Widnes Examiner. — 1912-04-20 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

UNEXPECTED MEETING.  Paul Steinway stared into Cardew's face for a few seconds without speaking. .1-fis own face had gone a curious grey colour, and his eyes shone with a peculiar steely light. "Then it was murder !" he said in a low voice.  "Yes, I thought you  Cardew nodded. knew." No. I only bluffed Hawke that I did. I suspected it though I had no real tangible evidence," replied Steinway slowly. "I am not surprised, though; I always thought he was capable of it. I have letters now from people who knew him out there as John Ford —and John Clifford latterly. The secret .1 had was concerning his first wife, whom be married out in Tarragoola..lt was after that that he became suddenly rich and left the district."  "Yes," Cardew said. "Just about the time that Nat Radbourne disappeared so mysteriously. It's odd that we both knew so much and yet kept our own counsel. But when you mentioned what you sort of suspected, I said nothing, but made up my mind to do a bit of detective work myself, and I have succeeded. Paul, my boy! you can go to-morrow to Clifford Hawke and tell him that we hold the proofs of his murder of Nat Radbourne. I'll give them to you if you like," he went on; "they're in my pocket now—one or two little bits of evidence that would hang the popular financier!" "Don't give them to me," Steinway said quietly. "I have a fancy to have nothing on me of any importance just now. You keep everything, old man—not only your evidence about this murder, but some of my papers too. You know I have made a bit of money lately financially, and am going to give backa little bit of the Hades that Clifford Hawke gave me some time ago! The best of it is." be laughed grimly, "that he flatters himself he was rid of me and my suspected knowledge of him in that fire in Claverton-street. I have let him think so too—it served my purpose to be 'dead ' a bit till lie showed his hand more plainly! But now I think I have him in the hollow of my own hand, and he won't get out of it either. My turn is coin. ing soon." And you are the man to profit by it," Cardew said briskly, "Anything I can do for you, old man, I will do, you may depend Upon it, from calling on your beet girl, to witnessing your will." Steinway smiled. "There's one or two things you can do for me, old pal," he said earnestly; "since we parted for ever as I thought, there is a little girl I've taken a great fancy to—a dear little slip of a thing who is the image of what poor Alys Tennant might have been before she married this scoundrel, Clifford Hawke. Her name is Lottie Bond, and I met her quite accidentally. I have made my will and left her everything—with the exception of a legacy to you, old man. Would you be a witness to the will and keep it for me with the other papers concerning Hawke?" Cardew held out his hand  "Yes, certainly, -only don't talk about wills in that serious way, Paul; you are a long journey from death yet, I hope, and you'll be marrying one day and be the faille: of a happy family." "No," Steinway smiled sadly. "I once had thoughts like that, but recently I've had a feeling that marriage and families are not for me. Should anything happen to me you will promise to call on Lottie Bond. She lives with Mrs. Hawke, by the way—the second wife—and tell her, Lottic, that she is provided for." Cardew nodded.  "You may rely on me, Paul, but to-morrow you will laugh at these previous arrangements." .  "I don't think so," Steinway replied gravely. "You ace, Cardew, my dear chap, I have some method in my madness ; to-morrow I am going to pay a call on our mutual friend, Mr. Clifford Hawke, and I like to be prepared for the worst."