Manfred's Quest: Or, The Mystery of a Trunk — page 44: what you’re looking at

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

* i = - — i tus : i —~ a. : ‘ > . . om “MANFRED’S QUEST. °° At C ‘** And you becamé the sdeecoutor of a helples woman?’’ ‘* T tell you I have explanations to make.’ ** Make them.” ‘* T will make them to the proper party.’’ ‘* Who is the proper party?” ** Mrs. Silver. *” CHAPTER XXXYV. Our hero was thoughtful a moment. He had played his game too well to be beaten at the last moment by a pre- tended surrender. _ ‘* You will explain all?’’ ¢é Yes.’ **'Do so now.” ‘* T have said Mrs. Silver was in this house.” °° Well??? **T am sure she is. ”’ ** Well?” **T will make my explanations to her.’’ ‘* Why to her?” **T have my reasons. ”’ ‘*¢ ‘You must make them to me.”’ ** T will not. ’’ ** Very well; then you will not make them at all.”’ **T am willing to hold my peace. I am not demanding to make any explanations; you are demanding that I shall. It does not matter to me whether I make any or not.” We will recall to our readers the incident where Manfred fooled a lawyer and obtained obtained possession of his office; and our readers will also remember that. our hero overheard certain strange revelations. At the time he did not understand their full purport; indeed, a suspicion had passed through his mind that his presence was suspected, and that what he overheard was really intended for his hearing; but later another little incident had presented the possibility that he had overheard real facts, that the con- versation to which we allude was genuine. ** You uLsenny refuse to make any explanations to me?’’ iGo.” ** 'You-demand to make your explanations to Mrs. Sil- ver?”’ °° Yes, if I make any at all.’’ ** There is no explanation that you will make to me?’’ 6¢ None. 33 ‘* Yes, listen: one night Mrs. Silver was on the train coming from Rae ; you were on the same train; you were following her.’ Stevens's eyes opened, while the detective continued: ** That night Mrs. Silver met a friend on the train; that friend was compelled. to defend her life because you made an attack upon her.’ “*T admit all except that I made an attack upon her; the attack was made upon me.”’ ** By whom?’’ ** The friend. ’’ °* Did you not rush upon Mrs. Silver and remove her veil??? °° T did, but all I desired was to see her face. ”’ **'That’s not a satisfactory explanation. ’’ ** I will explain more fully to Mrs. Silver.’’ ** No; that will not do.” — *¢ Why not?’’ ‘* You may have found that you are in a desperate strait; you may still have a scheme.’’ ‘* Ah, I see you fear to let me appear in the presence of Mrs. Silver.” ¢¢ Yes. P ** You need not fear.” ‘* Tt is easy to say so.”” ‘*T will explain thus far: at the time I really believed. Mrs. Silver to se a fraud; but I intended her no bodily harm.’’ ‘*T have heard” conversations between you and Saun- ders. ”’ : ‘* You have?’’ éé Yes. ’’ °° Well?’’ ‘< In those talks strange intimations were thrown out.” ‘*T see what you mean, and I will explain that... After I became satisfied that Mrs. Silver was the widow of my former client, I felt compelled to pretend to continue in a certain scheme, when 5 had determined on an entirely different line of action.’ The man’s statements agreed with other facts in our hero’s possession. ‘* You did not intend, then, to murder me?’’ 66 No. 37 ‘* But do you remember suggesting such a thing?” é¢ I do. a3 ‘You made strong efforts to secure a certain trunk?’’ oe OES : ** What was your purpose?’ **T will explain to Mrs. Silver. ”’ Our hero was satisfied that, whatever Mr. Stevens’s original plans were, he had changed them, and he said: ** You shall see Mrs. Silver and make your explanations. Follow me.” Our hero led Mr. Stevens from the room, and a momené later ushered him. into another apartment, with the re- mark: ‘* Wait here a moment. ’’ Manfred went away, but returned in a few moments accompanied by a lady dressed in street costume and heavily veiled. * Mt. Stevens, permit me to inbroduge to you Mrs. Sil- ver.” ** T must see the lady’s face. ” The veil was removed, and the face of the real Mrs. Sil- ver was revealed. | A moment Stevens sat silent and gazed, but after a mo- ment he said: © ‘* It gives me great pleasure, madame, to meet you.”’ ‘* T will be frank, sir. ’’ ** Please do.” **T do not place confidence in your declaration, and I shall have little confidence in anything you shall tell me, unless from the start I am convinced of your frankness and absolute determination to tell the truth.” _“*T have no other purpose. ’’ ‘*'Very well, I am prepared to listen to your state- ments. ”’ ** Madame, you have heard of James Elverton.’’ °° T have heard the name mentioned. ”’ ‘* By whom!’”’ °* My husband.’’ ‘* You know then that he was your husband’s friend and counsel f’’ ** I believe he was my husband’s legal adviser. ’’ ‘*He was, and had charge of your husband’s legal affairs. I was aclerk with Mr. Elverton. I was with him many years, and while there learned many facts concern- ing Mr. Silver. I was also well acquainted with the fact that Mrs. Brownell was your husband’s cousin and friend.”” ‘* ‘They were cousins; yes.’ >