The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-07-09
CHAPTER XII
Peter Takes the Helm

Menaggio. He had now turned his
mind once more to the problem before
him and spoke, but little. He sat with
his notebook lopen and made an
occasional entry as he pursued his
thoughts.
He looked up presently.
1.-THE hard thing before us is this"
he said, ito get into touch with Rob-
ert 'Redmayne, or his ghost. There
are two sorts of ghost, Mark; the
real thing-in which you don't be-
lieve and concerning which 1 hold
watching brief; and the manufactured
article"
He broke off and changed the sub
ject.
What I'm doing is 70 compare your
J verbal statement with Mr.. Red
J mayne's written communication" he
said. patting his book.
You'll find the story OF Robert
Redmayne from childhood and the
story of the girl, his niece, and of
her dead father. Mrs. Doria's father
was rough customer-scorpions to
Roberts whips apparently-a man 6.
bit out of the common"
II shall like to read the report"
IT'S valuable to us, because writ
ten without prejudice. That's where
1t beats your very lucid account,
Mark. There was something running
through your story, like a thread of
silk in cotton. that you won't find
here. 1t challenged me from the
jump, my boy. and I'm inclined to
| f,Ir hot IN, Aaf - I'll T
shall just find the reason of your
failure, before I've wound it up"
II don't understand you, Cams"
You wouldn't-not yet. But We'll
change the metaphor. Wen say there
was a red herring drawn across the
trail, and that you took the bait and,
having started right enough, pres
emily forsook the right scent for the
wrong"
Brendon made no reply Neither
his conscience nor his wit threw any
light on the point Then Peter. turn
ing to his notes, touched on a minor
incident and showed the other that
it admitted of a doubt
+ "D'you remember the night you
left Crows Nest after your first
visit? On the way back to Dart.
mouth you suddenly saw Robert Red.
mayne standing by a gate and when
the moonlight revealed you to him, he
leaped away and disappeared into the
trees. Why?"
He knew me-"
How"
I'VE had met at Princetown and we
had spoken together for some min
utes by the pool In Foggintor Quarry,
where I was fishing"
That's right. But he didn't know
who you wereN then. Even If he'd
remembered meeting you six months
before in the dusk at Foggintor, why
should be think you were a man
who was hunting him?"
Mark reflected.
That's true" he said.
Peter did not pursue the subject
He shut his book. yawned, took snuff,
and declared himself ready for a meal
The long day passed and both men
turned in early and slept till day
l break.
Before noon they had left Baveno
on a steamer and were crossing the
blue depths Of Maggiore
At Luino they left the steamer and
proceeded to Tresa.
They wound over Lugano and came
in evening light to its northern shore.
/ Then once more they took train.
climbed aloft and fell at last to Men
aggio on Como's brink
Now" said Peter, st guess we'll
leave our traps here and beat it to
Villa Planezzo right away"
Within twenty minutes their one
horse vehicle had reached Mr.. Red
mayne's modest home and :hey found
three persons just about to take an
evening meal. simultaneously there
appeared Mr.. Redmayne. his niece,
and Giuseppe Doria; and while Albert.
Italian fashion. embraced Mr.. Cams
and planted a kiss upon his cheek.
Jenny greeted Mark Brendon and he
looked once more into her eyes.
Doria held back little while his
wife welcomed her uncle's friend
then he came forward, declared his
pleasure at meeting Mark again and
his belief that time would soon re-
veal the truth and set period to the
sinister story of the wanderer
Mr.. Redmayne was overjoyed at
seeing Cams and quiet forgot the
object Of his visit in the pleasure of
receiving him. r.
at has been my last and abiding
ambition to introduce you to virgilio
Poggi, dear Peter. so that you, he
end I may sit together, hear each
others voices and look into each
others eyes"
Jenny and Assunta had hastily
prepared for the visitors and now all
sat at supper and Brendon learned
that rooms were already taken for
him and Mr.. Cams at the Hotel
Victoria.
That's as may be-" he declared
to Doria's wife. You will find. I
think, that Mr.. Cams is going to
stop here. He takes the lead in this
affair."
After cheerful meal Peter abso-
lutely declined to cross Como and
visit Signor Poggi on the instant.
I've had enough of your lakes
for one day, Albert" he announced,
and I want to talk business and
get a rough, general idea of what
more lis known than Mark and I
already know Now what has hap
rened since you wrote, Mrs. Doria y''
Tell them. Giuseppe" directed Mr..
Redmayne.
Your gift-the gold box-take a
PINCH said Peter holding out his
snuff to the old bookworrn: but the