The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1920-08-07

interior. There were three men in the
room, and Westcott drew a quick
breath of surprise as he recognized the
two faces fronting him-Bill Lacy at
the desk, pipe In his mouth, his feet
elevated on convenient chair, and
Beaton. leaning back against the wall,
apparently half asleep with his eyes
closed. The third man was facing
Lacy, but concealed by the stove; be
seemed to be doing the talking, and
held paper in his hand resembling
map. Suddenly he rose TO his feet and
bent over the edge of the desk, and
Westcott knew fhim-Enright
Desperately determined to learn
what was being said, the miner thrust
the heavy blade of his jackknife be-
meath the Hitting window sash and
succeeded in noiselessly lifting it a
scant half inch. He bent lower. the
| speakers voice clearly audible
| through the narrow opening. There
was a dead man back East, wasn't
| there?"
What difference does that maker
| A>OIC- PAL SANNPe - A'>~
| urally increase the worth of my serv-
| ices I'm not squeamish about stills.
but | like to know what l am doing.
What are you holding on TO this other
fellow for?"
| Enright walked nervously across
the room. chewing at his cigar. only to
| come back and face his questioner.
We'll l suppose | might as well tell
| YOU" he said almost savagely. You're
| in too deep already to wiggle out. we
| made rather a mess Of 1t in New YORK,
| and only a bit of luck helped US
through. We had the plans ready for
three months, but nothing occurred to
give us a chance. Then all at once
Cavendish got his first telegram from
Westcott and decided to pull OUT not
telling anyone where he was going. he
emnloyed me to draw the will, and told
me he planned to leave the city Tor
some time. AS soon as l could l toio
the others over the phone. and we got
busy"
Lacy stared incredulous.
"And there hasn't been no killin'!'
Enright shook his head.
mot by any OF u.s..
"Then how about that dead man IN
New York-the one that was buried
for Cayendish? Oh, l read about
that. Beaton showed 1t to me In the
paper"
mThat's the whole trouble" Enright
answered grayely. Il do not know
who he was, or how he came there.
All know is. he was not Frederick
Cavendish. But his being found there
dead in Cavendishs apartments. and
identified, puts us in an awful hole.
If the rest of this affair should ever
become known. Do you see! fhe
charge would be murder. and how are
we going to hold the real Cavendish
alive and not have it come out!
1.-THE other Observation-Disclosures
Cavendish?'
Certainly not; you know where
Cavendish is"
~ never saw Fred Cavendish:
wouldn't know him from Adams on
OK. I'VE got the fellow Beaton turned
over to me-"
swell. he's the man; the dead one
kisn't."
How do you known
Because Frederick Cavendish
bought and signed round-trip ticket
10 Los Angeles. and boarded the mid
night train. MY man reported that to
me. and Beaton just had time to catch
the same train before 1t pulled out.
Isn't that true. Ned?
Eyes. it Is, and I never left him."
But. insisted Lacy stubbornly,
did YOU see the dead one?"
Eyes. l kept away from the in
ouest. but attended the funeral to get
glance at his face. 1t seemed too
strange to be true The fellow wasn't
Cavendish: I'd swear to that. but he
did look enough like him TO fool any
body who had no suspicious aroused.
Dammit, it's spooky. the very thought
Of It."
But you saw a differenceT'
BECAUSE I looked for it: never
would have otherwise. But anyway.
was already convinced that he was
NOT the man. am not sure what
should have thought If had met him
alive upon the street"
Lacy appeared amused, crossing the
room. and expectorating into the open
stove.
"You fellows make me laugh" he
said grimly. 81 am hardly idiot
enough to be taken In by that sort
of old wives tale. However. If that
is your story, stick to it-but If you
were TO ever tell 1t In court. 1t would
take a jury about five minutes to bring
in their verdict. Let's get to bust
ness. You want me to help out In a
SORT of accident l presume-a fall
. over a cliff, or the premature discharge
Of blasting powder; these things are
unite common out here. And to pre-,
, vent any stir at this end. before you
fellows get hold Of the stuff. you want
me to call off my working gang and
,et Westcott alone. Come. now, speak
! up."