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

n
be trusted not to talk about this
around the village?"
They are under oath not to do so. "
the doctor responded stiff1y, but his
kind heart was not proof against
the misery in her eyes. Its too
bad this. had to come as such a
shock to you, ma'am. I suppose Mr..
Newbury has told you?"
Yes. I cannot believe It! It does
not seem possible that my brother
could be guilty of such-::" She
broke off. But. doctor, what has all
this to do with-with Joseph's own
death now? I knew very little of
that dreadful affair, for I was not
living in New York at the time, but
1t has all been forgotten for so
many years and Joseph is beyond
reach OF the law. Mr.. Newbury
tells me that the young man had no
! relatives; no one came forward even
to claim his body, and it can do him
no good now to drag all this old
horror into the light. Think what it
means to us, my daughter and me
to Mr.. Newbury, who may be placed
In a position he calls accessory
after the fact'-to Mr.. Lane who has
been closely associated with my
brother for the last year."
II ~hCDUC ~ lIlcdIS bOlllctulu u
/, some one else, ma am, to have the
name O that young man cleared"
Geoff had come up quietly. after
seeing the notary and his stenog-
rapher leave, and now he joined
them just as Lane and Newbury is
sued from the library. "Mebbe
there's somebuddy somewheres that
cares whether he was a embezzler
and suicide or not and mebbe it's
got hull lot more to do with the
death O. Mr.. Bernhard than you got
any idee o.. I'll have to leave you
pretty soon. Doc, and tend to that
little business O. mine that I told
you bout, but afore / start I'd
like to ask Mis- Cayley a few ques-
TONS"
Il will tell you anything, gladly"
Mrs. Cayiey wrung her hands. "Oh,
II you could only see this matter
as We-as / do! If you could only
see that it would be best-but
you are thinking. of course, of those
anonymous letters coming on New
Years Day! Can it be that some
one. after all this time? My
brother was always confident that
they were sent by an insane per-
son."
Insane or not, ma'am, told Doc
|
wasn't investigator no murder now.
that none had been committed
a-tall, and it wasn't; it was execu-
ton! Twasn't 'cordin' to law, meb-
be. but-whG~ do folks mean bout
the mills O the gods grindin' slow
but mighty small?"
Geoff had suddenly recalled the
phrase old Mr.. Robbins had used in
the single interview with that victim
of Benkards Vaccinations and he
turned to Newbury.
1 Think" the suave attorney paus-
ed, at q loss how to word his reply
in the presence of his client, "it
might be said to mean that retribu-
ton comes, no matter how late"
II kinder figured on it bein' some
thin like that Geoff remarked
adding apologetically: 81 wasn't
amin to hurt you none ma'am-''
| DO you think that anything could
hurt me in the face of this fresh
horror?" Mrs. Cayley cried. "Are
we never to have done with them
When that stupid lout from the Dis
trict Attorneys office arrested Ru-
pert Ashe last week. bringing new
gossip and notoriety, linking his
name with that of my daughter, and
| l feared we should all have the
hideous farce of his trial to endure,
1t was maddening enough. Mildred
would not have married him, of
course; it was merely a foolish in
fatuatiOn; but, in justice to the
| young man, l must admit that /
never for moment doubted his in
| nocence. The very idea that he
! killed my brother is absurd; but
now you come with evidence of this
horrible thing from the past, and |
tell you that 1 do not care what my
brother did. nor who killed him. l
my daughters future. 1t would be
infinitely better for us If this mys-
terry We're allowed to die unsolved
and pass from the public memory"
rs that why Mr.. Newbury hired
the man Mahoney from O'Hare' S
Detective Agency, who came here
and passed himself off as the man.
ager of Mr.. Benkards Broad street
office, Mrs. Cayley?" DIR. Hood ask
ed. Didn't You want the case in
vestigated on your own account
! them"
Perhaps. the lady conceded.
Gould | dream that IA crime was
to be .unearthed in my brothers own
life to take from us all have
striven for and close the doors of
society in our very faces? Not that
fear for my daughter: she will
ultimately be in the best of hands
81 trust So 1t was Lane who in
terrupted with suave delberation.
and she glanced toward him mean
ingly. "Of course. this thing crop
ping up--God, it's frightful, will
make a great deal of difference to
all of us. eh. Newbury? We must
l 70 7 l.,1A
| I've been considered a pretty Shrewl
Spectator and accused of playing
close to the line sometimes. but it's
! always been strictly according to
Hoyle with me. and Joe Bernhard
knew II. I've never done anything
crooked. but | have been closely as
ISOLATED with him for the last year
and it's going to hit me hard when
this comes out, no matter who mur9
.dered him. | think in the face of
the storm of added notoriety which
is coming to all of us. it would he
best for our mutual protection from
as much of il as we can avoid, If |
run UP to town and await develop
ments there"
Mrs. Cayley's lip ourled slightly.
AS You please. Mr.. Lane. Since
Henry is still indsposed. shall /
ring for Lefty to pack your bago"
Indeed. no, IT won't take me n
| minute to throw my things in. Dear
lady. ! am afraid this seems like de-
sorting you in your distress. but i
is the most prudent move FOR all
CQr sakes under the circumstances. d"
He paused. his face slowly REDEEM
ing. please believe that / am ut
your service and Mtldred's always.
shall hold myself in instant readi-
/ ness for your command"