The Washington times., 1918-04-10

Wflling 70 Pay.
II regret that the general. your
father. is ILL.," said Pistro. and I
trust you viii be able to convey 70
him an assurance that II our
wishes are complied with thsrS
wiz be no further danger Of his
seeret being revealed. ]. act" he
added, with an assumption Of vir-
tue which he thought calculated
to impress hls hearer. T act
through necessity and with no mo-
! tive OF Ill"
Well. never mind. my good man
from what motive you act I1st's
come to terms-to definite and final
terms This letter says that Mfa
Willoughby Is In difficulty and de-
mands 10000. am willing 70
| pay, but there Il something else
that ] would like to know he
spoke rapidly. but without any
CONFUSION ss1
MY father Is getting old. and
am 10 fnherit this estate. Ny fath-
er Has never told me this secret oG
his life. and uniess learn same b.
fore his death, complications ars(|
sure to arise In connection with my.
tnherttance-
sEcco.". interrupted the italian.
as he saw chance to make an al
ditional sum- st Nsignor. II you
want the story of your fathers -
eret, have same written out hers
vita me, and you shall have for
$4,000"
Buys n. FafAers Secret.
81. the deal concluded. PistPO
handed over the document which
Lillian had given him. That this
was expressly against her lnstrus-
tions was Of small account to him.
Had be not made another tS.ooo-G
total Of S45.ooo In one day.
There IL no need for me to walt
said the italian. seeing that the boy
was already absorbed in the paper
which he had handed. to him on re-
ceipt OF the checks. ~You win md
the whole story written there.
Addio. and many thankR"
With a gesture OF fmpatieneo.
Kelton rose and saw his visitor 70
the front door. He hardly spoke
another word; his desire to be alons
was evident.
3 In the street the successful black
lh8AACE AA1aCC4 O8~A - Nno 8AA
house with a smile. "He sorry IN
half an hour, the poor boy, that
he buy the paper" he muttered to
himself Il Is well today-in spite
of all-tomorrow I realize the rest
and then Salerno-la mia Cittar'
Kelton hurried back to the little
room. He knew that there he would
be undfsturbed-s He threw himself
into q chair. and read the story OF
the mystery which had east .
shadow upon his life.
The tale was told clearly and
briefly, but evidently written with
q view OF being q guide to the
blackmailer. II was, In substanoA
as follows:
General KeIton's Life.
General Kelton. when a middle
aged man. married q young ana
beautiful girl. For four or nvs
years the union appeared perfectly
happy, and three sons were born %
them. It NWas In the sixth year
that they moved to the Westchss-
ter property, q grim old house. to
which his wife had taken . great
objection, but which Il was adviS-
able they should occupy.
It was here that the tragedy o.
CURED
For some little time the general
had had occasion to be Jealous OF
his wife. She was q woman Who
loved admiration. and In New York
she was always surrounded by
bevy OF ready gallants. Trouble
had arisen on this account. and
Kelton had refused to go to town
that season. The wife considered
herself III used and described Oak
ley Manor-the westehester house
-as a prison. But after they had
been there awhile she became Ap-
parently more reconciled to her lot
She bore with her husband more
easily. and his sternness seemed to
have less effect upon her. II was
noticed by the servants that this
return of apparent happiness CO.
incided with the advent In the
neighboring village of q certain
dark young foreigner. who de-
scribed himself as q ehevalier.
Mrs KeItoa Loved Another.
1t was never known that Cheva-
lier RuIlo visited Oakley Manor.
He was certainly never seen in the
company of Mrs. Kelton- But new
ertheless the gossips dropped vague
hints. The, chevalier was absent
from the cottage whore he had
taken up his abode night after {
night, and no one knew where he
went He had been seen swimming
in the river which adjoined Oak
ley Manor In the early hours Of
the morning. and sometimes ~
midnight he was known to wander
In the woods which surrounded the
house.
General Kelton was absent Q
great deal during the day and
sometimes also at night He was
connected with q shipping interest
which took him much to New York
He saw, indeed. little OF his wifA
during the period. for since thsIC
quarrel they had driftsd apart
He Suddenly Disappear%
The foreigner disappeared oDS
day from Oakley, causing a nine
day wonder In the village. On %
amining his effects q letter was
found addressed to his landlady.
which stated that II he should at I
any time disappear suddenly Il
was to be understood that political
reasons had obliged him to hy from
the country. and that In conse-
quence no search was to be made
for him. The envelope contained .
sum Of none! 70 recompense the