Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1930-04-18

musing. When he spoke again It was
of-Another subject. II have just come
from the bedside of a man who is dy-
ing" He looked toward Crosby Todd,
sourly. "The man you and my son at
tackled, wounded ana left for the
police to drag to the Tombs. l COM
uend your caution, Mr.. Todd"
Evelyn Railway was glad that the
dancing shadows from the open fire
concealed her face.
II don't understand you, Mr.. Un-
win," Crosby Todd stammered.
Daddy, they had to do what they
did," Mary told him earnestly.
"You waited" Unwin resumed, look
ing implacably at Todd, until he was
worn out from the sleeplessness he
endured for you. You and my son
took him at moment when he was
physically exhausted. You attacked
him when he was suffering from three
ribs broken in the fight with the man
he killed. You inflicted such violence
that the splintered ends of these frac-
tured ribs penetrated the pleural sacs."
1--WE didn't know that" Bob cried.
1--WE hadn't any idea he was hurt; he
never let me know"
"You must be fair to them, Daddy"
the girl insisted.
II feel just as bitterly toward you
and Mrs. Railway" he said. you
lent yourself to the betrayal. Isn't
there anything that looks from the
soul of an honest man to tell women,
with their finer intuitional senses, that
he is to be trusted?'
Evelyn Railways voice had tears
in it.
"How could we know? she walled.
Madam" Irwin said coldly, "he
| told you. Many times he tried to con-
vince you. but you would not listen.
After that, 1 suppose, he was too
proud. He told you all his real name.
Can you deny that he claimed to be
Howard Bettington"
But you went to Bettington's
funeral just before we sailed" Bob
| reminded him. you identified him."
II do not want to spare myself"
his father answered II identified the
body of man, whose face was dis
figured, as Howard Bettington, be-
cause he wore Bettington's clothes,
was living in Bettingtons studio and
had papers of Bettington's in his
| pockets. But l did not fail him as
you did"
"What man was it whom you identi-
fied?" Evelyn Railway demanded, with
passionate eagerness.
"a name well known to you," he re-
turned zone Andrew Orme, forger
and double murderer This has been
established by the finger prints"
How did Mr.. Bettington get aboard
the Albatross" Mrs. Railway still
spoke from the enwrapping shadows.
81 told you that one of my friends
offered help. That was Bettington.
Although his reputation was wide he
had not needed to sell his pictures, as
many do, to live. For the sake of
my children he determined to fill COM
missions long ago given him. He went
off on his trip eagerly, like boy
seeking adventure. My Cd What
an adventure! In that great August
storm which did such damage he was
nearly drowned and took refuge in the
hut of fisherman who called him
self Jonathan Gibbs. In reality he
was Orme, who had lived there many
years, having no friends and passing
solitary existence. When Betting
ton, in Ormes clothes, was forcibly
taken aboard the yacht, Orme took
Bettington's clothes and money and
went to New York and met his death
there, as you know" Irwin sighed
heavily. "A double tragedy"
He related, as well as he could, the
manner of Bettington's abduction.
When it was clear he had nothing
more to tell, Mrs. Railway arose and
asked him to follow her into the
library.
You must take me to him." she
said. For the first time he saw that
she had been crying. Duly, he won
dered why.
II don't think it necessary he told
her. "He sent messages by me to you
all. For some reason or another, he
persists in thinking you were justi-
fed for what you Gid. confess l do
not understand why. 1t seems quixotic
in the extreme"
"Mr. Unwin," she said, 81 am going
to see him. If you don't care to
come, please give me the address"
'Tll take you," he said YEARLY. II
must speak with my wife for few
minutes first"
He Joined Mrs. Railway in quarter
of an hour. She was waiting for him
impatiently, but they were already on