Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-15


fore your husbands death. in order that I
| may judge If the robbery were planned or
unpremeditate Will you kindly tell me
on otb w ma terms the present baronet was
She looked startled. and said. much as
Sir Charles himself had done:
rs that necessary? Am I to disclose
family secrets to a strangers"
IF the Stranger is to help unravel the
mystery. my lady-yes. Sir Charles has
ted me as shiuch as he thought would help
me In the matter
At that her eyes cleaned with a less sub
dued Light and 1 guessed she had another
slde OF her character than the one she had
hitherto displayed TO ne.
Oh If that is the case, I need have no
hesitation" she replied.
Wen, then. he behaved shamefully to his
posr father. Mr. Busby, and IL conclude
speak In confidence to you"
Most certainly, my lady! You can say
what you choose, as safely as if were a
coctor or Il priest"
She rose, ard. going to the door. locked it;
lhen' returning to my side. she stopped and
whispered
My own private belief is that Sir Charles
was the cause of his fathers deathr'
PART III.
l stared ut Remembering if she were a
little insane--or excited by drink, but on
second thoughts l dismissed both IDEAS
Lady Ellesmere meant what she said,
whether she believed it or not.
L will tell you the facts Mr.. Busby, and
you can mako of them what you like! The
present baroHet and his father have always
been on bad terms with each other. He
was furious with Sir Henry for marrying
me-furious with Us both for loving each
other-his designations nearly broke his
lather's heart-and his extravagances sore
~ tfied his prrse-stiil Sir Henry never
spoke Of cutting him out Of his will, until
the news reached him, through.a mutual
acquaintance, that his son had been mar.
FED Tor the last six months, without giving
US the slightest intinlation of the fact. Sir
iiehfy was then as well as you or hale
nearly man of sixty. without an ailment of
cry sort. He wrote for his son to come
Gown and sec him; which he did, not know
li-@ taat his father had heard his secret,
ara a terrible scene cnsued. Sir Henry
iaFe1, as ! consider he had good right to
40, ard the young man cursed and swore,
ana X ended by his father disowning him
ana saying that he had cut him out of his
WI ana left him dependent upon himself
or Charles as he IS now rushed from the
mousse vowing yengeanco-I and several of
,he servants heard him-and when we went
n to Sir Henry, We found him laid back in
his chair, speeches. and almost uucon-
scloGs from the fearful excitement he had
passed through. We got him up TO his bed,
"h-ch he never left again, dying within the
week"
Ana here the rewly-made widow put her
cambria handkerchief to her eyes and dab
bed them delic2tely.
You wish me to undars and said de-
nurrincly
L wsh neither you nor any one to adopt
nay opin!' Is" she answered, sharply. You
asked E1e tell you everything. and ] have
9one So Ny roor husband tried, until he
ore" his last breath. TO make Us all i.nder-
stand that his son had killed h;:r-thougl
raraiyZcd and unable 10 speak he pointed
ihcessantiy TO TIE strong box in his room,
wnere tn, the jewels We're kept. but l, having
heard him say SO cftcn that he would rath-
or leave ITEM TO ne 90 whom lie was most
tenderiy attached than TO Lis son, VINO
would only Squandcr them in dissipation
renewed tsat he merely wished to init
mate that tfCy were to be my own. I
thought he spoke the trith when he told
me that he had altered his viii. and was
quite taken bE surprise when ] found that
nothing vas 10 be mine, except my mar
r'age settlement. But the jewels we're gone
by that / me-
Your IDEA is l said. DESTROYS of lead
lhg her on, but / perceived that she WIS
=. Taa'e "l-1lan' and quite capable OF
Keeping Ter o,Fn secrets.
I nave no ideas, Mr. Brs',y. as l have
already tod YOU" she replied, quickly. "AiI
| Know for certain is that on the Tuesday
! sa" and h&E;ltcd the rai&h's heirloom
Inc h"@se-1: ID. Rachel Marks, was with me
d the tine, md can confirm my statement
-th;lt en- he y eJGcsd1y. the present u ro-
L.el mad this stormy interview with his
{
p&hd never recoYcred-that week after he
vas dead. and the jewels were Ahead.
gore. wen they went and who took
then it is for you to find out!''
'Rut-;f | understand your ins:ru1 s;on
criyts" the ''''s' only took his 0"" prop
But he didn't know that it was his ,2-op-
criy. she answered. ole had just been
tod that it had been LEFT away from him
But noE-surely, there could be no fur
Their ccess.ty for cqs1cealment?''
no ore would care, conclude TO con-
Tess lim.en to lee q thief. even if no pun
iShlne'It could follow, 1t Was necessary to
make fuss about the ioss-but wheti her il
IS assumed Or not. you may be a better
judge than myself"
No one You say, saw the jewels after
mo ore in this house saw them after
that she answered, detcrn;nedly Il
locked them away in the strong box in Sir
Henry's he'd room with my own hands. AMI
the Key lay, as 1t always did. in drawer
CT his bureau 1t was found there after his
death"
Pardon mel suppose there were attend
ants passing in and cut of the scl, roonl?"
certainly, But j am sure no servant in
this house would dare to touch such a vaiu-
able 'hing-and before the baronet's own
eyes! Besides. Julia Craley never left Sir
Henry's side. day nghtr'<
And may l ask who Julia Craley is?"
demanded.
Julia Craley,' replied Lady Ellesmere
"is a rrotege of the late baronct-the
daughter CT a distant cousin of his, who
was left q renniless orphan and thrown on
his bounty for protection and support. She
was deeply attached to S.r Henry-,er love
for him, and for his sen also, was more
Ike that Of a dog than. human being. To
attack them or their property was like at
lacking her life. She would never have al
lowed a creature but myself to have touch
cd anything that belonged to Them
"a rare fidelity Lady Eliesmere." 1 re-
Piled might l ask to see this lady?'
1T would be of no use" said my inform
ant. She can neither hear you nor speak
to you. She is a Geaf mute and almost i'm
bccile.'
Truly u! fortunate" murmured. "istil.
/ should Ike 10 see her, even if We cam ot
converse together. 1t is part of my bust
ness to leave TO stone untUrned."
Il believe she is out at present" replied
Lady Eliesnere; indeed. I am SIRE she is,
for I saw her go down the garden path
few minutes ago. But she will soon be
back. She is not strong enough for long
walks. Is there no one else you could speak
to in the interval, Mr.. Busby?'
Ger tainly there is, Lady Ellesmere. Sir
Charles wife, 1 mean" I added seeing the
cloud that RI sc to the ladys brow at the
mention of the name.
But she only arrived here yesterday"