Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-08-17

dsss ,,fc, yy later is found dead at the foot
W "sctnt Wrvtha's STAIR. Warner, a
oojonsr,dson, says ne sa,o the man tdH
Ths t.m tims0Ehi Ehis Is objected to, as Var
s9 Insisted that he had seen mans
rs, Rarsford has Mdry purchase
So,Sers for the dead mans funeral.
4 sorker N Barthorpe offers q regard
q, Information regarding the dead
J% x Bryco finds an entry IN the par.
~ n'a's sreai,bor OF the country church at
~ Ipsodes Med,oorth, tchere Mark Rdns-
In,d had acted as best man at the
rdrrtao' Of Jos" nsa saasf soifat ana mGry lar,
,,itaneously mention TO Mdry that
assio IL rife IN connection 10Th Rams
ggorS and the man Brake. "Bah =
tSsyre lot Of gossips, these close
'oc'TSS cn'TTSSauk vou," safd Mary. "But--
,,,aosino fhts mon had been to our
~%f m~%essf ne might have been for half
I" eoii Foiiiot iookecs, I her out Of his half
shut eyes.
AND HERE IT CONTINUES
tfcoME people would want to know
why Ransford didn't tell that--at
,hs inquest" he answered. That's all.
When there's bit Of mystery, you
"H He nodded-as II reassuringly--and
vent OF 10 reJolH MS saruener, ana mary
walked home with her roses, more
thoughtful than ever. Mystery--a bit
OF mystery? There was vast and
heavy cloud Of mystery. and she know
she could have no peace until It was
lifted.
In the midst of all her perplexity at
that moment, Mary Bewery was certain
Of one fact about which she had no per-
plexity nor any doubt-it would not be
long before the rumors Of which Bryce
and Mr., Folliot had spoken. Although
she had only lived in WINCHESTER a COM
paratiyely short time she had seen and
learned enough of It to know that the
place was hotbed of gossip. Once
gossip was started there Il spread.
widening in circle after circle. And
though Bryce was probably right when
he said that the person chiefly concerned
was being whispered, she knew we'll
enough that sooner or later this talk
about Ransford would come to Rams
ford's own ears. But she had no idea
that 1t was to come so soon, nor from
her own brother.
Lunch in the Ransford menaRe was
an Informal meal. At quarter past /
every day II was on the table-a cold
lunch to which the three members of
the household helped themselves as they
liked, independent of the services Of
servants. Sometimes all three were
Ransford was half an hour late the one
member who was always there to the
moment was Dick Bewery. who fortified
himself sedulously after his mornings
school ss labors On this particular day all
and sat down together. And before
Dick had eaten many mouthfuls OF a
cold pie to which he had just literally
helped himself he bent confldentially
across % the table toward his guardian.
"Thara'Q n n A
to be told about, sir" he remarked, with
a side-glance at Mary. "Something
heard this morning at school. You know
we've lot of fellows-town boys-who
talk"
Il saresay," responded Ransford dry.
mothers, no doubt. well-what Is it?''
He: too. glanced at Maryland the
girl had her work set to look uncon.
sclous.
'Tts this" replied Dick lowering his
voice in spite Of the fact that ali three
were alone. They're saying in the town
that you know. something which you
won't tell about that affair last week
Its being talked Of"
Ransford laughed-a little cynically.
srsni Are you s. quite sure. my boy. that they
asked. "Daren't is much more likely
word than won't, think"
nj Weli-about that, SIR" acknowledged
pSk Comes to that, anyhow"
or,.sn Ano what are their grounds?' in
I'll be bound!"
~. They say that man-Braden-had
oeen here here, to the house that
ssorning, not long before he was found
' oead' answered Dick. "Of course,
sag that was all bosh IL said that II
hed been here and seen you, I'd have
heard Of It, dead certain"
MI mats not quite so dead certain,
LICK LICK as that have no knowledge of his
ever ever having been here" said Ransford.
Hgv NV VINO says he came here?'
promptly. she says she saw him % 20
cIOsyS cSEsy trom the house and across the
lose lose little before 10. So Jim Dera-
more says, anyway-and he saws his
otp.r mtpp.ners eyes are as good as an
Doubtless !" assented Ransford He
woS poSeu at Mary again. and saw that she
"WsK "Ss KKeeeping her eyes fixed on her plate
yn, well. he continued. IF II will give
tSa tSS any satisfaction, Dick, you can tell
,an ae sosslps that Doctor Ransford never
a. any man.. Braden or anybody else,
AZ MS house that morning, and that he
q eAcnanged word with Braden
So.dnh ihuch Tor that! But" he added, you
knom expect them to believe you. I
c" ide. tnese people-if they've got an
deatb ''o thelr heads they'll ride it to
fact" Wnat say is a
morn plek D presently. went off-and once
,bise .hansford looked at Mary, And
suzanne 'nne' Mary had to meet her
"HaSn inquiring glance
he asked. ""S'hihs or this?'
replied li"S' wtthert mere was a rumor--yes." she
"sv awIu Iust now-this morning"
for" "o told you of it?" inquired Rams
thSt mary N hesltated. Then she remembered
SonrGM S%S Mr. Folliot, at any rate, had not
me Tr, ir, foIliot," she replied. He called
roses "t" an ms garden, to give me those
more baJ %np ne ne mentioned that Mrs. Dera-
lot onS mSu SAID these things to Mrs Fol-
probshIi ,i ahd as he seemed to think It highly
tbSnOa That Mrs. Folliot would reneat
want ne told me-because he didn't
oriTinSSIH3,m, you to think that the rumor had
'VerW gUnS arisen at his house"
Si'sSSd 10 sSf, RansIord dryIy IN They sure a ike IKE
But" lhe blame from one to another
her "yo,, added, looking searchingly at
BradeSS'su cont know anything about
Ea s, having come here?"
saw am m az once that she did. and MARY
his face '''aue or anxiety come over
inv res E., do" she replied THAT morn.
dsy IusMit IN alt. was told to me, only to-
I'm !" strict confidence"
ma" stTlct confidence !" he raneated
"DocttokE okEnP9%-by Pv,,b whom?"'
him tSIs 6ryce," she answered II met
ought 10 knnu ing; And. l think you
dence sh hhnow' Only-it was in conf
Ing at b;e Sne paused for a moment. look
Il bats "',n and her face grew troubled
"but@w,nIo 70 suggest it." she continued
and ri ria ass Eop h,cm come with me to see him,
are-to tell tell Hu,nmii-things uni being as they
Rsm%SItSoTt RsnsSnIrtSS his permission nU'' me-
:, II disIika snUok ~ 90 his head and frowned,
But-rm pSt In his power, as il We're.
Dark Put on gong to be left In the