Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-15
CHAPTER v.
Discloses a Mystery.


The mans amazing announcement held
me speechless.
'Murderedr 1 cried when found tongue.
'Tmpossiblel''
"Ah; sir. It's too true He's quite dead"
But surely he has died from natural
carses-eh7"
mo. sir My poor master has been foully
murdered"
How do you know that?'' I asked breath
Iessly. Tell me all the facts"
saw by the mans agitation, his white
face, and the hurried manner in which he
had evidently dressed to come In search of
me, that something tragic had really &C.
CURED.
I'VE know nothing yet. SIR" was his quick
response. Il entered his room at o'clock,
as usual to see II he wanted anything, and
saw that he was quite still, apparently
asleep. The lamp was turned low, but as /
locked over the bed l saw small dark
patch upon the sheet. This discovered to
be blood. and moment later was Mortified
TO discover a small wound close to the heart
and from It the blood was slowly oozlng."
Then he's been stabbed, you think7"
gasped springing UP and beginning to dress
myself hastily.
1--WE think so. sir. It's awful"
TerribIef I said. utterly dumfounded
made the discovery how did you act?"
II awoke the nurse, who slept In the room
adjoining. And then we awoke Miss Mivart
The shock to her was terrible-poor young
LADY, When she saw the body of the poor
old gentleman she burst into tears. and at
once sent me to you. didn't find cab
TIL Id walked almost to Hammersmith,
and then l came straight on here"
short?"
No doubt whatever, sir. I'm nothing of
a doctor. but could see the wound plainly
like small, clean cut just under the
heart"
mo weapon about?"
Il didn't see anything, SIR
Have you called the police2'
No. sir. Miss Mivart said she would
opinion"
And Mrs Courtenay7 How does she
bear the tragedy"
The poor lady doesn't know yet"
Doesn't know! Haven't you told her?'
NO. sir. She's not at home"
''What3 She hasn't returned?
No, sir" responded the man.
That fact was IN itself peculiar Yet
there was, felt sure, some strong reason
II young Mrs. Courtenay remained the
night with her friends. the Hennikers.
Trains run to Kew after the theaters, but
she had possibly missed the last and had
been induced by her friends to remain the
night with them In town,
Yet the whole Of the tragic affair was
Shorts duty to rise at clock each morn
ing and go to his masters room to ascer-
tain II the invalid wanted anything. Cen
orally, however, the old gentleman slept
we'll; hence there had been no necessity for
a night nurse.
When I entered the cab, and the man
having taken seat beside me we had set
out on our long night drive out to Kew, |
endeavored to obtain more details regarding
the Courtenay menage. In an ordinary
way could scarcely have questioned a SER
want regarding his master and mistress but
on this drive I saw an occasion to obtain
knowledge and seized II.
Snort, although a well-trained servant,
was communicative. The shock he had sus-
tanned in discovering his master made
him so.
After ten years service he was devoted
TO his master. but from the remarks he
let drop during our drive I detected that
ne entertained strong dislike OF the old
sentleman'S young wife. He was. of
course. we'll aware Of my affection for
Ethelwynn. and carefully concealed his an
tipathy toward her, an antipathy which
somehow felt convinced existed. He re-
gaEded both sisters with equal mistrust
Does your mistress often remain in town
with her friends at night?r
Sometimes. When she goes to balls"
And is that oftenT'
Not very often"
And didn't the old gentleman know of
his wites absence?'
Sometimes. He used to ask me whether
Mrs. Courtenay was at home, and then I
was bound to tell the truth"
BY his own admission then. this man
Short had informed the invalid of his wIfe's
frequent absences. He was an InPorrner
and as such most probably the enemy Of
both Mary and Ethelwynn. knew him to
be the confidential servant of the old gen
tlelnan' but had not before suspected him
OF tale-telling. Without doubt Mrs Cour-
tenays recent neglect had soreIy grieyed
the old gentleman. He dotted upon her, in
dulsed her In every whim and fancy, and
IKE many an aged husband who has a
smart young wife, dared not complain of
any OF her actions. There is a deal of
truth in the adage, There's no fool ike an
old fool" '-->0 "''
we drove together down that long inter
minable high road through HammersmIth
70 Chiswick, wet, dark and silent at that
or insecurity which had SO long opnresssS
me was actually being fulfilled. Amber
JeVons had laughed at It. But would he
!aush now Tomorrow, without doubt he
would be working at the mystery in the in
terests OF Justice. To try to keep the AFFAIR
out OF the press would, ! knew too well he
Impossible. Those men in journalistic par
lance called liners" are everywhere-hun-
cry for copy, and always eager to seize
upon anything tragic or mysterious
From Short / gathered a few additional
details. Not many. be It said but sufficient
to make II quite clear that he was Intensely
antagonistic toward his mistress This
4 struck me as curious; for, as far as I had
seen, she had always treated him with the
greatest kindness and consideration had
given him holidays, and, to my knowledge
had few months before raised his wages
Of her own accord. Nevertheless, the me
mage was strange one, incongruous in
every respect
My chief thoughts were. however, with
my love. The shock to her must L knew
be terrible, especially as Mary was absent
and she was alone with the nurse and serv-
anita
When sprang from the cab and entered
the house she met me in the hall. She had
dressed hastily and wore a light shawl
over her head, probably to conceal her dis
ordered hair but her face was blanched to
the lips.
"oh, Ralph" she cried In a trembling
voice 81 thought you were never coming
Its terrible-terrible"
Come in here" I said, leading her into
the dining room. Tell me all you know of
, the affair"
Short discovered him Just after o. clock
He was then quite STILL
But there may be life," exclaimed sud
denly: and leaving her / rushed up the
stairs and into the room where the old man