The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-06-20

even In q crowded room, thht VINO"
he had her all TO himself and Al
night he could not persuade her TO
anything that he liked. whether !.
were or were not to her own spon-
tanepus liking 81,
So put all this to the sergeant.
but. of course, he, manlike, took
very little account Of It, He did
say then that. even SO. there were
other causes OF quarrel which
might quite we'll have arisen.
could not dispute that, but
what did say was: SEVEN 80,
however that be. ! do not believe
that Captain Wharf was the man
who would commit crime such as
murder. Crimes-yes. He would
commit any number OF small
crimes, of mean crimes. but any
crime on the big scale like that
no. don't believe he has the tenn
permanent to carry him away In
gust OF passion to do anything like
that"
OF course. one might as well talk
psychology to a beetle as try to
make any appeal to q policeman's
mind-even to the mind Of police
man, So much superior to the type
ar Sergeant Crisp undoubtedly was
by any argument OF that kind.
| realized the futility OF 1t even as
I said the words. They did Just
serve a certain purpose, as a safety
valve to my own mind, though they
had no effect whatever on the mind
into which I discharged them. So
| said Farewell" with some sin.
cere regret, as | think, on both
sides, to Sergeant Crisp, and we
went back, uncle and !, to Scotney
House to take up again as we might
those threads of life which had
been so tragically broken.
Now all this-that Is to say. the
trial and condemnation Of Captain
Wharf for the murder Of my aunt
happened shortly before the legal
Long Vacation of 1914. 1t was a
nine days wonder, or something
more, for all the newspapers, and
surely it would have engaged their
attention for good while longer
had they not begun to be occupied
with events of wider importance.
For very soon afterward began
that series of events. opening, so
far as was publicly seen, insp the
murder of the Archduke at Sera-
jevc. which led up to the great war.
There followed those days of
suspense which we all passed in a
singular state OF arrested mental
activity and almost. as it seemed,
in a con iition of restricted heart
beats. when we knew not whether
we were going to take the heroic
or the cowardly course-tO fight or
not to fight.
Then the die was cast. Sir Ed
ward Grey announced the moment
Gus decision in the House OF Com
mons, and the way in which the
immense event affected me most
closely was in Uncle Ralph's going
back, only week or two later, to
rejoin his old regiment.
was not at all able to fathom
the Uncle Ralph of these, the last
days in which saw him. In some
indescribable way he had changed
from the Uncle Ralph whom used
to know and love. / loved him just
as well still, but felt that / under
stood him far less well. His had
always been such a very simple
and open as well as very lovable
character. But now there was
something secretive and withdraw
ing about it. 1t was not that he
loved me less-I was quite sure Of
,that-and he was just as kind to
me as ever, but there was some
thing between us. I could not de-
fine it, but I was keenly aware
of It.
So he went, with a very affec-
tionate "GoodIby" to me, and with
him went Granger, that creature
Of the inscrutable face and man.
ner, absolutely inscrutable and alb
solutely devoted to my uncle as
ever.
And all the while Captain Wharf.
probably a gallant soldier for all
his sins, and one who should have
been OF value to the Empire, lay
In prison, condemned to the last
penalty. He had given notice, as l
understood. OF appeal to what is
calIed the Court OF Criminal An