San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-16

Plymouth. every day of the week
And if poor Bob got there, no doubt
plenty of chaps would hide him when
he offered 'em money enough 10
make it worth while. Once aboard
one of those sloops, he'd be about as
safe as he would be anywhere,
They'd land him at st. Malo, or
somewhere. down there, and he'd
give you the Slip
And, until it was found out that
he was mad, we might hear no more
about him.
"Why should it be found that he
was mad?" asked Bendigo. "He
was mad when he Killed this limo
cent man. no doubt, because non,
but a lunatic would have. done such
an awful thing. or been SO cunning
after-:with the sort of childish Gun
ming that gave him. away from the
start. But once he'd done what
this twist. in. his brain. drove him
to- do, then | judge that his madness
very likely left him. If you caught
him tomorrow. you'd possibly find
him as sane as yourself-except on
that one subject. He'd worked up
his old hatred of Michael Pendean.
as shirker in the war, until it fcs.
tered in his head and poisoned his
mind. so as he couldn't get it under.
That's how I read it. I had a pretty
good contempt for the poor char
myself and was properly savage
with my niece. when she welded him
against our wishes: but my feeling
didn't turn my head, and l felt GLAD
to hear that Pendean was an honest
man. who did the best he could a,
the Moss Depot"
Brendon considered.
"A very sound view," he said.
"and likely to be correct. On the
strength of this letter, we may con.
clude that when he went home, af.
ter disposing of the body under
Berry Head. your brother must have
disguised himself in some way and
taken an early train from Paigntop
to Newton Abbot and from Newton
ABBOT to Plymouth. He would al
ready have been there and lying
low before the hunt began
That's how l figure it" answered
the, sailor.
when did you last see him, Mr..
Somewhere about month ago. He
came over for the day with Miss Reed
the young woman he was going to
marry"
WAS he all right then?'
Bendigo considered and scattered in
his. red beard.
"Noisy and full of chatter, but much
as usual"
Did he mention Mr.. and Mrs. Pen
dean:''
Not word. He was full up with
his young woman. They meant to be
married in late autumn and 60 abroad
for run to see my brother Albert"
He may correspond with Miss Reed
II he gets to France:'
Il can't say what he'll do. Suppose
you catch him presently? How would
the law stand? A man goes mad and
murder. Then you nab him
and he's as sane as n judge. You can't |
hang him for what he did when he
was off his head. and you can't shut
him mp in a lunatic asylum if he's |
sane"
a nice problem. no doubt" admit !
ted Brendon. ''but be sure the law will |
take no risks. A homicidal maniac,
no matter how sane he is between
lines, is not going TO run loose any
more after killing man." !
well. that's all there is to it, de-
.ective. If / hear again. I'll let the
police know; and if you take him. of
curse you'll let me and his brother
know at once. It's very ugly thing
or his family. He did good work in
he war and got honors; and if he's
mad. then the war made him mad"
THAT would be taken very fully into
recount. be sure. I'm sorry. both for
lin and for you. Mr.. Redmayne."
Bendigo looked sulkily from under
lis tangled eyebrows.
II shouldn't feel no very great call
o give him up to the. living death of
IN asylum if he hove in here some
light"
YOU'D do your duty-that l will
,et." replied Brendon.
They descended to the dining room.
where Jenny Pendean was waiting to