Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-22

Of any ambition or fancy of his own,
e n could but wonder at the intensity
S.szsE which moved his thoughts and his
actIOns IN the pursuit of that investigation
which Mrs. Arden had cOnfided TO him. He
could think of nothing else, undertake other
occupation. and when his thoughts were not
fixed upon Leon Duverdier and MS supposed
sister they were on the other side OF the Chan
ne hAuUtIng River Lawn or a certain house in
Grosvenor Square and following one particular
girIlsh figdr. S.SL an alarming persistence.
He wanted to do the thing which Mrs. Arden
had given him to do. ne wanted to prove how
difficult e task he could accomplish in order to
lessen the sorrow OF her life; but even if he
should succeed in Lringing Robert Hatrelrs
murderer 20 his doom and in tightening the
anguish of the wife who lamented his dark
fate. all the more acutely because it was una
veLced. would this great service done for Rob-
ert Hatrells widow bring him any nearer to
Robert Hatreirs daughter? Alas. no. he told
himself. That young heart given to an
other: that young life was pledged. Nothing
he could do would bring him any nearer to
Daisy. He could never be more TO her than he
had been that sunny afternoon on the terrace
BY the river. when the uneasy look in the
lovely hazel eyes had told him that she wished
him away. She had always been kind and
courteous to him; but he was a nullitv to Cyril
Ar lens future wife. 1t may be that her
womans wit had guessed his secret and that
she was nervous and uneasy at any chance
tetc-a-tete. He had assuredly perceived some
thing in her manner which a very vain man
might have interpreted the indication of a
hidden preference. growing regard against
which she struggled. in duty bound to another.
''Why are mothers in such hurry to give
away their daughters future lives?" he asked
himself. not knowing that Daisy had accepted
her Old playfellow of her own free will, pledg-
ing herself almost unawares. with that girlish
hghtness which disposes of women's lives in
breath. for good or for evil
He felt that his case was hopeless. and vet il
was something to him to be able to devote HIM
self to Mrs Arden's service. TO feel that there
were confidence and friendship between him and
Daisy's mother. friendship which would at least
give him an excuse for seeing Daisy now and
then and making himself little more unhappy
Hopeless lovers cultivate the weed unhappi-
ness as If ii were a flower.
FlOTestan had no more doubt that Madame
QuIjada's niece was Antoinette Morel than he
had of his own identity. Her denial in its
mode and manner quite rs good as a confession.
He read the report of the inquest for third
time and subsequent paragraphs describing
the Cashlng OF the bank notes at Cannes and at
Monte Carlo. and he strongly inclined to
believe that the elderly and aristOcratic French
woman who changed the notes was no other
than Madame Qdijada. True that the elderly
laCy's white hair was a point in the descrip-
ton. while the Spanish lady's hair was still
black. but 1t would be only natural that a
woman lntrusted with such a critical mission
would do her utmost to hide her identity.
Was II the same woman who stopped Robert
to. him on behalf of the dying Antalnette?
Yes. FioTestan thought the same. although the
woman III CranbOurn street was described by
Colonel Macdonald midde-sSed. And if
this we're Madame QuIiada had been her
nephew's alder and abettor in diabolical
murder.
;. ould Antoinette. otherwise Louise warn
her aunt of his suspicious! He determined to
appear IN the ladys salon on her next even
ing in order to discover If il were possible
what condolences had passed between the
aunt and niece. His own idea OF the situation
Was that the younger woman existed i'll her
aunts house only on sufferance and that there
was suspicion OIL the auuts side and lOathiug
the side of the niece.
He spent only haif an hour in the Rue St.
GuiIlaume- i Oulse Was absent from the salon.
suffering from neuralgia headache, her aunt
tod him. Dolores looked pale and preoccu-
pied. There change IN her mothers
manner and Florestan concluded that Louise
bad told her nothing. There no other
visitor and the dizziness of the salon was op-
pr,ssive.
Before he left he contrived. in the most
casual way. TO ask al important question.
He commented Ia a sympathizIEg tone upon
Nile. Marcets delicate appearance and weak
health and then he asked apruptly-
How long Is 1t since she had that serious
illness of which you told meI"
"A good many years l really don't remem-
Der how MANY, replied Madam Quijada
Oh mother. You cant forget the year"
cried Dolores. who had been yawning behind
her fan. 1T Was Ill ", the year we went to
Madrid"
The year Of Robert HatrelTs murder. This
answer settled two points. Antoinette's illness
and the establishment of Madam Quijada at
Madrid had been events OF the same year. The
horror OF Claude MOrels crime had been the
Cause OF his sisters brain fever. The proceeds
OF the crime had enabled Claude Morers ac-
conlpllce 10 establish hersel! III the Spanish
capital. Doubtless II was 10 Spain that the
murderer had betaken himself thinking il a
safer refuge than the new world His south
err. birth had made il easy for him to pass
muster a a Spaniard
FlOrestan felt that he was getting the threads
Of the tangled skoIn into his hands. He called
Oh the following, day at the HEADQUARTERS of the
pO.Ice dc surete and WAS again admitted TO the
Important Official To whom he had cOntded his
suspicious OF Duverdier.
Il have read the story of Mr.. Hatrells muir
der. said tins functonary. alter recelylu him
wl.l grave pOlI.eness. and agree with YOU
TIL. the name OF Anton, tie. employed as "A
lur". goes very near 10 nix the murder or at
ANY rate cCmpllcIty with the murder upou An
toInette brother. Yet you must bear IN mind
that there are always remote possibilities in
every case and the obvious solution OF a mvs-
terry Is not always the right solution. Ii Is pos
siC.e that Mr.. HAIR il may have talked OF this
youthful love affair and that the name of ms
sweetheart may have been known to others
be Ides her brother"
No other m n would have had the same
mailgnan; feeling to prompt the crime" sug-
gestsd FiCrestan.
"A crime which was to realize a gain of
nearly four thousand pounds wOuld need no
pTump'lHr from sentiment or the SENSE OF a
past wrOng. How can You account for Morels
precise knowledge OF Hr. Ha;relrs movements?
Wa Il n frequent communication with
HG .rell al TINS timt?"
Il should say decidedly not but I have no
absolute knowledge upon this point"
Then ID all probability he was in communi-
cation with h;s sisters former lover f. would
be only natural for man of that kind to try
and trade upon hts knowledge OF the past"
Il nave 10 Remind you that Mr. HatrelI's re-
latons with the French gIrl were perfectly In
nocent.
The Official who had grown gray in the ex-
PEI renee OF the worst society m Paris shrugged
his shoulders and expressed all the doubt which