The Dolores star., 1923-05-11
I he Blind Mans Eyes

FprpnCss between the MINOR lntH WV
tried TO run them; only the calling ot
Matthew Latrou into control saved
those men from themselves; they re-
ouIred him to govern them; his tax
ing away would bring chaos ana rum
among them again. They knew that.
inst before he must go to trial. La
trnn himself became convinced thht
he faced confinement for the rest ot
his life: then fate effectively inter
vened 10 end all his troubles. Ills
body. charred and almost consumer
bv Hawes-hut nevertheless the iden-
tified body of Matthew Latron-Was
found in the smoking ruins OF MS
shooting lodge. which burned 10 the
ground two days before his trial
Avery was hunrhed In the seat
watching the blind man with grow
ing conviction and fear.
Santoine went on: "A young man
was shown to have followed Latron
to the shooting lodge; a witness ap-
reared who had seen this young man
shoot Latron; Il second witness hHl
seen him set fire to the lodge. Inc
Young man-Hugh Overton-waS put
on trial for his life. |, myself, as
witness at the trial supplied the mo-
tive for the crime; for, though | hnd
meyer met Ovcrton. knew that he
had lost the whole of a large fortune
through investments recommended to
him by Latron. Overton was CON
vlcted. sentenced TO death he escaped
before the sentence WAS carried out
became a fugitive without a name.
who If he ever appeared would be
handed over for execution. For the
evidence had been perfect-Complete
lie had shot Latron purely for re-
venge, killed him in the most deS-
plcable manner. For there was no
doubt Latron was dead, was there,
Avery?"
None" Avery said huskily.
THAT was the time you came into
my employ, Avery, recommended to
me by one of the men who had been
closest to Latron. l was not connect
ed with the LatrOn properties except
as an adviser; but many papers re
lating to them must 90 inevitably
through my hands. l was rather on
the inside in all that concerned those
properties. But l could not myself
see the papers; was blind; therefore
/ had to have others serve as eyes for
me. And from the first, Avery, you
served as my eyes in connection with
all papers relating to the LatrOn
properties If anything ever appeared
in those papers which might have led
me to suspect that any injustice had
been done in the punishment of La
irons murderer. it could reach me
only through you. Nothing of that
sort ever did reach me, Avery. You
must have made quite a good thing
out of it"
"What?"
Il say, your position here must
have been rather profitable to you,
Avery; l have not treated you badly
myself. recognizing that you must
often be tempted by gaining informa-
tion here from which you might make
money; and your other employers
must have Overbid me-"
81 don't understand; ! beg your par
don, Mr.. Santoinc, but l do not follow
what You are talking about"
NO? Then We must go a little fur
ther. This last year minor reor-
ganiZarion became necessary in some
of the Latron properties. My friend.
Gabriel Warden-who was an honest
man, Avery-had recently greatly in
creased his interest in those proper
ties; it was inevitable the reorganza.
ton should be largely in his hands.
During his work with the Latron prop
critics Wardcn-the honest man.
Avery-discoyered the terrible lnjus-
tice Of which l speak.
81 do not need to draw your atten-
ti0u. Avery. to the very peculiar CON
dition which followed Wardens death,
Warden had certainly had communica-
ton with Oyerton Of some sort; Over
tons enemies, therefore, were unable
to rid themselves of him by delivering
him up TO the police because they did
not know how much Overton knew
When | found that Warden had made
me his executor and | went west and
D,
cullies were intensified, for they did
not dare TO let suspicion of what had
been done reach me. There was no
course open to them. therefore, but TO
remove Overton before my suspicious
were aroused, even if it could be done
only at desperate risk to themselves.
What l am leading up to, Avery. is
your own connection with these
events. You looked after your own
interests rather carefully, l think, uD
to certain point. When-knowing
VINO Eaton was-yOu got him into a
polo game, it was so that, IL your in
terests were best served by exposing
him, you could do so without reveal
ing the real source of your knowledge
OF him. But an Unforeseen event
arose. The drafts and lists relating
to the reorganization of the Latron
properties-containing the very facts
no doubt, which first had aroused
Warden'S SusDjcIonS-wara CON,