Middletown transcript., 1904-06-04
ladyship,s fingers, and then it was Falk

ihuJ uJsulp,S HARefss anu bticH IN was Eaih
land who was the first to speak.
But the money? Five hundred pounds
did you say? There was strange energy
in his voice, dash Of feyerish excite
ment in his manner. The cheque has
been cashed?
Oh, dear, no-certainly not Luckily
for Evelyn, the flaw in her signature was
discovered in time, SO that no harm has
been done.
How very fortunate was the reply,
terse rather than jubilant.
Ard yet I hardly understand, came
dubiousIy from the Major, who, from the
moment the expressian of alarm had
come into his face, had stood. with his
head bent, staring fixedly at the glowing
ash of his cigar. OF What does the faS
consist?
OF the merest trifle, answered Lady
Howard readily. 1t is simply that my
niece is always in the habit OF signing
her name in FULL Evelyn Chantry Lut-
trell"-whereas in this case it is signed
only Evelyn c. Luttrell."
Yes, added Evelyn, speaking for the
first time And, as one of my cheque
books, upon which 1 had very foolishly
written my name, Evelyn C. Luttrell, !"
was lost in the post last year, they said
at the bank that for the future, as pre-
yentatiye of forgeries, they would never
cash any cheques that were not signed
with '4Chantry" in full.
Then this cheque, suggested Falkland
in the same calm deliberate tones, is OF
course one of those which you lost last
year?
1t must be, suppose, she returned,
gazing down in genuine astonishment at
the forged signature, which was SO like,
SO alarmingly like, her own that she could
scarcely believe, despite the convincing
five hundred pounds, that she had not
really written it herself. And the finder
has evidently considered it advisable to
let some months pass before trying his
experiment only, now that | come to
think of it-Miss Luttrell paused, and,
glancing up quickly as if Tor inspiration,
encountered Falkland's dark penetrating
eyes fixed steadily upon her-the cheques
lost were blue-I know they were
whilst this one is pink, payable to order
like those am using now.
1t was undoubtedly rather an astound-
ing piece Of news. Falkland looked dis
tinctly perturbed, whilst Brown examined
the end OF his cigar more intently than
ever and tried to appear perfectly un-
impressed.
Are you certain of that, Miss Luttrell
The question came somewhat abruptly
from Falkland.
Certain answered Evelyn decidedly.
But, i you like, will fetch my cheque
book then you can see for yourself.
She jumped up from her chair and
turned to hurry off along the terrace,
when, to her surprise, she found that
Major Brown had turned likewise, and
that consequently their paths both lay
in the same direction.
This is very serious business, Miss
Luttrell, he began as he walked along by
her side, going straight to the all-import-
ant subject.
| Yes it is rather serious-at least, it
might have been, was Evelyn's philos
optical rejoinder.
Anyhow, it is annoying ; and Of course
some steps ought to be taken in tie mat
ter at once, or the same thing may be
occurring again, only next time it will
probably be your full name, instead Of
merely the initial.
Yes; but, whatever we do, it is quite
hopeless expecting to succeed, returned
Evelyn, with rueful shake of her head.
That poor Sir Adrian Beauchamp has
been offering his reward for months in
the hope Of discovering the man who has
forged his name but it has been per-
fectly useless. The only wise thing is to
keep ones cheque book safely under lock
and key. After all, Mr.. Falkland's ad-
vice to me the other day was pretty SEN
sible.
Yes-lock up your cheque book, by all
means but even locks and keys are not
always proof against such Williams as-the
writer OF that cheque. 1t is all very
well, Miss Luttrell, but because he has
not succeeded in robbing you OF that five
hundred pounds is no reason he should
be allowed to go scot-free.
Still how are we to trace him?
The Major shrugged lis shoulders.
Well, ,onr first and only chance of dis
covery would lie with an expert. The
thing is-he looked at her anxiously !;
notwithstanding tine studied calmness of
his manner, there was a strange inexpli-
cable fear almost noticeable beneath his
tones-will you trust that clleque to me
II so, I will send it straight up to town
in the morning for the advice of one of
the best men in the country.
Could he find out anything, though,
without having the least clue? You see,
we have not the faintest suspicion as to
who it is; We have no writing to show or
anything of that sort, observed Evelyn,
with rather doubtful expression.
Certainly there was weight in her
words.
No-of course not, returned Brown
hurriedly perhaps nobody realized the
truth of her assertion more vividly than
he. But this expert that l know Of is
such wonderfully clever man that, if
anything can be found out, you may be
quite sure that he will succeed.
0h-if you think there is even the
smallest hope. try him, by all means /
Anyhow, it is really the only thing that
can be done and, if it fails-Miss Lut-
trell laughed she was evidently not in
the least sanguine-we can but have re-
conrse tn our locks