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Updated: June 25, 2025
Wollaston rose and went nearer the electric light and looked at his watch. Then he came back. "Now, Maria, listen to me again," he said. "I have some business in Ridgewood. I would not attend to it to-night but I have made an appointment with a man and I don't see my way out of breaking it. It is about a house which I want to rent.
Trouble was coming, however, that was to try the young girl's faith as it had never been tried before. Back of Ridgewood village was a forest of large extent, bordering on a narrow stream. This woods was owned by an Eastern capitalist and he had as yet permitted no woodman's ax to resound in its depths.
"For this I thank you, and if a life-time of devotion can repay you it shall be yours " "Cease, sir," Rose interrupted at the first opportunity. "I am willing to believe you innocent of that awful crime at Ridgewood, but there are other crimes as wicked as murder " "I know," he cried, rising and clasping his hands, while he bent a pleading, wistful look into her face.
Surely you can have no love for that evil man." "No, no, that is all dead now." "Then it is needless to tell you that he is an outlaw of the deepest dye. I want you to tell me what you know of the murder at Ridgewood. He confessed to you that he robbed the house, and it may be that you know if it was his hand that used this!"
The eyes of the police sergeant regarded the widow fixedly. He prided himself on being an expert detective, and for many days he had been investigating the murder at Ridgewood, with a view to winning the five thousand reward offered by the county sheriff.
He thought that she was very pretty, and also that there was something amiss with her. He, as well as the girl, had entirely gotten over his boyish romance, but the impulse to honorable dealing and duty towards her had not in the least weakened. When the train stopped at Ridgewood he rose. Maria did not stir.
"The whole burgh is in a state of excitement over the discovery of the murderer of Victoria Vane." "He has been discovered then?" "Wait. A squad of police went to your house this morning and hunted high and low for you. The papers say that August Bordine murdered the Ridgewood girl, and that he fled last night from the city to escape arrest. What do you think of that?" "It's all false."
And silent Ridgewood seems to stir And smile, because she knows the train Has brought her children back again. We carry people home and so God speeds us, wheresoe'er we go. The midnight train is slow and old, But of it let this thing be told, To its high honour be it said, It carries weary folk to bed.
"Confound it," growled the tramp, "that man of yours'll kill you some time, Iris, and you'll let 'im do it 'ithout making complaint." "I should not care to see Andrew in prison." "He may go thar yet." "Anything new?" "Somebody's got ter swing fer the crime at Ridgewood; why mayn't it be Andy?" The woman started and grew pale as death. Her brother thought she was on the point of fainting again.
Was this the same man he had dogged to the house in the suburbs? He looked like him, and yet there seemed to be a slight difference in the voice. The detective was puzzled. "Where do you stop, Mr. Keene?" "At the Golden Lion." "Good hotel; but I would like to have you accompany me home. I would talk of the late crime at Ridgewood. I notice that a large reward has been offered for the perpetrator."
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