Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-09-10

DO not talk or such things now,
she cried in some agitation. 1--WE want
all our wits to help you out of this ter
rible strait Oh, Val, L am so terribly
sorry for you" With a quick sob she
pressed her handkerchief TO her eyes.
Carew made step nearer, when he
was arrested by an exclamation from
Ruth:
"Oh. mother. dear, 1 am so glad you
have comep'
Turning, Carew saw a small, refined
looking woman in widows weeds Just
crossing the threshold
Ruth ran to her. and, drawing her
forward by both hands, continued:
''Val is in such frightful scrapel We
must help him through. l believe you
can, mother -
This is alarmingi Tell me ali about
it, " said Lady Hastings. shaking hands
with Val
1T is too bad to trouble you with
my troubles, but think you can and
i am sure you will help mel he ex-
claimed
''Yes, if can, she replied, growing
very grave as she looked from him to
Ruth Tell me all i" She sat down on
1 the sofa and signed to Carew to sit be-
side her. Lady Hastings was still a
! pretty woman, with white hair and
dark eyes Though small and fragile
looking, she had an air of delicate de-
termination and decided though clear,
low toned voice. She listened with pro-
found attention to Carews recapitula-
ton of his story. and when he paused
she was silent for moment, as if re-
fiecting.
Il see you are in very difficult posi-
ton, VAL" she said at length, Though
it seems absurd that you should be ac-
/ cused of so base an act Surely the
counterfeit in James checkbook would
/ prove the check was really sent to you
/ by hi1nl''
''No doubt it would, and 1 begged
the amiable nurse TO look for it. It's
sure not to be locked up. You know
how careless he is, but, though she
most readily promised to make a thor
ough search for it. she cannot find a
trace of it, or says she can't, so if the
thing is not cleared up shall be sus-
pected of having taken the checkbook
as well as having forged the check 1
was often in and out of Hastings rooms,
you know.
"James is evidently in a curious
mental condition. said Lady Hastings,
"but l shall try to see him tomorrow
The nurse seems a superb woman l do
not think you are Just to her. She was
most reluctant to refuse me admittance
to her patient when l explained to
her
''Do you know who she is?'' inter
rupted Carew. with bitter smile.
mo, not at all She does not look
quite like an English woman"
Il should think not She is really a
half caste Do you remember Revell of
the uncovenanted service who shot him
self when we were at Agra?'
Eyes, quite distinctly
This woman is his widow. You per-
haps don't know she was the daughter
of an English sergeant Of artillery and
a native woman After Revell's death
Somers of the commissariat married her
He died of drink, and she left India
had quite lost sight of her till the other
day, when / went to speak to James
about this Internal business, and she
walked into the room l then saw the
case might be complicated "
"AhP' exclaimed Lady Hastings
Then turning to her daughter Ruth she
said: go tell cook TO let us have din
ner as soon as possible. Some food and
wine will do Val good / will call you
when l have discussed matters with
him. " Ruth at once obeyed.
Eyes, l remember a good deal now, -
resumed Lady Hastings. slowly unfas-
tening her cloak ''She is still hand
some She was. believe, lovely You
were very young man, Val, then.
You had not long Joined the regiment
and they used to say you spent more
time than was prudent in the society of
poor Mr.. Revell's widow"
"A good deal more than liked, F" re-
piled Carew frankly and stoutly ''I al
ways thought her she devil and as
plausible as Beelzebub But now that
the old times are coming back to your
mind dare say you Will remember lit
tie Aigy Melford of the TIL lancersi
My great chum. He was awfully smit-
ten with her, and it took all my time
and all my wits to choke him off. After
all, don't think l should have saved
him if he had not been Frustrated by q
sharp attack of fever and the doctors
had not packed him off home / can tell
you that woman very nearly bagged
Lord Melford's only son and heir, and
you know what fortune he will have.
Mrs Revell hated me ON that score, and
some others into the bargain, and she
is woman who likes to pay her debts
1t would be nuts to her to ruin me-. j."
lyon must exaggerate Val "
"H you knew all do, you would not
say so. Whatever happens, try to see
James alone, which will not be easy If
she is ON the watch -
eff James were in his right mind,
how angry he would bep' exclaimed
Lady Hastings "He has always been
such a good fellow in spite of his eccen-
tricitieS Few men Of 80, which was
his age when married, would have re-
ceived his fathers second wife as kind
ly as he did -
"He has been good friend to me,