Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-08-14

peI 'NuidTly pleH9e0 OF UlSDOSeQ
TO see me. begged him to tell me what
the real truth was He was, I think,
somewhat dazed by the sentence-but
ne was also sullen and morose. I asked
s,lm where his wife and two children
one, mere infant-were. For 1 had
already been to his private address and
had found that Mrs. Brake had sold al.
the furniture and disappeared-com
pletely. No one-thereahouts, at any
me anything, On my asking this, he re-
fused to answer. I pressed him--he said
finally that he was only speaking the
truth when he replied that he did not
know where his wife was. said
any attempt. Then I begged him to
tell me II she was with friends. I re-
member very we'll what he replied.--T'm
not going to say one word more to any
determinediy. shall be dead to the
world-only because I've been trust
ing fool for ten years or thereabouts,
but, when / come back to II, I'll let the
world see what revenge means! Go
away!' he concluded. I won't say one
word more. And--I left him."
"And-you made no more inquiries?-
about the wife," asked Bryce.
"I did what could" replied Mr.. Gil
waters. II made some inquiry in the
neighborhood In which they had lived.
All could discover was that Mrs: Brake
had disappeared under extraordinarily
mysterious circumstances. There was
no trace whatever OF her. And speedily
found that things were being said-the
usual cruel suspicious, you know
"Such as--what?" asked Bryce.
That the amount OF the defalcations
was much larger than had been allowed
to appear" replied Mr. Gilwaters. That
Brake was very clever rogue who had
got the money safely planted some-
where-Australia, or Canada, or some
other far-off region-to await his re-
lease. or course, didn't believe one
word OF all that. But there was tne
fact-she had vanished! Ana eyentuany.
Brakes great friend. so l tried 10 ma
him.
"And then I found that he, too. VINO
in 10 that time had been practicing IN
a London NOTWITHSTANDING aiso
disappeared. Just after Brakes arrest,
Ransford had suddenly sold ms pTaT''Iit hs, a.
was believed abroad. couldn't trace
him. ANYWAY. And soon after that l
had a long illness. and for two or three
veara was an invalid, and-well, the
thing was over and done with, ano' as j
said lust now, I have never heard any
thing of any Of them for all these years
And now now you tell me that there
Ia a Mary Bewery who Is a ward OF
Doctor Mark Ransford at-where ola
you say?"
"At WINCHESTER" answered Bryce:
"She is a young woman OF twenty, ana
she has brother. Richard. VINO Is oe-
tween seventeen and eighteen.
without a doubt those are Brakes
children |" exclaimed the old man. The
infant spoke of was a boy. Bless me
how extraordinary. How long have
they been at Wrychester?"
"Ransford has been in practice there
some years-a few years" replied Bryce
These two young people joined MIN
there definitely two years ago. But from
what have learned he has acted as
their guardian ever since they were mere
children" w
"And-their mother7" asked Mr.. Gill
waters.
said to be dead--long since" answer.
know nothing. Ransford won't tell them
anything. But. as you say-Ive no
doubt Of It myself now---they must be
the children OF John Brake"
And have taken the name OF their
mother" remarked the old man
They don't know that It isn't their real
name. OF course. Ransford has given
it to them! But now-the mother ?"
"Ah, yes. the mother" said Mr.. GU.
waters. Our old governess Dear me
I'm going to put a question to you.
speaking in a low. cofdential tone
you must have seen much OF the world,
Mr.. Gilwaters-men Of your profession
know the world, and human nature too.
Call to mind all the mysterious circum-
stances, the veiled hints, or that trial
Do you think--have you ever thought
that the false friend whom the counsel
referred to was-Ransford? Come
now !"
The old clergyman lifted his hands ana
let them fall on his knees.
IT do not know what to say" he ex-
claimed. ITO tell you the truth, have
often wondered if-if that was What
really did happen. There is the tacs
that Brakes wife disappeared myster
iously-that Ransford made a similar
mysterious disappearance about the
same time-that Brake was obviously
suffering from intense and bitter hatred
when ] saw him after the trial-hatred
of some person on whom he meant to
be revenged-and that his counsel hinted
that he had been deceived and betrayed
b. a friend. Now, to my knowledge, h.
and Ransford were the closest of friends
i'm the old days, before Brake married
our governess. And ! suppose the
friendship ontinued-certainly Rams
ford acted as best man at the wedding
But how account for that strange double
disappearance"
Bryce had already accounted for that,
In his own secret mind. And now, hav-
ing got all that he wanted out Of the
old clergyman, he rose to take his leave.
You will regard this interview as
having been Of a strictly private nature.
Mr.. Gilwaters?" he said.
"Certainly!' responded the old man.
"But-you mentioned that you wished to
marry the daughter? Now that you
know about her fathers past--for ! am
you won't allow that to--eh?"
mot for moment =, anSwered
Bryce, with fair show of magnanimity.
II am not man of that complexion,
sir. No IL only wished to clear up
certain things, you understand"
what you say-in ignorance of her real
Gilwaters anxiously. shall you-"
~ shall do nothing whatever In any
haste" replied Bryce. Rely upon me
to consider her feelings In everything.
As you have been so kind, l will let you
know, later, how matters CO."
This was one of Pemberton Bryce's
ready inventions He had not the least
intention OF ever. seeing or communi-
eating with the late vicar Of Braden
Medworth again; Mr. Gilwaters had
served his purpose for the time being.
He went away from Bayswater, and,
an hour later, from London, highly
satisfied. In his opinion. Mark Rams
ford. seventeen years before, had taken
advantage OF MS lTlenub d mlbIOrtuneB to
run away with his wife. and when
Brake, alias Braden. had Unexpectedly
turned up at WINCHESTER, he had added
to his former wrong by the commission
OF u far greater one.
Bryce went back to WINCHESTER firmly
convinced that Mark Ransferd had killed
John Braden. He reckoned things up In
his own fashion. Some years must
have elapsed since Braden, or rather
Brakes release. He had probably heard,
nm, ralaaea that