Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-02-27

THAT was one of the questions
wanted to ask you, ma am; bout
Mr.. Bernhard. He was born in Mil
| borough" Geoff asked.
Yes, our family home has been
| there for generations. My brother
started life as a bank clerk, but
later he entered the branch of a
Chicago brokerage house and went
from there to the main Office and
| ley replied. Il did not see him for
years, hut after my husband died he
| sent for me to come with my daugh-
! ter to the city and live with him.
l found him much changed, man
of violent passions not always under
| control. but ne was very kind"
| kin You tell me, Mis- Cayley, If
you've got any notion why William
Dunn refused the money Mr.. Benk-
ard left to him." Geoff, watching
| closely, saw the quick color which
| swept over her face and then
vanished. leaving her even more
pale than before.
Il can think of no reason, unless
| the mans earlier troubles have I'M
| hinged his mind" she exclaimed.
| For years he has been utterly use
less, and 1 wondered at my brother
keeping him on. His refusal of the
! legacy was the height of ingrati-
tude. l urged Mr.. Bernhard to dis
pense with his services long ago
! Then what was the proposition
| your private detective MahOney
| went to him with last Wednesday
| afternoon?' Geoff pursued, not I'M
mindful of the swift interchange of
glanceS between the lady and New
! bury. Dunn sent him bout his
| business right quick, tellin' him it
| wasn't no use to argue. that he was
through for all time with the folks
| Mahoney was representa-
Il can answer that" the attorney
| interposcd. Mrs. Cayley felt Dunn's
| ineXplicable ingrat!tude very keenly,
| but she was distressed about the
mans futures realizing that it would
| be difficult at his age for him to OBJ
I tain position such as he had held
with Mr.. Bernhard. Since there was
no capacity in which she could en-
ploy him, she begged me to find a
! place for him in my office, doing
| minor work in connection with the
, settling of the estate. 1t was l who
sent Mahoney to him with the offer,
| but he fancied it was in the nature
| of charity and became highly in
dignant."
Mis- Cayley did that, after urgin'
her brother to turn him out?" Geoff' s
tone was filled with artless surprise,
but Newbury bit his lips.
| She meant on a pension, of
| course. Mr.. Bernhard could have ar
ranged more cleverly than we to as
sist him without injuring his pride
Is there anything further that Mrs.
Cayley or 1 can tell you?"
Reckon you could" Geoff slightly
emphasized the last word. Amt
| got time to ask you now, though.
I'll have to get on bout my bust
| ness"
motor, Whirring up the driveway,
came TO them through the open front
| doors.
I Mrs. Cayley glanced toward them,
then rose with low exclamation Of
warning.
st is Miss Sherwood with Mr..
Middleton. Not a word before them
of what you have just learned from
Henry UPSTAIRS"
| She hurried forward, and the at
torney followed, while DR.. Hood
drew his deputy determinedly aside.
! Look here. Geoff. you're not go
| ing off on any more business of your
own connected with this case unless
| you ICiI Tie dDOuI IL lTSl. We Ildn
! enough of this. You've uncovered a
lot of dirt thatll have to be scat
tered to the four winds. but as far
as Im concerned that's all you have
brought to light. Who killed Benk-
| ard anyway? Who knew or sus-
pected, beside old Henry, that he
was the prime mover in that en-
| bezzlement and shot young Shirley
| to prevent exposure"
Before Geoff could, reply a quick
buoyant footstep came up behind
! him, and a hand fell upon his
| shoulder.
Hello, Geoff. I thought you were
working in Long Island City, while
our house is going to rack and
ruin. Good afternoon. doctor"
Adrian Middleton. serenely un-
aware that he had arrived at a say
ing moment for his boyhood play
mate. eyed both men with eager
| curiosity. ANY change in the sitlla =
| ton that YOU can tell q neighbor?
| We all feel badly about Rupert
Ashe, particularly Miss Sherwood.
who saw so much of him here. His
arrest was an outrage"
Good afternoon. Mr.. Middleton"
the doctor responded. Sorry we
! haven't any news at present that we
| van SNe out' bul expect shortly
! Good Lord, l very nearly forgot"
! Middleton interrupted drawing an
envelope from his pocket. Here's q
special delivery letter for you.
Geoff. I met the notary in the post
| oflice just now while old jed was
! sorting the mail. and he said he
| thought you were up here. | re-
| marked that we were going to stop
| by for few moments and Jed in
! trusted the letter to me, so | signed
! for it in Your name"
! Much obliged to you, Mr.. Middle
! ron. Geoif stood for moment.
| turning the envelope over thought
luliy IN MS hands; 1t was post
marked New York City" and the
| jcrky but almost mechanically leci-
BILE writing was unfamiliar to him;
| moreover, it bore no name of a
| builders supplies house, and except
| Tor these and an occasional demand
! for his services from some nearby
! village. he had not received three
| letters in all his life. But the doctor
vas looking at him with an almost
! threatening interest. Muttering an
/ excuse, he walked a little away
: from his companions. AS he slit
/ the envelope Miss Sherwood APP
Fedren al tne entrance to the patio
! ana ne bowed to her gravely be-
fore drawing forth its contents.
Wondering still. he turned to the
final page for the signature. then
! abruptly crushed the letter in his
rand. Ignoring the questioning
glances of the rest. he made for the
terrace. where he seated himself on
the top step. The somnolent sun
: shine Of mid-afternoon lay over the
garden and shimmered on the
waters Of the Sound, and the low