Evening journal., 1922-12-07
CHAPTER II

r
1--WE will inquire into the theft o
this testament"
But my father did not appear L
notice Mr.. Gosford. He seemed per
picked and in some concern.
Lewis" he said, what is YOU
definition Of a crime7"
1T is a violation OF the law" re
piled the lawyer.
IT do not accept your definition
said my father. ut is, rather,
think, violation OF justice-a viola
tion of something behind the law
that makes an act a crime. 1 think,
he went on, that God must take q
broader view than Mr.. Blackstone
and Lord Coke. I have seen a muir
der In the law that was. in fact. only
a kind OF awful accident, and have
seen your catalogue of crimes gone
about by feeble men with no intent
except an adjustment OF their rights
Their crimes. Lewis, were merel,
errors OF their Impractical judy
ment."
Then he seemed to remember that
the Englishman was present.
"And now, Mr.. Gosford." he said,
will you kindly ask young Marshall
to come In here?"
The man would have refused, with
some rejoinder. but my father was
looking at him, and he could not find
the courage to resist my fathers
viii He got up and went out. and
.r,racarf1rs 81 -.
Tad and Gaeki. The old country
doctor sat down by the door. his
leather case OF bottles by the chair.
his cloak still fastened under his
chin. Gosford went back to the
table and sat down with his writing
materials to keep notes. The boy
stood
Ny father looked long time at
the lad. His face was grave. but
when he spoke. his voice was gem
tie.
MY boy he said, ct have had
good deal of experience in the ex-
animation of the DEVILS work" He
paused and indicated the violated
room. 1T is often excellently done.
His disciples are extremely clever.
ones ingenuity Is often taxed 10
trace out the evil design in it. and to
stamp It as a false piece set into the
natural sequence of events"
He paused again. and his big
shoulder blotted out the window.
Every natural event" he con-
iinued, lis intimately connected with
innumerable events that precede and
follow. It has so many serrated
points OF contact with other events
that the human mind Is not able to
AZ a false event so that no trace Of
the joinder will appear. The most
skilled workmen in the DEVILS shop
are only able to give their false piece
a blurred joinder."
He stopped and turned TO the row
of mahogany drawers beside him.
Now. my boy" he said "can you
tell me why the one who ransacked
this room. in opening and tumbling
the contents of all the drawers
about. did not open the two at the
bottom of the row where I stand ?"
Because there was nothing in
them OF value. sir" replied the lad.
What is in them?" said my
father.
"only old letters. sir. written TO
my father, when 7 was in Paris
nothing else"
"And who would know that?" said
my father.
The boy went suddenly white.
PRECISELY said my father. "You
alone knew it, and when y5i under
took to give this library the appear
ance of a pillage room, you uncon-
sciously endowed your imaginary
robber with the thing you know
yourself. why search for loot in
drawers that contained only old let !
ters? So your imaginary robber !
reasoned. knowing what you knew. !
But a real robber, having no such I
knowledge. would have ransacked /
them lest he miss the things OF I
value that he searched for"
He paused, his eyes on the lad, his |
voice deep and gentle.
Where is the will?" he said.
The white in the boys face 1
changed TO scarlet. He looked a /
moment about him in sort Of ter !
ror; then he lifted his head and nut
back his shoulders. He crossed the (
room TO a bookcase, took down a I
volume, opened II and brought out a |
sheet OF folded foolscap. He stood
up and faced my father and the men
about the room.
This man." he said, indicating
Gosford, has no right 10 take all
my father had. He persuaded nv
father and was trusted by him. But
/ did not trust him. My father saw
this plan in a light that did not see
1t. but I did not oppose him. II he
wished to use his fortune to help
our country in the thing which he
thought he foresaw. I was willing
for him to do It.
But. he cried. Somebody de-
ceived me. and ] will not believe
that It was my father. He told me
all about this thing. had not the
health to fight for our country. when
the time came. he said. and as he
had no other son. our fortune must
go TO that purpose in our stead. But
my father was just He said that
a portion would be set aside for me. |
and the remainder turned over to
Mr. Gosford. But this will give
all to Mr.. Gosford and leaves me
nothingi"
Then he came forward and put
the paper in my fathers hand
There was silence except for the
Sharp voice of Mr. Gosford
Il think there will be a criminal