The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-07-22
CHAPTER III-Continued

GNluCutly DOSlOl hC3AliSLCl lldu HO
share in this idea, for he lost interest
in the young man the moment he was
satisfied his Identification Of him had
been correct. When the train stopped
at Oak Ridge and we followed William
Harvey out of the car, the doctor did
not cast single glance after his re-
treating figure.
BY rare good fortune we found an
auto pulled up beside the station plat
form waiting for the train, Tapping.
dilapidated, mud-stained. ramshackle
affair, with driver to match.
After a moment or two of canny
bargaining on the doctors part, we
found ourselves jolting along over a
frozen, rutty road toward our destina-
ton.
"There's the house," said the driver
at last. "But you're pretty late for the
funeral, If that's what you've come for.
1t must be about over by this time"
Neither of us had thought of the
funeral, and the sight Of hearse and
a single car, waiting there in the wind
swept road, gave us. with our errand,
a rather disagreeable sense of incon-
gruity. That feeling was heightened
when, leaving our bags in the hall, we
were shown by the undertaken into a
large, dim front parlor.
Here we saw death in its most con-
ventionai form. A little group of peo-
pie sitting in rows in little folding
chairs, minister reading the service,
a quartette from the village choir
ready to sing another hymn when he
should have done.
When, OF the end of the service, the
customary opportunity was offered for
a last look at the body which lay
there in its black casket, my COM
panion rose and, nodding to me to fol-
low him, took his place in the little
procession that was filing round the
coffin.
/ could not do it.; that act, some
how, seemed to put the browning touch
upon our intrusion.
"Oh, know how you felt about it,
said my chief when the service was
over the people gone and we were
left alone in the old house-alone. that
is, with the addition of Mallory. 'Tm
glad I haven't to go through it again,
though I'm glad did, even at some
violence to what they call our better
instincts. I wouldn't have missed my
look into that face for a good DEAL"
'You didn't recognize" I cried. "He
isn't anyone you knew. long ago, out
there in New Zealand!"
"Not individually" said the doctor
with smile at my sudden excitement,
at the sudden recession of those "bet-
ter instincts of mine. "Not individ-
ually, though that I might have was
we'll within the possibilities. But he
belongs to a type that knew all too
well. Did it ever occur to you to Won
der why it is that full gray boards
and spectacles are always regarded as
infallible indications of benevolent re-
spectability? But there's a scar be-
meath that gray beard that was not
come by in any peaceful occupation
and even without it. the whole con-
struction of the skull and jaw, the
facial angle, the shape of the ears, all
proclaim him rough customer-the
sort of man who might well have a
past that he was vainly trying to es-
cape from. No, upon the whole, l
am glad that Ashton left US free to
work out this problem without hold
ing us responsible to him for our re-
Suits"
Our conversation was interrupted
there by the appearance of Mallory at
the doctors elbow 1t was rather
amusing to watch his face as he read
the note from Ashton that the doctor
handed him.. 1t was easy to see, from
his suppressed smile of cOntemptuous
amusement, that the district attorney
had represented us as a couple OF
harmless cranks who might safely be
permitted to amuse themselves upon
the scene of crime as they chose.
"All right" he said, folding up the
note and thrusting it into his pocket.