Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-27

Of the more difficult diminaI problems"
I tell you plainly that fear EthelwynI
may expose u.s." his wife went on slowly
distinctly anxious look upon her counte
nance. AS youssknoH, there IS a coolnes.
between us, anu PATHS than risk losing the
doctor altogetheI 40 may make clear
No, no, my dgar.a HEST assured that she
will never betray us,glanswered Courtenay
with light reassuriAg laugh. True, you
| are not very friendly, yet you must recol-
| ests are identical with our own; therefore
| to expose us would be to expose herself at
| the same time
"A woman sometimes acts without fore
| thought
Quite true. But Ethelwynn is not one of
those. She's careful to preserve her own
position In the eyes of her lover, knowing
quite we'll that to tell the truth would be
TO expose her own baseness. A man may
overlook many offenses in the woman he
loves, but the particular one Of which she
is guilty man never forgives."
His words went deep into my heart. Was
not this further proof that the crime, for
undoubtedly crime had been accomplish
ed In that house at Kew, had been COM
mttted by the hand Of the woman I so
fondly loved? All was so amazing, so ut
terly bewildering, that I stood there con-
cealed by the old tree, motionless as
though turned to stone.
There was motive wanting in it all
Yet ask you who read this narrative Of
mine II, like myself, you would not have
been staggered into dumbness at seeing and
hearing man whom you had yourself
certined to be dead moving and speaking,
and. moreover, in his usual health.
He loves her!" his wife explained, speak
ing OF me. He would forgive her any,
thing. My own opinion is that if we would
be absolutely secure it Is for us to heal
the breach between them"
He remained thoughtful for a few mo-
ments, apparently in doubt as to the wis.,
fiVcr I1~ 40,
IN the situation was an element Of humor,
for happily l was being forearmed.
~ might possibly be good policy" he re-
marked at last IF we could only bring
them together again he would cease his
constant striving to solve the enigma. We
know well that he can never do that, never
theless his constant efforts are as annoying
as they are dangerous
That's Just my opinion. There is dan
ger to us in his constant inquiries, which
are much more ingenious and careful than
we imagine"
We'll, my child" he said, you've stuck
to me In this in manner that few women
would have dared. If you really think it
necessary to bring Boyd and Ethelwynn
together again you must do it entirely
alone, for I could not possibly appear on
the scene. He must never meet me, or
the whole thing would be revealed"
For your sake I am prepared to make
the attempt" she said. "The fact of being
EthelWynn's sister gives me license to speak
my mind to him."
'And to tell him some pretty little fiction
about herr" he added, laughing.
yes it will certainly be necessary to put
an entirely innocent face on recent events
in order to smooth matters OYER" she ad-
mitted, joining in his laughter.
Rather difficult task to make the tragic
occurrence at Kew appear innocent" he
observed But you're really wonderful
woman Mary. The way you've acted your
part in this affair is simply marvellous.
deceived eVarVOnp-eVen
potterer, Sir Bernard himself"
I've done it for your sake was her re-
Spouse. Il made a promise and I've kept it.
Up to the present we are safe, but we cam
not take too many precautions. We have
enemies and scandal-seekers on every side"
Il admit that" he replied, rather i'm
patiently. I thought. IF you think it
wise course you had better lose no time in
lover. You will See him in the morning, l
SUPPOSED" e.
Probably not. s4e leaves by the o'clock
train,' she said. when my plans are ma
tured 1 will call upon him in London
And if any woman can deceive him you
can, Mary" he laughed. In those widows
weeds of yours you could deceive the very
devil himself!'
Mrs. courtenay,s airy talk of deception
threw an entirelyIfresA light upon her char
acter. Hitherto had held her in considera-
BILE esteem Woman who, being bored to
death by the eccentricities of her invalid
husband, had sought distraction with her
friends in town, but nevertheless honest and
devoted to the man she had welded. But
these words of hers caused considerable
doubt to arise within my mind. That she
had been devoted to her husbands interest
was proved by the clever imposture she was
practicing; indeed, it seemed to me very
much as if those frequent visits to town
had been at the dead mans suggestions
and with his entire consent. But the more
I reflected upon the extraordinary details of
tragedy TOM nf
the more hopeless and maddening became
the problem.
Il shall probably go to town tomorrow, :"
she exclaimed, after smiling at his declara-
ton, where are you in hiding just noWr'
In Birmingham. large town is safer
than village l return by the o'clock
train, and go again into close concealment."
But you know people in Birmingham
don't you? We stayed there once with some
people called Tremlett, recollect"
"Ah, yes" he laughed. But I'm careful
to avoid them. The district in which l
live Is far removed from them. Besides,
never, by any chance, go out by day. I'm
essentially a nocturnal roamer"
And when shall we meet again?'
by appointment. in the usual way"
AT the usual placer" she asked.
There can be no better. think. It does
not take you from home, and 1 am quite
unknown down here"
IF any Of the villagers ever met us they
might talk, and declare that met a secret
lover, she laughed.
IF you are ever recognized, which 1 don't
anticipate is probable, we can at once
change our place Of meeting. At present
there is no necessity for changing it,
Then in the meantime l will exercise nv
woman's diplomacy to effect peace between
Ethelwynn and the DOCTOR" she said ut
is the only way by which we can obtain
security
For the life Of me I can't discern the
reason of his GOODNESS toward her." re-
,1rlyc s1aa matt
HE suspects her."
"Of what?
Suspects the truth. She has told me
So"
Old Henry Courtenay grunted In dissatis-
faction.
Hasn't she tried to convince him to the
contrary?" he asked. 81 was always under
the impression that she could twist him
round her finger-so hopelessly was he in
love with her.
$50 she could before this unfortunate at
fair"
"And now that he suspects the truth he's
disinclined to have any more to do with
her-eh? Well" he added, latter all, it's
only natural. She's not SO devilish clever
as you, Mary, otherwise she would never
have allowed herself to fall beneath sus-
picion. She must have somehow blum
dered."
Tomorrow I shall go to town." she said
in a reflective voice. mo time should be
lost in effecting the reconciliation between
them.'