Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-08-30
THE PARADISE MYSTERY
BY J. S. Fletcher
Copyright. 1850. bv Alfred A. Knopt. Inc.

S'usotitts Nhut
OF us, you understand. SO that is done
WITH ,,n And you know, then, of course.
John Brake, ex-bank manager"
about 1t. I've been deeply Interested and
concerned in his death. And I'll tell you
why. want to marry his daughter"
Glassdale turned and stared at his
"his daughter - he exclaimed.
4 never knew he had a daughter! 70
IT was Bryce'a turn to stare now. He
looked at Glassdale incredulously.
DO you mean to tell me that you
knew Brake all those years and that he
never mentioned his children?" he ex-
Never word of EN- !" replied Glass
dale. Never knew he, had any"
Did he never speak Of his past7"
asked Bryce.
mot in that respect" answered Glass
dale. I'D no idea that he was--or had
been--a married man. He certainly
never mentioned wife nor children to me,
SIR and yet ! knew Brake about as
intimately as two men can know each
other for some years before we came
back to England"
musing. What could be the meaning OF
this extraordinary silence on Brakes
part? Was there still some hidden Sc
cret, some other mystery at which he
hhu HOl yet BueSSeuG
odd !" he remarked at last after
long pause during which Glassdale had
watches him curiously But, did he
never speak to you Of an old friend OF
his named Ransford--a doctor7"
Never ~ said Glassdale. Never men
toned such mani"
Bryce reflected again, and suddenly
determined to be explicit.
John Brake, the bank manager" he
said, was married at place called
Rrahpn Mantunrfh In T.aipa arehira "A
girl named Mary Bewery. He had two
children, who would be, respectively,
about four and one years Of age when
his-we'll call 1t misfortune--happened.
That's a fact! ~
First ever heard of it, then" said
Glassdale. And that's a fact, too"
He'd also very close friend named
Ransford-Mark Ransford," continued
Bryce. This Ransford was best man
at Brakes wedding"
Never heard him speak Of IsansLord,
nor of any wedding !" affirmed Giassdale.
"All news to me. doctor" ...
This ,Ransford is now in practice
has two young people living with him
as his wards-a girl of twenty, q boy
Of seventeen-who are, without doubt
John Brakes children 1t Is the daugh-
ter that / want to marry"
well. all I can say is, you surprise
such thing"
chester because Of that?" asked Bryce
How can ! answer that, sir, when
I tell you that never heard him breathe
one word of any children? exclaimed
Glassdale. No know his reason for
coming to WINCHESTER. II was wholly
and solely--as far as I know-to tell
the duke here about that jewel bust
ness, the secret cf which had been en-
trusted to Brake and me by man on
his deathbed in Australia. Brake cane
to Wrychester by hlmself--I was to
join him next morning; we we're then
to go to sce the duke together. When
got to WINCHESTER. heard of Brakes
accident, and being upset by 1t. went
til yesterday, when i made up my mind
to tell the duke myself. as / did; with
very fortunate results. No. that's tho
only reason ! know Of why Brake came
this way. tell you ] knew nothing at
all of his family affairs!
He was a very close man. Brake, and
apart from his business matters, ned
only one idea In his head, and that was
lodged there pretty firmly, can assure
what was it?" asked Bryce.
He wanted to find certain man
| or rather. two men--who'd cruelty de-
ceived and wronged him, but one OF EN- en-
':The particular one he believed to be in
Australia, until near the end, when he
got an idea that he'd left for England
as for the other, he didn't bother. much
want ,-ah, he wanted him hadlyy'
"Who was that MANI" asked Bryce.
"A man of the name OF Falkiner
Wraye," answered Glassdale promptly
"a man he'd known in London, This
wraye, together with his partner, a
man called Flood, tricked Brake. into
lending em several thousand pounds,
banks money, Of course-for n couple
OF days-no more-and then clean dis
He was a fool, no doubt but he'd been
mixed up with them; he'd done 1t be-
fore, and they'd always kept their
promises, and he did It once too often.
disappeared. and the bank inspector
happened to call at Brakes bank and
ask for his balances. And-there he
was. And-that's why he'd Falkiner
idea Tother man was lesser con.
sideration, Wraye was the chief
Il wish you'd tell me all you know
ing Between ourselves, of course"
. "oh--I don't know that there's so
much secrecy" replied Glassdaie Almost
indifferently. "Of course, knew him
first when we were both inmates Of
you understand where; no need for par
ticulars. But after we left that place
I never saw him again until we met IN
Australia few years ago we We're
both in the same trade-speculating In
wool. We got pretty thick and used 70
see each other great deal, and OF
course, grew confidential. He told me
In time about his affair. and how he'd
traced this Wraye to the United States
and then, I think. to New Zealand and
afterward to Australia, and as ] was
Knocking about the country great deal
buying up wool, he asked me to helI
him, and gave me a description oi
wraye, of whom he said he'd certainly
heard something when he first landed
, at sydney but had never been able 70
trace afterward. But II was no good
/ never either saw or heard OF Wraye
and Brake came 10 the conclusion he'd
left Australia And I know he, hoped
to get news of him somehow when we
returned to England
THAT description now?--what was
ON" said Glassdale, "I cant re-
member it all now--bis man clean
shaVen nothing very particular except
one thing Wraye' &c Hec9rdTg Inrt to n5 Br9NG Ike
lost the middle finger, OF his LEFT hand,
all from a gun accident. He-whats
the matter, sir?" .,
from his lips. He took some time In
picking It up. When he raised himself
again his face was calm II a little
flushed from STOPPING.
"Bit my pipe on bad tooth !" he
muttered. II must have that tooth seen
10, SO you never heard or saw any
hing OF this man.
Never !" answered Glassdale. But
I'ye wondered since this WINCHESTER
AFFAIR II Brake accidentally came
across one or other OF those men, and
IL his death arose out Of 1t, Now. look
here, doctor! read the accounts OF
the inauest on Brake--Id have gone "a
, il IL I'd dared, but just then ! hadn't
| mind nhnllt aanlnE the duke