Part 90 (2/2)
”Yes,” said Despard, in so to so sad an event; but you are, of course, aware of the common story of his death”
”Yes,” replied Despard, in still greater surprise
”That story is known to the world,” said the stranger ”His case was publicly tried at Manilla, and a Malay was executed for the crime”
”I know that,” returned Despard, ”and I know, also, that there were some, and that there still are some, who suspect that the Malay was innocent”
”Who suspected this?”
”My uncle Henry Despard and myself”
”Will you allow me to ask you if your suspicions pointed at any one?”
”My uncle hinted at one person, but he had nothing more than suspicions”
”Who was the ent, who accoe, and took an active part in the conviction of the Malay”
”What was his name?”
”John Potts”
”Where does he live now?”
”In Brandon”
”Very well Excuse my questions, but I was anxious to learn how much you knew You will see shortly that they were not idle Has any thing ever been done by any of the relatives to discover whether these suspicions were correct?”
”At first nothing was done They accepted as an established fact the decision of the Manilla court They did not even suspect then that any thing else was possible It was only subsequent circuue suspicions”
”What were those, may I ask?”
”I would rather not tell,” said Despard, who shrank froer the mysterious story of Edith Brandon
”It is as well, perhaps At any rate, you say there were no suspicions expressed till your uncle was led to foro was this?”
”About two years ago--a little more, perhaps I at once devotedwhether they could beThe event had happened so long ago that it had faded out of men's minds The person whom I suspected had become very rich, influential, and respected In fact, he was unassailable, and I have been coive up the effort”
”Would you like to learn so voice
Despard's whole soul was roused by this question