The Argosy, Christmas 1912 — page 192: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

178 “T presume I won’t. I am glad I ran into somebody who comes from my birthplace—I shall expect you to give me a lot of interesting informa- tion about it during the voyage. By the way, won’t you tell me your name? Mine is Chester Selling.” “And mine Franklin Edwards.” An expression of uneasiness flitted across Selling’s face. “ Franklin Edwards,” he exclaimed. “That name sounds exceedingly fa- miliar. Where on earth have I heard it before? Oh, yes; I know. I re- member seeing it in the newspapers from home. Aren’t you the lawyer who defended that rascally omnibus conductor who murdered my grand- father?” Edwards nodded gloomily. “Yes, I was the counsel for that unfortunate young man. Let me assure you, however, that he is not a rascal and that he did not murder Colonel Reynolds.” “But he has been found guilty by twelve good men and true,” protested the other. “Tt was a terrible miscarriage of justice,” declared Edwards, “as I hope to be able to prove before the day set for his execution arrives.” “Then you believe his story about that mysterious young woman who was a passenger on top of the omnibus that fatal night? You think that it was she who. committed the crime, eh?” inquired Selling eagerly. “No,” replied the lawyer. “I have reason to believe now that that young woman is as innocent as my client.” He could not help sighing as he ut- tered these words. ‘But one of the two must be guilty,” protested the other, almost fretfully. “Tf the conductor didn’t murder my grandfather, it must have been the young woman, and if the young woman is innocent, it must have been the con- ductor. There was nobody else on top ‘of that omnibus, and, consequently, nobody but one of those two could have had the opportunity to stab my poor THE ARGOSY. grandfather in the back as he sat there.” Edwards shrugged his shoulders. ‘““T must admit that there seems to be very little logic in my position; but, nevertheless, I am quite sure that the colonel was murdered by somebody else.” “ But how could that be?’ demand- ed Selling ‘“ Do you suppose that the murderer swooped down on his vic- tim in an airship? ”’ He accompanied the question with a harsh, sneering laugh which grated on his listener. “Iam not able to advance any theory as to how it could have been done, at present,” replied the latter quietly, “ but I am going to do my utmost to un- earth the real murderer and save my unfortunate client.” “Well, I wish you success I’m sure,” said the other with a repetition of that disagreeable, jeering laugh which made Edwards feel like assaulting him. The lawyer, averse to continuing the conversation, turned on his heel and walked to the other end of the deck, where he encountered Jack Meador, Mrs. Meador and Miss Sudbury. “T’ve got some interesting news for you folks,” remarked Edwards. “Do you see that fellow over there? Well, I have just learned from him that he is the grandson of the late Colonel Reynolds and that he is sailing to the United States to inherit his grand- father’s big fortune. Rather queer he should be on the same ship as otir- selves, eh?” His three companions glanced cu- riously at the man in question and stud- denly Mrs. Meador turned pale as she uttered a half-stifling cry of surprise and alarm. ‘““What’s the matter, dear?” in- quired her husband. _ “Why, that man,” she gasped, “ is the one I told you about—the brute from my home town who knows my secret and has made my life miserable by threatening to betray it if I would not marry him.” CoOMmicbook CO