New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-07-18
CHAPTER XIX.
A Legacy for Peter Cams

"A Legacy for Peter Cams
II at any time | entertained one
shadow of regret in the execution of
those who had traduced me and so
earned their destruction, 1t was after
we had dwelt for a season with Albert
Redmayne beside Como. But Jenny
swiftly laughed mes out of these
emotions
Keep your tenderness and senti-
ment for me-" she said Il will not
share them"
We might have killed Albert
thousand times and left no sigma
fact that brings me to that part OF my
recital ! most deplore.
Nevertheless, though things diff
cult and dangerous. we had trium-
phantly achieved. before this talk for
q child we failed: and the reason for
our collapse was not in Jenny but in
me. Had / listened to my austere
partner I should have waited only
until she had searched for and
found her uncles will. This she did
and as the instrument proved entirely
satisfactory, my duty was then to
proceed about our business. Only an
artists fond pride interviewed; moth
ing but my vanity, my consciousness
Of power to excel. upset the rightful
climax We were, indeed, both
artists, but how incomparably the
greater she! Had she won her way
with me, we should be living now to
enjoy the fruits Of our accomplish
nent ..
But though she did not win her
way, yet in defeat, her final glori-
GUS deed was to intercept the death
intended for me, that | might still
live. Loyal to the last, she sacri-
feed herself, forgetting, in that SUI
IRENE moment how life for me with
out her could possess no shadow of
compensation.
My wife's deeper sanity and clear
er vision always inclined her to dis
trust our American acquaintance.
Peter Cams.
Cams Is a great man on his own
plane. But though he is a greedy
creature who digs his grave with his
knife and fork, though his habit of
drenehing himself with powdered to-
hacco, instead of smoking like a gen
tleman, Is disgusting, vet ] have
nothing but admiration for him. His
little plot--to treat me to a dose of
my own physic and present forgery
Of Robert Redmayne" in the evening
dusk--was altogether admirable. The
thing came in manner so sudden
and unexpected that l failed of a per,
feet reposte.
1t was Jenny, of course, who had |
assisted me to dig Marcos grave on |
Griante and who shared my disap- |
pointment when we found that Bren- |
don had escaped my revolver.
While Jenny related her sufferinga |
and made appeal to her listeners |
.overmastering devotion, ] left the |
house and Brendon saw me CO. To |
get boat, that | might cross to Bel
lagio, was the work OF ten minutes |
Al black beard was all the disguise | |
used, save that ! had left my coat in |
the boat and appeared before Red
mayne in shirt sleeves.
With trembling accents ! related to
Assunta, who of course knew me not,
that Poggi was taken fatally i'll and
might hardly hope to last an hour.
1t was enough. I returned to the
boat and in three minutes Albert
joined NE anu OIISFcu hit 'uulotI SOlb
to row as had never ,rowed before.
"A hundred and fifty Yards from shore
] directed him to pass into the bow
of the boat, explaining that | should
so make greater speed As he passed
me, the little pole-aSe fell. lie suf-
Tered nothing and in five minutes
more, with heavy stones fastened to
feet and arms, he sank beneath Como.
The pole-axe followed, its work COM
rieted. 49,"
Then | rowed ashore swiftly, re-
turned the boat to the beach unob-
served, hid my disguise in my pocket
and strolled to a familiar inn. /
stopped at this albergo for a consid
cradle period, that a sufficient alibi
might be established. Then the
crash came. l returned home sus-
pecting nothing-to fall like Lucifer.
to find all lost to hold my dead wife
In my arms and know that, without
her, life was ended for me.
/ In seemly, splendid fashion she
passed and it shall not be recorded
that the man this glorious woman
loved made an end OF his days with
less distinction and propriety. To die