 10 me. Mr.. San.
toine." Avery said steadily.
And the very peculiar behavior
- cha wsuak awaEu,~a faIaw I aot,
nose. gives you no holp. either. All
day the Latron stocks have been go
ing down"
I'm afraid don't follow you. sir .
Yet you are very clever man
Avery. Your friend and my friend
who sent you 20 me five years age
was quite correct in calling YOU
clever. have just found out that
FOR about five years my blindness
has been used by a certain group oil
men TO make mo the agent Of a
monatrous and terrible injustice "a
m innocent man Except for my
blindness. Avery. this injustice never
could have been carried on"
The Nind man was silent for an
instant.
let ms 20 back. Aysry. TO the
emergency 10 which ! am Indebted
for your faithful service. Five years
ago tho American people appeared
convinced that the only way TO per
petuatc prosperity was 10 accuse
condemn and JAIN for life--lf erecu
ton we're not legAl-the heads oil
the important groups OF Industrial
properties. Just at that time. one ot
these men committed a grave In
discretion. II was federal offenss
OF tho most proyahle Kind. He wal
indicted. Considering the temper oi
any possible jury at that time, there
was 90 alternative but 10 believe
that his conviction was certain.
Now. not only the man himself
but hts closest associates coniem
plated this certainty with dismay
They required Matthew Lairon e
govern them: hla taking awal
would bring chaos and ruin amonI
them. fatron himself became con
WINGED that he faced confinement toi
tho rest Of his life. then fate Fl
fectively interviewed 20 end all hii
troubles. His body. almost con
sumed by flames--but nevertheless
/ tho identified body OF aa,the-
fAtron--was found In tho smokini
ruins OF HIS shooting lodge which
burned 10 the ground two days be
/ fore hia trial
There were. OF course" Santoln,
went on. many OF tho violent ans
/ passion-lnflamsd who carped at THU
timely intervention OF fate ans
criticised tho accident which de
| livercd fA,ron at this time Bu
these we're silenced when Latronl
death vas shown to have been no
accident. but murder 4 young mar
was shown 90 have followed Latroi
to the shooting lodge: a witness ap
peared who had seen him set fir
to the lodge.
The Young man--IIugh Overtoi
WAS put on trial for his life.
myself, as a witness. supplied IN
motive for the crime; for. tho ha,
never met Oyerton. I knew that h
had lost the whole OF a'large forum
thru investments recommended 4
him by fatron Overton vas cor
yicted. sentenced to death: b.
escaped before the sentence wa
lcarried out--became a fugitive with
out a name. who. II he ever rear
peared. would be handed over for es
lecutlon. For the evidence had bee
perfect-complete; he had sho
Latron purely for revenge, kille
him In the most dospIcable manner
For there was no doubt Latron va
dead. was there. Avery?"
Santoine waited for reply.
WHAT" Avery said huskily.
81 say there was no doubt Latro
was dead?"
None"
THAT was the time you came Int
my employ. Avery. recommended /
me by one of the men who had bee
closest to Latron. ! was not cor
nected with the fatron propertie
except as an adviser: but man
papers relating to them must x
Inevitably thru my hands. | wa
rather on the inside IN all that cor
cerned those properties. But coul
not myself see the papers: ! wa
blind; therefore, I had to hav
Others serve as eyes for me. An
from the first, Avery. you serve
as my eyes in connection with al
papers relating to the Latron PROF
ertles II anything ever appeare
In those papers which might hav
led me TO suspect that any iniustic
had been done In the punishment
Of Latron's murderer, II could reac
me only thru You. Nothing OF tina
sort ever did reach me, Avery. 70
must have made quite a good thin
out OF IT,"
II don't understand; do not 70
low what you are talking about"
Nor Then we must go a littl
further This last year a minor RI