The Republican., 1891-10-02

She nodded her head slightly.
"Will you come back to the ballroom
with me-" he continued, ''and tell the
people there who you are-and who you
are not?'
"why should I tell them what they
already known
do they know that you were never
married, either in France or elsewhere,
to Harry Trent; that he refused, in spite
of all your threats and entreaties, to
make you his wife; that after his death
you caused bundle of papers, among
which was win purporting to be his,
to be discovered in drawer of q piece
of furniture in a Philadelphia hotel?
And will you tell them that this will was
a forgery, copied from a genuine will
written by Trent himself, but deciding
woman, whom he designed to marry?
For that woman's name you substituted
your own; and you yourself hid it in the
room at the hotel which, as you hap
pened to know, Trent had once occupied.
By means of that will, and of the
certificate Of marriage, also forgery,
but written on printed form which you
had procured while travelling in France,
you made good your claim to the estate.
Will you tell them this?"
81 will repeat no such foolish tale" re-
piled Sallie steadily. "How could have
forged copy of the genuine will unless
l had had the genuine will to copy from?
And how could I have become possessed
of that?"
81 will tell you, since you have forgot
ten," said the count. "You found the
genuine viii among Harry Trent's papers
on the night that he was murdered"
"indeed [ was with him on that night,
then, it appears?"
"You were. You were the last to see
him alive. He was alive when you took
the Japanese knife from the table and
passed behind him and drove it into his
heart. 1t was you who murdered Harry
Trent, Mrs. Matchin!'
She laughed. "You amuse me-" she
said. "You seem not to be aware that
there was a trial for that murder, and
the evidence showed that but one person
was admitted to the house that night,
and that was mantle man who was
found guilty and condemned"
Eyes, l know the story" rejoined the
count quietly. But it was not told in
the evidence that when that man left
the house, peglecting to latch the door
behind him, another person, who had
been hiding in the shadow of the porch,
slipped in unseen and went up stairs to
the library where Harry Trent sat One
of the witnesses, l think, testified that
she had seen q short man with a dark
beard speaking with Trent late that
night"
THAT evidence was not believed. But
suppose it were true, how would it affect
me? l fear your imagination will get
you into trouble, Count de Lisle!'
'Men's clothes are sometimes worn by
women, and false beard is easily come
by" said he, with slow inquisitorial
smile. "With means and will one
solves harder riddles thaa that in three
years, Mrs. Matchin."
Take care, sir!' she exclaimed, her
eyes flashing in her white face. "You
are saying what you can never prove!
can only suppose" she went on, con-
trolling her emotion by a desperate eff
| fort, that you have been made the VIC
tim of cock -and-bull story by man
who is believed to be dead, but whom 1
now know to be alive-Keppel Darke.
He is here under your protection, and is
rash enough to play ghostly pranks on
me-with what purpose won't attempt
to guess. But he is an escaped convict.
Let him look to himself! I will de-
nounce him."
II give you full leave to do So" the
count answered unconcernedly. "But
must tell you that there is only one es-
capped convict in this house, and that is
myself. Is it possible you have not rec
ognized me? I am Keppel Darke."
Sallie stood motionless. many thoughts
whirling in her brain.
"My claim to be Count de Lisle is also
legitimate, however, as such things Co."
he went on. "But q woman like you
should have better memory. 1t seems
you have likewise forgotten your friend
Alonzo Garcia, though you must have
known that no lived many years in In
dia, and became an adept In Indian
magic, " But the denunciation.
Lot me call IN audience"
He stepped to the door and pushed il
open. General Bristowe was passing,
talking confdentially to Miss Fitz-Mur-
ray, who was leaning on his arm. From
the distance came the throbbing Of the
music, playing waltz.
pardon me-" said the count to the
two, "here is lady who has something
to say to you"
"Oh, Mrs. Trent" said the general,
coming forward, "are we to lose youi
You're all right, trust2. That iuggler
was enough to scare anybody"
81 only wanted to say-I didn't mean
to disturb you-I was going-to have a
little tea at my house tomorrow after
noon-if you-and you, too, Miss Fitz-
Murray
They bowed and expressed their ac-
acknowledgements. Sallie drew her cloak
round her, took the counts arm and
went out.
PART F0UR-L0VE.