South Bend news-times., 1922-08-25

suppose she knows them all. What
about an interviewer
It's going 20 be difficult. I said
thoughtfully. You've got rather \
Characteristic face. you know. And
your beard
I'd shave il Off he snapped.
Ny dear Mark"
He looked away and mumDled,
I've been thinking Of taking IL of
anyhow And besides. if I'm. going
30 90 the thing, I'm going 20 do it
properly
Yes You always were an artist,
said, looking at him admiringly.
He purred. To be called an artist
was what ne longed for most. Now
] knew that 1 had him.
All the same, l went on, even
without your beard and mustache
YOU might be recognizable. Unless,
of course I broke Off
Unless whst?'
You pretend TO be Robert. I
began to laugh 20 myself again. BY
love- I said. that's not a bad idea.
Pretend to be Robert. the wastrel
BROTHER, and make yourself olaec-
tionable to Miss Norris. Borrow
money from her. and that sort OF
thing.
Robert he said. Yes. How
shall we work it,?
There was really Robert, Mr.
Gllingham, as I have no doubt YOU
and the Inspector both discovered.
And he was a wastrel and he went
to Australia. But he never came
10 the Red House on Tuesday after
noon. He couldn't have, because he
died (unlamented) three years ago
But there was nobody who knew
this, save Mark and myself, for
Mark was the only one Of the family
left, his sister having died last year.
Though / doubt, anyhow. if she
knew whether Robert was alive or
dead. He was not talked about.
For the next two days Mark and
worked out our plans. You under
stand by now that our plans were
not identical Marks endeavor was
that his deception should last for.
say, a couple Of hours, mine that IL
should so 10 the grave with him.
lie had only TO deceive Miss Norris
and the other guess. 1 had TO de-
ceive the world.
When he was dressed up az
Robert, I was going 70 kill him
Robert would then be dead. Mark
(of course) missing. What could
anybody think but that Mark had
KILLED Robert? But you see how i'm
portant Il was for Mark to enter
fully into his latest (and Iast) i'm
persOnation. alf-measures would
he fatal.
You viii say that Il was impos.
Sib.s 10 do the thing thoroughly
enough 1 answer again that YOU
never Inew Mark he was being
what ne wished most 10 be--an ar
tist No Othello ever blacked
himself all over with such en-
-husiasro-a did Mark His beard
was going anyhow - possibly a
cHance remark Of Miss Norbury's :
helped here. She did not like
boards. But it was important TO-
NE that the dead mans hands
should not be the hands OF a MANI
cured gentleman. Five minutes
playing upon the vanity OF the artist
settled his hands He let the nails
srow and then cut them raggedlv.
Atiss Norris would notice your
hands az once l had said. Besides
IS an artist
so win his urdercIothes. Il was
hardly necessary 10 warn him thar
bis pants Disht show above The
edge OF his socks: as an arts. he
had already decided upon Robertian
rants. I bought them. and other
things. in London for him. Even II
I had not cut cut all trace Of the
makers name. he would have IN
stinctively have done i. As an Aus
trailan and an artist. he could no.
have an EaSt London address on his
underclot1es. Yes. we were doing
The thing thoroughly, both Of US: ne
as an artist, I as a-well, you may