Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-06-05

xx1 s4A1r Or zx1 S7o11
In. iuii OF Great war battle -four
men are thrown tcgether.a mysteri.
a valet. . polished Erenchmen and an
unknown" Ths lattsr Disappear
altar he has heard the others discuss
their underworld careers and agres %
Join forcss after tns VAT na;. N A,ssr ahe
In discussing with Sir Harris Creaves,
amateur criminologist. q series OF un-
canny robberies over which all London
Is all agog. sir Harris blamss the
tor He crook Ss whom scotland Yard
considers dead.
~ Lydy 'sr Mother WASP
With n swift movement Captain
francis Newcombe whipped a mask
from his pocket, and held 1t to the
woman's lips.
she swallowed = few drops with
difficulty. and lay still.
Presently Mrs. Wicker lips moved.
"a lydy 'er mother was, an er
father % was q gentleman born .
was. IL don't know nothin' abaht
'sn except she was q guverness an.
o, admit much money. Neither OF
'em admit no family accordin' to 'er.
an. countin' wot 'appensd she told
the truth, poor soul"
Years ago this was" ARD
times came on EN-. E got
killed In Q naccident. An she took
sick after Polly came. an the money
went. an she wouldn't ave charity.
an she got down to this. ike u.
inns 'sre5 tryin' to keep body an
soul together on the bit she 'ad left.
An she died, an / took Polly. Two
Years old Polly was then. There
wasn't no good of tellin' Polly an
ave 'er give 'ersek airs when she
IA to 20 out an do 'er bit an earn
something. An wot's more. IL she'd
known I wasn't Ter mother she might
ave stopped workin' for mean I
couIdn't ave made FER. 'avin'lost my
hold OH 'er--an' I wasn't goin' to
ave anything like that. Polly
Wickes-Polly Wickes-the flower
sri. FIowers-posies-pre posies
--thats where yer saw 'sr-"
Polly Wickes-Polly Wickss---
Polly Gray-Polly Gray 'sr name 10
Polly Gray. / got the lines an
the birth paper. kept EN- all these
years. Ere. ! got 'em ere"
t"Where" said Captain Newcombe
tef8ely.
Ere" Mrs. Wickes plucked fee
bly, at the edge Of the bed clothing.
Ere"
Captain Francis Newcombs thrust
his hand quickly under the mat
tress. After a moments search he
brought out soiled envelope. 1t
bore q faded superscription in .
scrawling hand. He picked UP the
candle from the chair and read II:
N..Polly's papers which II Gods
fifth.
Mrs. Wickes X her mark"
He tore the envelope open rather
carefully at the end. 1t contained
two papers that were turned q little
willow, with age. His eyes travelled
swiftly over the names:
Harold Morton Cray sElixa-
beth Pauline Forbes. Pauline Gray.
sTs
There was q sudden sound from
the bed-like a long. fiuttering sigh.
Captain Francis Newcombe swung
sharply about. The woman's arm
was vas stretched out toward him /:
dulled eyes seemed to be striving
desperately in their fading vision
to search his face.
: The outstretcbed arm fell to the
he'd covering-and Mrs. Wickes Jay
: Mrs. wickes was dead.
captain Francis Newcombs re-
aid placed the envelope in his
lt9cket. He set the candle back on
the chair, blew 1t out, and walked
across the room to the door.
: Three Of Them
Twenty-Five minutes later. Cap
tain Francis Nswcombe stood at the
door of his apartment. Runnells
admitted him.
Paul Cremarre here yeti" de-
manded the ex-captain Of terri
torials briskly.
Yes" said Runnells. Been here
half an hour"
With Runneils behind him. Cap
tain Francis Newcombe entered the
living room OF the apartment. "A
tall man. Immediately dressed,
with small. very carefully trim
Ined black mustache. with eyes that
we're equally black but whose pupils
were curiously minute. stood by the
ifantel..
"'Ah monsieur" He waved his
srm In greeting. "Salut,"
Back. Ell, Paul." nodded Captain
Francis Newcombe. Ringing himself
into a lounge chair. Expected you,
of. course. tonight. Well, what's the
news? How's the fishing smack 7"
Paul Cremarre smiled family.
"Ah. the poor Marianne" he said.
'lSuch bad weather! 1t In always
the bilge. II It did not leak 20
furiously!" He lifted hts shoulders,
and blew a wreath Of cigarette
smoke languidiy ceilingward.
= "So!" said Captain Francis New
combe. Been searched again, eh?''
The Frenchman laughed softly.
Two very charming old gentle
men who were summering on the
French coast, and were so interested
In, everything. Could they come
aboard But. why not? II was q
pleasure? Such harmless old chill
drsn they looked-not at all like
1-educ and Colferre OF the Pre-
fecture."
zone more sign Of the times!"
commented Captain Francis New
cambe little shortly. And Pere
Mouche?"
"Ah." murmured the Frenchman.
THAT IS another story! I am afraid
IL is true that his back Is really
bending under the load. He has
continent In wide, It can only alb.
sorb SO much. and there are always
dfniculties. He says himself that
we feed him too WELL"
Captain Francis Newcombs
frowned.
well. he's right, of course. Leduc
and Colferre. Ell, I don't like It! III
we needed anything further to back
us up in our decision lately that II
Was about time to lay low for q
while. we've got Il here. There IL
tomorrow nights affair Of course.
That naturally we win carry through.
haft after that I think we should
come to a full stop for, say--a six
months holiday. Personally, as you
know, I'm rather anxious to mako r