Argosy, Vol. 1 (December 9, 1882) — page 162: what you’re looking at

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

THE HERMITT’S SECRET. , 155 mansion on the hill, and relating all that had occurred as set forth in these chapters, to the moment when he rang the bell at Mr. Cavan’s deor. “ Are you absolutely sure that one of the pair that took possession of the Hermitage was Sparks Gayland?”’ asked the agent, when he had finished. “I am absolutely sure it was he, though the other fellow called him Gay Sparkland,” answered the captain. “ That is a transposition of the syllables of his real name; and for pur- poses of concealment the change is as stupid as some other things Sparks has done. But you say that he was one of the burglars, though J am not at ail surprised at it, for I have long believed him capable of such a venture, though his uncle knows less about him than almost any other persom in the city. If he was one of them, it proves, almost, that you were not another.” - “ Then I am suspected of being one who entered the house?” said Phil, deeply grieved at the thought of the sorrow. the suspicion must have given his benefactor. | “ Suspected!” exclaimed Mr. Cavan. “ You were both seen and recog- mized by Mr. Gayland and by his wife.” The wanderer was utterly confounded by this statement. CHAPTER X XX VI.—CAPTAIN GREENWAY Has A NEw IDEA. “Do you mean to say, Mr. Cavan, that I was seen in Mr. Gayland’s house on the night of this robbery?”’ demanded Phil Greenway, his chest heaving | with emction. ‘““T do not mean to say that I saw you there; but I do mean to say that both Mr. Gayland and his wife saw you; and they know you well enough to be subject to no ordinary mistake,” replied the ex detective. “‘ The servant came for me shortly after midnight, and I went to the house at once. Then and there they told me they had seen you come out of the diningroom, pass through the hall where they were, and leave by the front door.” “ Did I speak to them?” asked Phil, almost breathless with astonishment. ‘You did not, for you were in a hurry to get ont of the house; but all the gas burners in the house were lighted, and they were positive that it was you.” “Tam equally positive that it was not I,” protested Phil, dropping into his chair, overwhelmed by the statement of the agent. “J don’t understand it,” added Mr. Cavan. “ You have been in the house with them for years, the front hall was as light as day, and they could hardly have made a mistake in regard to your identity.” The captain looked up into the face of the agent to deteruaine, 1f he could, whether or‘not he believed what he said; but his expression conveyed no information to satisfy him, for he seemed to be as thoroughly mystified as the young man himeelf. “T am willing to swear in any court in Christendom that I was on the bor- der of Lake Minnetonka during the night on which this robbery was com- nitted,”’ said Phil, beginsing to gather up his forces to meet the mysterious assertion of the agent. COLNT ecomilEclooolks