Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-05-29
Who Stole the. Bride? And Why!
The Night of the Wedding
By C. N. and A. M. WILLIAMSON
Autbors of The Lightning Conductor and other fascs
MATING ronsances of mystery and Iove
Copyright 1924. by Public Ledger Company
said Haste; and slipped II

gown!" said Haste; and slipped it
you're killing me! My shoulders
broken!" groancd the man; and
Rawdon Wells jumped as II ne mad
my God-his voice!" he STAN
mered. 1T sounds"
because it is-the voice OF Paolo
Magnani!" Dagon cut in. u knew
it was Magnani at the bottom or an
this-knew. but couldn't prove! AND
everything conspired to upset my
theory. 1t wasn't till my man Ia
sent to Skye got into a house at
Portree where Magnani was sup
posed to be i'll, and found no one
but Davis, who used to be butler'
here, that I was sure who this fell
low was. I knew he was in the
Job, ever since he burnt some towels
with blood on them in your fire.
rlace, to strengthen the case against
you in spite Of Pandora Haste. But
/ was q fool not to see the whole
thing frcm that minute. Didn't
Magnani always boast that no actor
in Europe could touch him for
makeup and disguise on the stage?
Why not in private life? 1t took
that news from Skye to beat 1t into
your permission, We'll have some fun
with him. I've been spelling for It,"
"Paolo Magnani-my cousin-my
friend!" broke out Wells, staring at
the man who lay bound upon the
floor. The Italian had ceased to
struggle. He was in hideous pain.
EFT tn, Brute, and all the rest of
it," said Dagon, giving back glare
for glare to the black eyes cursing
him from the floor. Listen, Sir
Rawdon, did you ever promise to
leave money or anything to your
dear cousin?"
He knew I meant to leave him
everything l have, If l should die
unmarried" Wells answered bitter
ly. Even this house, which l could
do, as I'm the last Of the line. He
in a way l felt / owed 1t to him.
You see, his mother and mine were
sisters. His was q singer. My
father met her>in Naples, and fell in
love-or thought so. They were go
ing to be married. Her twin sister,
Francesca, came home from O tour
in the provinces-she was an actress
for the wedding. 1t was lightning
stroke for my father and her. They
felt they'd been born for each other.
They went off together. If Francesca
hadn't come then, everything would
have been different. All that l have
would have been Paolos. AS it
was, his mother married a bari.
tone in her own company. Her hus-
band drank. They were always
poor. Paolo had to get on as best
he could. But he was q genius. If
he hadn't lost his voice-or injured
it-he'd have been great singer.
AS 1t Is, he's been great in his line.
thought he cared for me as much
as l cared for him. l trusted him
completely. /"
yes. and you kept silence for him
when by speaking you might have
saved yourself from the vilest sus-
picion-suspicion he plotted to throw
on you!" cut, in Dagon. 1.-THE whole
thing was a plot from beginning to
end; his asking you to come here
the night of the wedding-and the
rest"
How do you know about that?
What do you know?" Wells ques-
toned sharply.
1--WE put two and two together.
and found they made four-that's
ALL. said the detective. II don't
know anything much, If it comes to
that. But wait till 1 show you
something, and perhaps when you've
seen it you won't refuse any longer
10 tell why you came that night, and
what you really burned in that
leather bag. You should tell to
clear yourself with Captain Haste,
II Tor nobody else-noW."
What will you show me-" Raw.
don wanted to know, for Dagon was
on his knees by the PROSTATE man
christening at the neck the smart
paJama jacket Magnani wore under
ms common brown dressing gown.
We'll, those blood stains that told
SO badly against you-or would
nave. IL 1t hadn't been for Miss
Haste-always puzzled me. There
was SO little blood, you see. It had
'Deen so beautifully stage managed. 40
10 speak: a neat mark to fit your
boot, Sir Rawdon--a boot from the
PAIR that was burned: and nice lit
tie patterns for fingers and thumb.
~ wouldn't have been worth while
II the nngerprints hadn't been made
lroih yours. OF course they were.
Thlngs like that are easy to get
with a bit of work. You can see
how it's done in many detective
novels, some of which I dare saw
my gentleman has read. Miss
Haste spoiled the game, so far as
the nngerprints were Concerned
But why was there so little bloodo
l asked myself. The answer seemed
to be that there wasn't much to
spare. knew If l could find
member of the household that night
VINO mad q small wound, probably
on the left arm, 1 should have tbe
guilty manor woman. But find
ing wasn't easy then. Now-lo6lx
tnere:" His voice rose as he fore
the SILK jacket down and barred Mag
nanfs left arm Just below t6e
shoulder. That's what I wantad
II isn't much. But it's enough. oh
ne was ciever-deadly clever. Look
az the way ne prepared his alibi
uol Davls-mercenary old wretch
IN MS pay; took on this iob as
outer, TO be on tine spot. while he
gave out to every one that he was 81
sKye. AT Skye, taking a picfI,rei
anu mis- company was thera-is
mere; believes he's therein IN a
mouse outside Portree. Just how he
managed loo Of other things he ala
manage, don't see clearly VET ex-
cept that he had accomplices
suspect them to be Mrs. GilIeft ana
Her daughter, and my notion js
mere was some secret of fhe nast
mat gave him the upper hand ave,.
tne OLD lady. AS for the girl sbs.d
De ready to work for him heca,,se
sne could further her own ends 81
tne same time. But il yo,i'T .o,,t
WIN the truth about your visit bers
.ne night Of the wedding. Sir PEI,
don, ia have things pretty clear
owe Magnani no loyalty now "