Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-07-01

I necessary " Sdy tHdL/1 ulu uol hiu
| him. Polly and both decided, on
| ing about 1t. but / can see nothing
| to be gained now, in view of what
has happened. by keeping silent"
mo; there could be. nothing gain
ed by it now" agreed Locke a lit
tie monotonously. "As you imply, 1t
is only cumulative evidence of the
| mans state Of mind just prior to his
| DEATH"
| Exactly" nodded Captain Francis
| Newcombe gravely. But. after all,
that is apart from the immediate
present. 1 suppose you have already
seen to what you could do here in
| the house, but there still must be
many things to do"
Howard Locke closed the book
and stepped a little away from the
table. a little nearer the other.
There are" he said with quiet
| elaboration. But there is one
thing in particular for you to do
The mail came over from the
mainland very late last night. 1t
I naturally hasn't been touched this
| morning and is still there"-he
| motioned toward the door leading
| from the rear of the room-"on the
| library table. There is a letter
| there for you. a very urgent one,
| demanding your instant return to
! London"
Captain Francis Newcombes eyes
| narrowed almost imperceptiblye-
but his voice was drawl:
| Il don't think l quite understand.
| May I ask how YOU happen to know
| the contents of the letter."
| Il am speaking in purely sug-
1 70 tt-n
voice hardening a little. There is
no letter for you that know Of. |
| am suggesting a plausible ex-
PLANTATION which you can make to
| Miss Marlin-and Miss Wickes-for
! leaving thfs place at once"
Captain Francis Newcombe stiff
fened, but his voice still retained it's
! drawl.
II am tempted to believe that in
| sanity is Infectious" he said; "either
that. or perhaps my own intelligence
Ia sadly astray this morning. l
have neither the desire nor the in
tention to leave here, and especially
at a thine such as this when /
| might possibly be of even a little
assistance to those who have been
so hospitable to me, and so I do not
, require any excuse, however plaus-
ible or ingenious, for going away"
Locke's eyes rested appraisingly
for long moment on. the others
cool composed. sauve face. Well,
| was 1t any cooler. any more self
possessed than his own? What of
passion that was boiling within die
not show on the surface,
Nevertheless" he said steadily.
that Is the excuse You will give.
One OF the motorboats Is going over
. to the; highland in little while,
and You are going on her. I hay.
already had your baggage-and
Runnells'-put on board"
"You-what ?" The red was sud-
denly in Captain Francis New
combe's face. He took a quick step
forward. his hands clenched "My
baggage sent out of the house-by
Your orders." he said hoarsely.
you've gone bit too far now, nv
man, and you'll explain yourself
| end explain yourself damned quick,
Out with it! What's the meaning If
this?''
Locke had not moved. His eyes
| had not left the others face.
There was something strangely
tempting about that face; it induced
an almost uncomfortable impulse to
mark 1t, to batter 1t. to wreck 1t
with rain of blows that would not
cease until physical exhaustion in
tervened and one could strike no
more. And yet his hands hung idly
at his sides.
"Yes"-Locke's voice was not
raised-'T will tell you the meaning
OF II. You are going for two rea-
sons. The first is because you are
morally responsible for Mr.. Martins
, death and the second it because Won
are-what You are-and as such.
from the moment you saw good Inv
to her here, You are going out Of
Polly's life forever"
Captain Francis Newcombe came
still step nearer.
Locke's eyes had not left the
others face. He read a cold. ugly
glitter In the gaze that held ON His.
ne saw the curious whitening tf
the others lips---and a knotted sst
suddenly drawn back to strike. And
with lightning movement Locke
caught the others wrist and. flung
the blow aside.
Don't do that" he said in a dead
tone. God knows, it's hard enough
to keep my hands off YOU as IL is.
but what Is between you and me 10
not measured. or in any way altered
by brawl-and besides cannot
brawi here in this house. wIeee Mr..
Marlin lies dead, and where there
| Is already distress enough" ss1
For a moment Captain Francis
Newcombe did not speak. then
/ abruptly he began to laugh, and,