San Antonio Sunday Light (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 46, No. 69, Ed. 1 Sunday, March 28, 1926 Page: 77 of 92
ninety two pages : ill. ; page 20 x 16 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
MILLTCENT OXKNHAM. IwßOtlful daugh-
ter of Kir .Xk'holß# Oinaham become#
engaged to her childhood wweethearf. Lienten*
nnl John Dalrymple Lauderdale. Sir Nicholas
I# aNßociated in financial enterprise# with Mr.
Marcus Bartenatein. Millirent has noticed
tliHf lately her father teema worried and irri-
table. an<l when she returns home from a ■
stroll In the park with her fiance she is dis-
treated to find that Mr. Bartenstein is wait-
ing to see her. He tells her that her father
Is hopelessly and irretrievably ruined and
that he Is the only man who ran save him.
But Mr. Bartenatein will save her father only
upon one condition — that she. Millicent. Im»*
comes his wife.
When Millicent tells her Hance of the ttnan*
rier < infamous proposal to her. he goes
straight to Mr. Bartenst<dn'a n^nalon to io.
him. When Mr. Hartenatein's t»let open# the
door of the library next morning he sees l»e-
CHAPTER VIII.
Story of the Hidalgo’s Curse.
THE person who was now shown into
Inspector Dwayne’s room might
but for his modern dress have
stepped out of one of the canvases of
Velasquez. He was a tall and very stately
gentleman of a clear olive complexion
very black of hair and eye and possessed
of a pair of formidable moustaches and
a small beard carefully trimmed to a
point. Irreproachably clad in the finest
of black cloth and wearing immaculate
linen he made a figure of distinction as
drawing his heels together and executing
a sweep of his glossy wide-brimmed high-
crowned hat he saluted those present with
a profound bow.
“Good-morning sir” said Inspector
Dwayne rising and placing a chair for the
newcomer. “Be seated sir.” He glanced
at the card which Wilson had given him.
“Mr. Carlos ”
“The Senor Carlos Juan Olivares” said
the Spanish gentleman in a deep voice.
The Inspector mada a polite bow and
when his visitor was seated resumed his
own chair.
“I understand senor that you wish to
tell me something about the sword-stick
which is mentioned in the newspapers in
connection with the Bartenstein case” he
said.
Senor Olivares made a deprecating mo-
tion of his handsome head.
"Pardon sir no” he replied. “That is
not primarily though 1 have no doubt that
I could tell you much? My object in at-
tending you was not so much to give as
to receive information.”
“Oh!” said the Inspector. “And in
what way sir?”
“1 have reason to believe” answered
the Spaniard who spoke very slowly but
in excellent English “that the sword-stick
which you describe as having been found
in the now deceased Mr. Bartenstein’s
rooms in one which if everyone had his
own is my property.”
Inspector Dwayne who before Senor
Olivares’s entrance had replaced the
sword-stick in the cupboard glanced at
Lauderdale.
“Well senor” he said “here is another
gentleman who also claims the sword-stick
at. his property and who moreover says
that it has been the property of his family
for over a hundred years—in fact since
the first campaign in the Peninsular
War.”
Senor Olivares regarded Lauderdale
with a calm and dignified look and bent
his head courteously.
“Just so” said he. “It was about that
time that it passed out of the keeping of
its rightful owner my great-grand father.”
“My great-grandfather senor” said
Lauderdale “became possessed of the
sword-stick in Spain under very romantic
circumstances."
“it was given to him sir by a young
Spanish lady with whom he had an affair
of love” said Senor Olivares quietly. “Is
it not so sir?”
“Well yes that is so” answered Laud-
erdale somewhat taken aback. “I see you
know something of the story.”
“I know all of it sir” said Senor
Olivares. “For the young lady was an
ancestor of my own. Sir may I ask you a
question?”
“As many as you please senor” re-
plied Lauderdale.
“How did your great-grandfather meet
his death?” inquired the Spaniard.
“He was drowned at sea” replied Laud-
erdale.
“And your grandfather?”
“He broke his neck in the hunting-
field.”
“And—you will pardon me senor—if
your father is dead how did he die?”
asked the questioner.
“My father is dead” answered Lauder-
dale. “He was killed at the battle of
Colenso during the Boer War.”
Senor Olivares made a low bow.
“Quite so sir” he said. “That is
exactly what 1 expected to hear. Indeed
I could not have heard anything else."
“But why senor?” said Lauderdale.
“Because it is what I expected—nay
was certain to hear” replied the Spaniard.
“Were 1 you sir 1 should rejoice that
the sword-stick had passed out of my pos-
session." a
“Well I don’t rejoice” said Lauder-
dale with characteristic British bluntnesa.
“The thing’s been an heirloom in our
family for over a hundred years and I
don't mean to lose possession of it if I
can help it. I don’t care whom it belonged
to in the beginning—your family or any
ether family—l know it was given to my
great-grandfather and therefore became
his. And again I ask why did you ex-
pect to hear that my ancestors died as
they did?”
Senor Olivares bent his large and
melancholy eyes more deeply on the young
Englishman.
“Because sir they could not have died
in any other way” he answered. “The
sword-stick is accursed—until it is re-
turned to its rightful owner—myself.”
“Oh bosh!” answered Lauderdale.
“Who’s going to believe that sort of rot at
Shis time of day?”
“It is nevertheless as 1 say sir” af-
firmed the Spaniard. “Consider now—-
your great-grandsire is drowned; Your
grandfather broke his neck; your father
diva in battle —a most honorable death
Synopsis of Preceding Chapters.
sir but one of violence. And over your-
self at this moment hangs the shadow of
death by violence.”
“What do you mean sir?” exclaimed
Lauderdale half angrily.
“Are you not suspected of the murder
of Mr. Bartenstein and on very strong
evidence?” said the Spaniard. “T tell
you sir the sword-stick is accursed so
long as it remains out of the proprietor-
ship of its rightful owner. What happened
to Bartenstein when he became possessed
of it?"
“Ah!” broke in Inspector Dwayne who
at this juncture saw matters coming more
within his own province. “Now we’re
touching on something practical. What
I want to get at just now Lieutenant
T^uderdale is—hpw did Bartenstein get
hold of that sword-stick? Mind I don’t
say that it would clear you of suspicion
if he did buy it for you might have seen
it in his room picked it up and used it
upon him in a moment of rage or temper
but if we can prove that you didn't carry
it there with you it’s a point considerably
in your favor. Now Mr. Hasleton here
had brought us to the point where he
parted with the stick to a Mr. Aaron
Abrahams when the senor came in. What
do you suggest Mr. Hasleton?”
The lame young man who had remained
silent since the entrance of Senor Olivares
but had shown great Interest in that
gentleman and his statements now be-
came more animated.
“It seems to me” said he ‘that the first
thing to do is^o find out if jßenor Olivares
is talking of the same sword-stick that
we were discussing-. Although both he
and Lieutenant Lauderdale are evidently
conversant with the romantic circum-
stances under which the stick passed from
Spanish to English hands the senor has
not put forward any evidence to show
that they are speaking of the same stick
or that he is entitled to it.”
“Very well put Mr. Hasleton” said the ‘
Inspector. “Now senor what do you say
to that?”
“Merely this sir” answered the Span-
iard drawing out a pocket-book and pro-
ducing from it a document which had be-
come yellow with age “that I have here
a paper written by my grandsire Don
Raman Olivares of Seville in which the
history of the sword-stick is set forth.
Now strange as it may seem it is only
recently that I became possessed of this
paper and therefore with the story of the
stick. I have been settled in England
for many years as a wine merchant in
the city—in fact London is now my home
though I am not and do not intend to
be naturalized much as I admire this
great nation. Very recently on the death
of my father I received a chest full of
family documents and in going through
them I discovered this. Until then 1 had
no knowledge of the matter —if my father
had he certainly never mentioned it to
me.”
“Does the document throw auy light on
the matter senor?” asked ’ Inspector
Dwavne. “If not ”
“That is precisely how you take it sir”
replied the Spaniard unfolding the time-
stained paper. “There is here a complete
description of the sword-stick which tal-
lies entirely with that given in this after-
noon's newspapers and there is also the
history of it and the curse attaching to it.
If that is of moment to the case ”
The Inspector by his manner seemed to
show that he did not think it did but
Mr. Hasleton who was obviously inquisi-
tive suggested that the history should
certainly be placed before them.
“Well simply then >enor” said In-
spector Dwayne glancing at his watch.
“I have further work in this matter to-
night—in which I shall want your assis-
tance Mr. Hasleton and yours Lieuten-
ant” he added with a significant glance
at Lauderdale. “Well senor what is it?”
Senor Olivares putting on the bridge
of his fine nose a pair of gold-rimmed
glasses consulted the document in his
nand.
“You must know gentlemen” he said
"that although I prefer to rank amongst
you as a plain and unpretentious citizen
I am of noble blood being descended from
the great Gaspar de Guzman Count Duke
of Olivares who was in his time the pow-
ertul minister of Philip the Fourth. Now
it was to Olivares that this sword-stick
was presented by His Majesty himself
and the inscription which is described as
now being almost illegible was chased
upon the silver head by direct orders of
Philip himself. Whatever value the Count
Duke placed upon this royal gift does not
appear hut it eventually passed into the
keeping of my branch of the family rep-
resented about a hundred and seventy
years ago by a hidalgo of avery proud
and fierce temperament who being
enamored of this link between ourselves
and Philip the Fourth wrote a history
of the sword-stick on parchment in which
he commanded it to be kept forever as
a family heirloom and appended to the
history a curse which set forth that who-
ever suffered it U> leave the family or
whoever received it from the family
should die a violent and sudden death.
Now it remained in the family until the
time of the Peninsular War when an
English officer—the great-grandfather of
this gentleman 1 presume—became the
twwn him#t*lf and rrcat fireplace the body
of Rartenateln aprawled out stiff In death in a
tool of already dry! And clone beside
Im n half drawn aword cane.
A# he la about to rive order# for the broad*
raiding of a circular giving a full dearription
of Lieutenant Lauderdale. Inapertor Dwayne
of Scotland Yard. I# surprised by the appesr-
ance In his office of the man he Is necking.
The Inapector Mhow# Lauderdale the sword*
cane with which Mr. Rartenstein wa# killed
and Lauderdale admit# ownership. He says
he lost it some time tn*fore and ha# advertised
in several paper# offering a reward for Ms
return. As they are talking a cripple I# ad-
mitted to the office. He fella the Inspector
that he had the MM In his possession at one
time having bought It from a man on the
street and sold It to the owner of an antique
store. He ha# just finished Ma story wlnn
another man. who claims to know about the
MWord-canc if shown Into the Inspector’s
office. \
“Either being ignor-
ant of the curse or car-
ing nothing for it she
gave the sword-cane to
her lover and concealed
the matter from her
people for some time.”
family’s guest and participated in an
amour with the daughter of the house.
She knowing that he had a great fancy
for this stick and either being ignorant
of the curse or caring nothing for it gave
it to him when he left and concealed the
matter from her people for some time.
Then it passed out of possession of my
family. Since 1 received and read this
document I have done all I could to
discover the whereabouts of the stick
but as I did not know the name of your
ancestor 1 was unable to trace it until
the event of lust night brought it before
the public.”
“What became of the young lady senor
who gave the stick away?” asked Mr.
Hasleton. “I am curious to know.”
“Sir” replied the Spaniard "she was
stabbed to the heart by a disappointed
lover! And now sir” he added to In-
spector Dwayne “I trust that I have
proved my claim and that I may he per-
mitted to resume possession of my fam-
ily’s property.”
Inspector Dwayne stared blankly at
Senor Olivares and then laughed.
“Oh dear me no!” he said. "You ean’t
expect that sir. That stick is under safe
lock and key and will be wanted at at
the trial if there is a trial” he added.
“May I then be permitted to look upon
so historic a relic?” asked Senor Olivares.
“You will un'derstand my feelings.” '
The Inspector saw no reason to object
to that and unlocking the cupboard he
once more produced the sword-stick and
permitted the Spaniard to handle it.
Senor Olivares did so with great rever-
ence and then departed with many formal
bows.
“And now. gentlemen” the Inspector
said “we must really get to business Mr.
Hasleton 1 want you to take me to see
this man Aaron Abrahams. And you.
Lieutenant must come with us—-I’m
afraid I can’t let you run off just yet.”
CHAPTER IX.
Grandfather Punctuality.
INSPECTOR DWAYNE now summoned
a coadjutor one Sergeant Mitchell
with whom he had a whispered con-
sultation after which he announced his
rwutiness to depart and his intention of
taking Mitchell with him.
(C> by Atneikan Weekly Inc
By J. S. Fletcher
the Modern Master of Mystery Stories
“And as I don’t want you to be seen
any more than is possible Lieutenant”
he said “for the description of you in
the newspapers is so accurate that any of
our people would known you we’ll just
get out by the quickest way we can and
find a taxicab in Whitehall.”
This being done the four men were
speedily on their way to Mortimer Street
Mr. Hasleton greatly enjoying the sensa-
tion of being brought into the thick of
things. As a rule his life was spent in
comparative unes’entfulness; to find him-
self suddenly involved even in a minor
way in a drama or tragedy as it might
yet be was a pleasant change from his
usual peaceful atmosphere of books pic-
tures and curios.
“Abrahams is sure to be closed” he
said as they swung into Mortimer Street
from Regent Street. “It is now nearly
eight o’clock and he always closes at
seven to the minute. But his private door
is round the corner from the shop and
he’ll let me in—l have been there before.
You had better let me get out of the cab
a few doors away Inspector and I will
walk on and prepare him. He’s rather a
curious man Abrahams and if he saw a
large concourse at his door might not be
disposed to admit us.”
Inspector Dwayne considered this to be
a wise suggestion and Mr. Hasleton was
therefore presently set down and with the
aid of his stick moved away as fast as he
could round the corner while his com-
panions waited in the cab. In five minutes
he reappeared waving his hand. “It’s
ail right.” he said. “He is at his repast
after the day’s toil and would naturally
see no one under ordinary circumstances
but when I explained the urgent nature
of our business he consented to receive
us.”
Having paid and discharged the driver
who favored them all and especially
Lauderdale with a minute inspection the
party wag led by Mr. Hasleton to a door
in a side street where stood Mr. Aaron
Abrahams himself a tall elderly person
whose chief garment was a long gabar-
dine-like coat which reached nearly to his
heels where its fringes swept a pair of
enormous carpet slippers. His gray
hail which overflowed his ears and de-
scended upon his collar was surmounted
by a rusty black velvet cap; his large nose
supported a pair of enormous round spec-
c. Great Ihiuin MUhU Referred.
taeles and he looked altogether like a wise
old goat meditating on many difficult
problems. 1
“Come in gentlemen come in!” said
Mr. Abrahams. “Anything that I can be
of use to you in 1 shall be happy to do.
If you will follow Mr. Hasleton gentle-
men he knows the way and I will remain
to close the door. Into my little parlor
Mr. Hasleton if you please sir.”
It was quite a feat of navigation to
make a clear course for Mr. Abrahams’s
parlor for the passage was by no means
wide and it was so much encumbered by
such trifling matters as grandfather
clocks oak presses and bureaus Chippen-
dale chairs and other flotsam and jetsam
of the old furniture trade that it was
with difficulty thpt Mr. Hasleton’s per-
sonally-conducted party made its way
along without knocking heads against this
or breaking shins against that. They
were safely led however into a small
parlor which Mr. Abrahams appeared to
utilize in a three-fold capacity—first as a
species of overflow depository from the
shop; second as a bed-sitting room and
third as a kitchen. There was excellent
olfactory evidence that Mr. Abrahams
was supping off steak and onions and
washing the solids down with rum and
water and Inspector Dwayne begged him
to continue his repast which invitation
the furniture and antique dealer compro-
mised by placing his dinner in the oven
where he said it would keep warm until
they had finished their litvle conversa-
tion.
“And that need not keep you long. Mr.
Abrahams” said the Inspector who then
gave the old man an outline'of his busi-
ness during which the dealer regarded
Lauderdale with great interest. “Now”
he said “have you any idea as to how
that sword-stick came into Mr. Barten-
stein’s possession from yours? We know
he was a collector — did you sell it to
him?”
“No sir” replied Mr. Abrahams. “No
I did not. I have heard of Mr. Barton-
stein as a collector but he never came to
me as far as I remember.”
' . “But you sold the stick of course?”
said Inspector Dwayne.
“Certainly sir 1 did” answered the
dealer. “I sold it three days after I ac-
quired it from Mr. Hasleton to an old man
who is well known to us dealers and who
I knew would buy it. He is a very curi-
ous and eccentric person and the general
opinion is that he collects for some big
people behind him because with him price
is nothing.
“What’s his name?” asked the In-
spector. Mr Abrahams laughed.
“The only name any one knows him by
sir is Grandfather Punctuality” he re-
plied.
“Grandfather Puncuality!” exclaimed
the Inspector. “What’s that mean?”
“It’s on account of his method of doing
business” answered the dealer. “When
he takes a fancy to anything and has
agreed upon the price he names a day
ami an hour on which he will return and
pay for it. He will never pay cash nor
give a deposit but he is always back to
the minute at the appointed time and
pays over the sum no matter what the
amount is in gold. That’s how he got
the name of Grandfather Punctuality.”
"Where docs he live?” asked the In-
spector.
“Ah. sir that’s what nobody knows!”
replied Mr. Abrahams. “He’s one of the
sort that keep their private affairs very
close. But 1 know where you would be
almost certain to find him at this time.”
“Where then?” said Inspector Dwayne.
“Well sir if you go along Holborn you
will find before you come to the First
Avenue Hotel there a little narrow pas-
sage which turns up in the direction of
Bedford Row” answered Mr. Abrahams.
“There are several old shops there where
curiosities and antiques of one sort or
another are sold but you will see one in
which there is practically nothing in the
window but old prints—name of Marks
over the door sir. That’s where Grand-
father Punctuality is usually to be found
of an evening—he and Marks are great
friends sir—they drink together.”
Inspector Dwayne thanked Mr. Abra-
hams for his courtesy and the party once
more navigated the passage and regained
the fresh air.
"We’ll go straight for Holborn” said
the Inspector signaling for another cab.
“And 1 only hope we shall find this old
Grandfather Punctuality there. You may
depend upon it that he sold the stick to
Bartenstein.”
By Inspector Dwayne’s instructions the
driver of the taxicab which they now
entered instead of taking them to the
Holborn entrance of the passage described
by Mr. Abrahams drove them along Theo-
bald’s Road and down Bedford Row
where he was instructed to wait. There
were very few people about when they
alighted and the narrow passage was
deserted.
“liOok here we mustn’t all go down
there” said the Inspector. “Lieutenant
Lauderdale you come with me. and you.
Mr. Hasleton stay with Sergeant Mitchell.
If we can find this old man we’ll try to
give you a sight of him but we mustn't
go in force—we might frighten him.”
Lauderdale and Inspector Dwayne soon
found the little shop which Mr. Abrahams
had told them of—an affair of a small
window with very dirty panes within
which were hung a quantity of old prints
most of them in a faded and mildewed
condition. There was a light at the back
of the shop and looking between th*
prints they were able to obtain a view of
the place without being seen themselves.
Lauderdale found himself gazing at a
scene which reminded him of some of
Hogarth’s interiors. Two old men sat at
a table on which was placed a lamp; its
light fell on patches of their wrinkled
faces and on the white hair which showed
beneath their hats; on a big black hottie
which stood between them and on the
ruby-colored liquid in their glasses. Each
was smoking a long church-warden pipe
and the fumes of strong tobacco were per-
ceivable through a broken pane in the
dirty window.
“Queer-looking couple!” said the In-
spector. “Let’s see if we can get in.”
On trying the door it was found to be
fast and the Inspector signing to his
companion to stand a little on one side
knocked loudly at it. But he had to
knock again before an old man opened
the door a little way and thrust out a
large nose.
“What do you want?” he said peevishly.
“I don’t do no business tonight.”
“I want” said the Inspector dexter-
ously putting a foot over the threshold
“to have a word or two with Grand-
father.”
“What grandfather?” said Mr. Marks.
“Whose grandfather?”
“Come on now” said Inspector
Dwayne gradually edging his way in.
“That’s Grandfather over his runi-and-
water there and I want to speak to him.
Stand aside man—l’m a police officer.’
At this Mr. Marks stood aside hastily
and Inspector Dwayne motioning Lauder-
dale to follow him walked down the shop
to where Grandfather Punctuality sat at
the table pipe in mouth and glass at hand.
In front of him lay an evening newspaper
black with great headlines about the
Bartenstein case.
“He’s as deaf as a post” said Mr.
Marks following them. “You’ll have to
shout at him.”
Grandfather Punctuality evidently heard
no sound until the Inspector tapped him
on the shoulder when he looked up and
stared at the two strangers. But when
i his eyes fell on Lauderdale a curious ex-
pression covered his face; he rose slowly
from his chair and taking a step nearer
the young man peered at him as if search-
ing for something. It was a queer face
that thi n brought itself so near to Lauder-
dale's—the face of a verj’ very old man
seamed wrinkled scarred crafty sly but
clever framed in a mass of white hair
which straggled all round it There was
a strange light in the old eyes as they
regarded Lauderdale and it deepened as
the old man went back to the table and
nodding his head with great satisfaction
tapped that paragraph in the newspaper
in which Chester’s description v of Lauder-
dale was given.
“He’s recognized you” said Inspector
Dwayne. “Here. Grandfather I want to
ask you a question. You bought an old
sword-stick from Mr. Abrahams in Mor-
timer Street—did you sell it to Mr. Bar-
tenstein.”
The old man heard this shouted in his
ear but he paid no heed to it—he sipped
at his glass relighted his pipe and turned
again to the newspaper.
“He'll not answer you if he’s not
minded to” said Mr. Mark.-.. “He’s very
queer to deal with.”
(Continued on Page 18)
13
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
San Antonio Sunday Light (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 46, No. 69, Ed. 1 Sunday, March 28, 1926, newspaper, March 28, 1926; San Antonio, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1631548/m1/77/: accessed June 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .