|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 90
"You needn't be afraid of talking to me," he answered. "I'm
well known in Wrychester. The Duke," he went on, nodding his
head in the direction of the great house which lay behind the
woods at the foot of the garden, "knows me well enough--in
fact, I was on my way to see his Grace now, to ask him if he
could tell me where you could be found. The fact is, I'm
aware of what happened last night--the jewel affair, you know
--Mitchington told me--and of your friendship with Braden, and
I want to ask you a question or two about Braden."
Glassdale, who had looked somewhat mystified at the beginning
of this address, seemed to understand matters better by the
end of it.
"Oh, well, of course, doctor," he said, "if that's it--but, of
course--a word first!--these folk here at the inn don't know
who I am or that I've any connection with the Duke on that
affair. I'm Mr. Gordon here--just staying for a bit."
"That's all right," answered Bryce with a smile of
understanding. "All this is between ourselves. I saw you
with the Duke and the rest of them last night, and I
recognized you just now. And all I want is a bit of talk
about Braden. You knew him pretty well of late years?"
"Knew him for a good many years," replied Glassdale. He
looked narrowly at his visitor. "I suppose you know his
story--and mine?" he asked. "Bygone affairs, eh?"
"Yes, yes!" answered Bryce reassuringly. "No need to go into
that--that's all done with."
"Aye--well, we both put things right," said Glassdale. "Made
restitution--both of us, you understand. So that is done
with? And you know, then, of course, who Braden really was?"
"John Brake, ex bank-manager," answered Bryce promptly. "I
know all about it. I've been deeply interested and concerned
in his death. And I'll tell you why. I want to marry his
daughter."
Glassdale turned and stared at his companion.
"His daughter!" he exclaimed. "Brake's daughter! God bless
my soul! I never knew he had a daughter!"
It was Bryce's turn to stare now. He looked at Glassdale
incredulously.
"Do you mean to tell me that you knew Brake all those years
and that he never mentioned his children?" he exclaimed.
"Never a word of 'em!" replied Glassdale. "Never knew he had
any!"
"Did he never speak of his past?" asked Bryce.
"Not in that respect," answered Glassdale. "I'd no idea that
he was--or had been--a married man. He certainly never
mentioned wife nor children to me, sir, and yet I knew Brake
about as intimately as two men can know each other for some
years before we came back to England."
Bryce fell into one of his fits of musing. What could be the
meaning of this extraordinary silence on Brake's part? Was
there still some hidden secret, some other mystery at which he
had not yet guessed?
"Odd!" he remarked at last after a long pause during which
Glassdale had watched him curiously. "But, did he ever speak
to you of an old friend of his named Ransford--a doctor?"
"Never!" said Glassdale. "Never mentioned such a man!"
Bryce reflected again, and suddenly determined to be explicit.
"John Brake, the bank manager," he said, "was married at a
place called Braden Medworth, in Leicestershire, to a girl
named Mary Bewery. He had two children, who would be,
respectively, about four and one years of age when his--we'll
call it misfortune--happened. That's a fact!"
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|