Avenged At Last

LCOPYUIGHT, 1890.] [ CONTINUED. ] For this punióse he called at the office of Crandall & Ca, investment brokers. Dolaro had often told him that ho was in the habit of doing a lifctle speculating occasionally through this house,1 Velasquez invariably conducting tho deals. So Wilcox naturally thought this would be a good starting point. On ontering tho office, ho inquirod for Mr. Crandall, and was ushered into the gentleman's private room. As soon as Mr. Crandall heard tho name of his callcr ho pricked up his ears and was immediatoly prepared to act as obsequiously as an obsequious man possibly could, under such circumstances. For Joel Wilcox was a well-known man in Frisco, his enormous wealth being a matter of public gossip, and tho littlo !ynx-eyed broker thought he was in for a good stroko of business, he of courso surmising that tho millionaire was on the lookout for an investment. In this, as wo know, he was doomed todisappointment. Tho brokor foresaw what was coming whon Mr Wilcox asked: "Do you know if Loon Volasquez is in town, Mr. Crandall?" Now, the broker and Velasquez wero "bosom cronies," having worked many quiet and sometimos shady deals togethor. Still, the broker was by far tho shrowdor of tho two men, and whilo Velasquez brought the lambs to tho slaughter Crandall managed to catch most of tho blood. Thereforo, when this question va3 suddoniy sprung upon him ho was decidodly surpriscd, but at the samo timo was too oíd in tho business to betray any undue agitation. "Mr. Vehisquoz. Ab, yes, I remomber him noiv; tho gentleman from San Paola?" ho said, with assumed indiilerenco. "But why do you como horo in soarch of that gentleman, Mr. Wilcox; it is hardly probablo that I shouli bo nware of tho fact oven if he did happon tobo in town. His calis hero are cxceodingly few and far betweon, like anjoU' visits, as it wero, if I may bo permitted to make uso of such an oíd and familiar exprossion." "What a lie," thought his clork, (a young Englishtnan) who had without intontion left tho door ajar when he ushered J!i Wilcox into the privato room, and thus heard tho romarks as he sat at his dos!; in tho public oüico. "Woll," said Mr. Wilcox, "I havo been inforraed that he had a cood many business trtvnsactlons with you and that this would bc alikoly placo tofindhim." "Yes," tho littlo brokor responded, "Mr. Velasquez cortainly did havo somo business to transact with me but his vlsits horo were always of the most formal nature, and we wero not on such tenns that I could be supposcd to know much of his movemcnts whilo in this city." The clerk outsido had becomo intorestod by this timo and montally ejaculated: "What a liar!" "I am not tho sort of man to boat around the bush, and 1 may as well be plain with you," said Air. Wilcox. 'You havo of courso, heard of my fricnd Mario Dolaro's murdor noar his otra wino cellars on the night of tho twenty-flrst of last raonth?" "Yes, I did hoar of the sad occuranoe," was tho rojoindor. Jool Wilcox continued: "Tho week beforo that murder Mr. Dularo told mo of a deal ho made with you, though Volasquez, in somc mining stock that paid big1, and I'm hore as a representativo of Delaro's widow to know if the matter has over beon fixed up." "Yes, I bclievo it has," replied Crandall; "but to mako suro I will step around to the office of the broker who sold the stock for Volasquoz and inquiro if the money has been paid;" saying which he rose to go and handed Mr. Wilcox a newspapor to read during his temporary absence. As soon as Crandall had gono Joel Wilcox muttered to himself: "Well, I wonder how much moro monoy tho vil;ian has scraped togothcr. There is no account of that monoy boing paid to Dolaro on his books, at least I couldn't Ind it if there was. Tho yallor-skinned 'possuin triod his bost to clean out lis best friend beforo ho killed him." He was not left to his thoughts very ong, for, no soonor was Crandall's back urnod than tho clerk mado an excuse to come into tho room with a bundie of Dapers in his hand. As soon as this inlividual got close enough to Mr. Wilcox 10 whispered: "You wore inquirin, about tho transactions of Mr. Volasquez with this louse?" "Yes, I was," tho astonished millioaaire responded. "Then appoint a meeting with me tonight and I will give you some informaJon that will provo of value. " "What do you know about the business?" queriod Mr. Wilcox. "Moro iban 1 cii.ro to know," was the rejoindor, "but Pan gotüng tirod of ii and must teil somebody. What hoto' aro you stopping at?" "The Palace,''vas thoanswer. "Eoom 2L" "Expect me thoro to-night at nine o'clock, tbon," said tbe clork, who thon loft the room, not a moment too soon, lor at that moment Crandall roturned, his walk out to tbe othor broker's office ahvingbeen merely a "blind." Without waiting until ho was seatec he informed Mr. Wileox that tho stock certificates had boon sold and tbe monoy paid to Volasquez, who held a power oi attorney for Mr. Delara At thls Mr. Wilcox rose to leavo, for he felt that tho interview with tbo clork would servo hispurpose far botter than any quantity of talk with tho unfírinciplcd broker. With many polito farewells and oxpressions of hope for futuro intorviews, as well as rogrets at tho shortness of tho present visit (entiroly upon tho part of tho brokor, howevor), tbo two men partod. PunctuaUy at tbo hour of niño Crandall's clerk put in his appearanco at the Palaco Hotel and was shown up to Mr. Wiloox's room. lio introduood himsolf by means oto card hearing tbo logend: "Percy Boaufort Lovel." "Now, Mr. Percy Beaufort Lovel,"said the jovial host, "I guess you know a good when you try one, so help yourself out of that box on tho tablo; and I know you can drink a glass oi wine, olso you ain't English. So sit you down and I'll cali for sotno of the genuino artic'e, thon we'll havo a talk. But supposo, instead of calling you Mr. Percy Beaufort Lovel, we drop part o) that dimo novel title and cali you plain Percy?" The Englishman made no demur to any of thoso suggestions; so tho wine was brought in, and, under its steadilyincreasing influenco, he told tho milllonairo all he know about Velasquez. "So you say ho was squoezed lnto a corner tho day before tho murdor," asked Wilcox. "Yes, and a pretty tight one, too," was tho rojoindor, "but, as ho left the offleo, I heard him tell Mr. Crandall that ho would got the money in throe days by fair rjeans or by foul." "Whewl" waa tho only reply. Thon Porcy proceodod and told what had happcned sinco, how Valasquez bought up tho mining stock cortífleates, and sold thein at a sleek profit, and how ho had held a noto for fif ty thousand dollars, given him by Dalaro, which Crandall manage:) by falso representations to got discountod for him on tho quiot. Final ly, Lovel told bow only a week ago, Volasquez carne into tho offleo and wont with Crandall to cash a chock for a good part of forty thousand dollars which ho said was tho proceods of tho sharo in the sale of tbo Posada vineyards. Lovol gavo it as bis opinión that Valasquez had startod East with vory little short of a hundred thousand dollars casb money In his possossion. "Do you know wbicu way ho wont?" asked Mr. Wilcox. "JSio, I do not, 8ir," was tho roply. "Now, sono, Percy, wo shall get alongagood deal bettor without any of that kind of business. Don't 'Sir' me any more," said the plain-spokcn Yankee. Lovel smiled and continucd: "Volasquez said ho might stop at Denvor awhilo, but he expnetod to be in Chicago insido of ton days." This Information woke up tho millionaire and he said: "Then time is precious. Are you willing to go with me to San Paola to-morrow, Porcy?" "Well," said Lovel, "tho quostlon is rather sudden. Mr. Wilcox, and I might lose my place if I go without Mr. Crandall's permission. " "Curse your position!" ejaculated Wilcox. "Come with mo and help to run that villain to earth and 111 see that you have a po3Ítion as long as I live." "That settlos it," said Porcy. 'Tve boen drifting all over for tbo last seven years and I may as woll keep it up." Tho next day the millionairo and his now-found friend, tho poor English clork, startod off to San Paola togothor and forged links of friondshipthat were only snapped by doath, whilo Crandall lost a good clerk wbo was toohonost for his questionablo servico. CHAPTEU V. During the journey to San Paola on the following day, Joel Wilcox took tho opportunity to havo a good long talk with Percy Lovol and ascertain what that young man knew about tho many transactions which had taken place botween Volasquoz and Crandall. Somotimcs tho young Englishman got very communicativo for ho was naturally a froo open-hearted sort of a follovv, not moro than twenty-soven years of ago, or thorcabouts. Wilcox liked him so woll that ho asked Lovel to givo him a little of his history. Said Lovel: "If I teil you my history you may not think so wcll of me afteryou hear it as you do now." "Oh, Í daro say, liko most young men who drift to Frisco, you bavo lod a kinder wild lifo, but it is evident you wero primed with a pretty good education before you started in on it," was the response. "Yes," said tho Englishman, "I supposo that's so, and sinco I left Oxford I have seon life through the kaleidoscopo of many promiscuous journey ings. I left homo bef oro I was twenty, got through a good pile of monoy in l'aris and Brussels and thon suddonly found myself in New York. I played tho races, gambled and knockod around from one job to anothor and altogotner led a Uohomian lifo. Uut I feol like sobering up now; it isn't necossary for a fcllovv to be a vagabond all his lifo, and 1'm ready for tho chango. It isñ't more than threo weeks since 1 handled tho chips for tho last time, but I have dono with it for keeps. By tho way, the very last gamo I sat down to tv as in the samo room that Velasquez frequontod and ho droppod over flve thousand dollars that night. It was the same evening he sold tho mining stock. Ho often used to come to that den, and some of the boys there know a good deal about him, but I very much question whether any of them would teil You much." "Good." rocnarlcoa Lo vol a nowl; found friond, "I m glad to licar tha your are lirud of your v.ild life. and what's moro, I txáieve yon. üo f rom now on you v:ll picase considpr yourse] private secretary to -loei Wilcox. never dia put on nir.s beforo, bu 1 guess I ain'l too oii to be_jin. Is it a go?" "Why, vou astoniyli me. Mr. Wilcox but I will try to deservo your conö denco." "All rij'm; I count mysolf a prett; good judge of a m:ia whon I soe one, ani I tbink th;ii so fr u.s I am conccnied. am safe in engaging you for an unlimited period; tho salary quostion wo can settlo as wo go along," added Wilcox in a jovial manner. "But what," ho continued, "was that you said about Velasquez being known Dy tho boys in the gambling houso?" Percy then repoated what he had already recounted, and Mr. Wilcox sald that the knovvledgo mlght bo useful in hunting down the rasca,L As both Mr. Wilcox and the Englishman were good talkers the conversation was kept up in a lively manner, and 11 was not long before Wilcox know al' about Percy from his childhood up. As tho train pullod up at San Paola Mr. Wilcox said. "Ah! I guess, my boy, you'vo boon more of a fooi than an intontional scamp. " Tho romark was full of truth, for Percy Lovol was novor roally bad, only one of those lads so ospecially common among the better English classes who become uttorly reckloas in tho eager pursuit of "folly as it flios." Yet through all his ups and downs he was nonchalant, easy-tompered and cool as an icod cucumbor. Always ho could find timo to part his hair in the right place, no matter if tho house was on fire; but he could also be relied upon to roacli the outside saíely. And no matter whore or how deep he would 8ink in lifo's turbulent waters, ho lnvariably camo to the top again smiling. Always philosophieally contentod, he nevcr lost his temper or becarae unduly excited, and after a varied experienco covorinj a rano of occupations, from speculator to book-canva3ser, ho floated into Crandall i Co 's ofüce, and from there, as wo havo seon. to his present position. And this last move was to chango tho wholo course of his lifo. VVhon Jool Wileox went to bed that night ho feit cortain that Anton Royman's release was near at hand. Ho was now entirely conildent that Velasquez had murdorod Delaro. but he was not the man to act rashly or with undue baste. So he concluded to sloop on his recent discovories, and raake disclosuros lator. Next morning ho and Percy Lovel started over to soe Mrs. Uelaro. She met thom at tho door and said: "Oh! Mr. Wllcox, I'm so glad you havo come. Somothing of preat (mportanco bas transpire d." They walked into tho house and into the library, whero Mr. Wilcox was astonishcd to seo o:ie of tho workmen from tho collars aoattd Tho door was closod, but, at Mr. Wilcox's request, Lovel was allowed to romain in the room. "This man," said the unhappy widow, "has brought soinothing horo which will probably prove beyond a doubt who it was that killed my dear husband. Yesterday ono of this man's boys was bathing in the strcam wliich flows at the foot of tbo hill yondor," said the lady, pointin; from tho window as she spoke, "and, in diving to piek objects from the inud in tho bottom of the river, found this weapon " Here Mrs. Dolaro produced an ivory handled stiletto upon tho handlo of which was carved the initiuls "L. V." "Great guns," exelaimed Wilcox, "wo shall provo thr.t snake guilty sooner than I expected." Then a long convo.-sation ensued and the workman was asltcd to rcpoat nis story to Wilcox, and so much engrossed did evorybody beeomc in the rocitation that in tho cxcitomont of tho hour it was forgotton that Iiovel had not been introduced. But Mr. Wilcox soon mado amonds for his forgetfulness and told Mrs. Delaro of tho value of his nowly-formod acquaintanco. Thero was much to be said about the now clcw and Vclasquez's forraer history, and l'ercy warmod up and bccamo aliños t enthusiastic ovur his prospectivo work. They discussod bo.v evory thing should bo arrangod. On tho morro w they proposed to go to the lawyor at Santa Rosa, and inform him of the new dovclopments. Ihoy supposed naturally that Volasquei had little idea of his crime being discoverod so soon, if ever, and that ho was probably on his way Cast. So they did not raise a hue and cry atonco but dccided that it would be f;vr wlsor, and moro prudent, to be sure they woro right beforo going ahoad Tho next day they all startcd for Santa Rosa, the county soat, where tho trial was to be held, and W'iloox was at lastfullof hope that tho unfortunate Anton would soon bo rcloased. A consultation was held v.ith tho lawyers, but thoy did not deern it wise to take steps to secure a warrant for Velasquoz's arrest; they advisod waiting until after tho trial of Anton Reyman. x no trial was sel for ton days later, and at that time neariy ovcry adult inhabitant of San Paola wasat Santa Rosa. The witnesses wqo liad aopeared beforo tho coroner and the grand jury wero aain cr.lled, and during the first part of tbo procoeding3 there was only a repstition of tho formor scènes at the inquost. no new disclosuresboingmade. But there ivas x tumult of exeitemont wnen I'ercy Beaufort Lovol bad been callcd and his testimony taken. What ho s:üd furnishod uncxpccted developtnon! ;o al! except tbr principáis iii ii" .'nft. ;tnd ereated not only surprise but intenso indignation among the people. Thon the boy who had found the stiletto was callcd and examined. The weapon was produced and the servante of the Dolaro housohold wero called to testify that they had seen the weapon several times lying on tho bureau in Mr. Velasqucz's room. Othor witnesses followed, who spoko in glowing terms of Anton's character, and thon tbo judgo commonccd to charge the jury. [ie told them that tho guilt could not be justly transferred from tho shouldors of tho prisonor to thosoof Velasquezon tho evidencegivun and mado pruloned roferenco to Anton's angry talk with Delaro and the fact that ho followed tho mnrdered man out of tho cellars. The judgo was just suergesting the roasonableness and probability of Reyman having committed the foul dood, whcn Percy Lovel, who had been carofully scrutinizing tho stiletto, interrupted. The young fcllow had noticod that tho point of the weapon was brokon. Only an extrcmely small fragment of tho point was missing, but it was large enough to be noticed Ho handed the daggor to tho lawycr for thodefense and drow his attontion to tho fact. The lawyer understood its purport in a moment. Inarathcr rudo and hasty mannor, but such as the occasion demanded, he called upon the judgo to desist in his summing up, and asked that further evidence be takon. The judgo, who was strictly lmpartial, remarkcd that in such a case it was hardly possible that so blunt a point could havo ponctrated tho dead man's body as deoply as Dolaro's wound, but that this was a matter worthy tho utmost considoration of tho jury "Yes, indeed it is, your honor," sald the lawyer for tho defonso; "but permit me to suggest that moasures be at once taken to find tho point of this weapon bofore this man Uoyman is unjustly convicted. The most likely place to find it would bein Delaro's body, and if it is, then there will not be much doubt as to tho identity of the actual murdoror." "It seems hardly credible that It could have broken off insido of tho body," suggestod tho judge; "we can consult some professional advicO on tho mattor." "Then tbo bost man to fret that advico from is Jool Wiloox," was the lawyor's reply. "Lot Joel Wilcox be called to the stand," said the judge to tho usher. Upon being sworn Wilcox gave his opinión, as an oíd blacksmith and as a man who had workod all kinds of botb iron and stool, hot or cold. Said he: "It the point of the stiletto had not been properly tompered, it is highly probable that in striking against a bone in a man'sbody it would break off '' "Thon tbo b"dy shall be exbumed and the piece of st, cl sougbt for,14 said the Judgo. Whoreupon the court adjournod until tho followlng day. That samo aftornoon the body of Dolaro was oxtjuraod and suro enough, the pioco of stoel was found sticking to tho bottora of the loftshoulder blade. The doctor producod the fragment next day in court, and it was found to flt exactly to the stiletto. Thon tho judo completed hls charge, buton vastly different linos, the consequenco bcing that Anton was discharged without tho jury once bavinjj to leave thoir seats. The crowd cheercd him as he went out and one of tho first men whe met him was Joel Wilcox. "Anton," he said. "it was I that bought tho l'osada vineyards, and I hope, my boy. you will go back to your oíd placo and manago it for me." It was a ligbt-bearted and yet a sad party that west back to Sun Paola that night. for few of thein had yet forgotton the memory of their lost friend. And Wilcox, kind oíd follow that he was, went that night to try and console tho desolato widow, and informod her that he had arrangod to rondor all possiblo assistance to the detectives in capturing the murderer. At tho conclusión of the interview, at wbich Percy Lovol was present, they all decided to loavo San Paola at once - Mrs. Delaro to eo to her friends and Wilcox and bis youn aide to follow in the wake of the trui) tv man. l TO BE CONTINÜED. I