Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-19
The/ 0rcefeSS Of the
/trdnd. 3 eR Ro ST 1 115aef

she managed to inform him that her young
lady had been removed from her bed In
the middle of the night and been put forcf-
bly, into cab by MIS- rs bensasa ,Ins amo
sion that the poor girl was about to De
subjected to some very cruel treatment
"Hiliers came to me at once and implored
me to help him to find and rescue MISS
puzzled how to act. 1t was just then that
an extraordinary thing happened. Mrs.
Bensasan came to see me. Her ostensl-
BILE reason was to consult me with resaIu
to some curious robberies which had lately
taken place on her premises. Her great
fear was that the people who committed
the burglaries would try to in1ure her
wolves by throwing poisoned meat 10 them;
She had heard of me and my professional
skill from her great friend, Madame Sara,
and. in short. she wanted TO know "
would take up the matter, assuring me tnat
should be handsomely PAID TOT my, my ser nv
Ices, and, further, that l might bring my
friend Mr. Dixon bruce. with me.
MADAME Sara and would like to have
you both staying at Cray Lodge, she SAID
hope you will come WIZ you, IN COM ,e,ai.
pany with your friend, Mr.. bruce, Visit
me next Monday? We can then go care
fully into the matter and you can give me
your opinion. It would be most serious
thing for me. more serious IMAM l can
give YOU the least idea of If my wolves
were tempered with. l ask Tor your pres
ence as great favor. Will you ooth
Gomez"
And you accepted that sort of invita-
tion?' was my remark.
II accepted 1T, replied sahdeieuf' si"'e
ly "for us BOTH. -
Put why? Your attitude in this matter
puzzles me very much. L should iIiias s, lnt :
that you would not care " ueai heH Inc
womans DOORS" ,,,,,-
81 suspect.' said Vandeieur, slowly
that the tale of the robberies Is mere
blind look forward to very interest,"
for nj
ing time at Cray Lodge, TOT .llg I1,ov ~
become possessed Of the necessary knoWl-
edge which will enable me to give MISS
Laura to Gerald Killers as his bride. -
I greatly dsliked the idea of going 10
stay at Cray Lodge. l thought vanue ,.L
ON the wrong track when he entered MRS.
Bensasans house as her guest There was
no help for it, however; he was determined
to go and l. as his special friend, Woulo
not fail him in what was extremely likely
to be an hour of danger.
On the following Monday accordingly l
accompanied Vandeleur to Mrs. Bensasan
house. A smart dogcart was waiting Iof
us at Guldford, and We drove TO the lodge,
a pretty house, situated about three miles
out of the town. 1t stood in It's own
grounds There was a pine wood to the
left, and I might have thought was ap-
preaching one of the most innocent ana
lovely homes of England bat for the sin
lister bay of a wolf that fell upon my ears
as we drove up the avenue.
Tea was in full progress In the central hall
when we arrived. Mrs. Bansasan wore a
gown of tawny velvet which suited her
massive figure and harsh, yet In some ways
handsome, face. Her hair was a shade
redder in tone than the velvet, and she had
it arranged in thick coils round her large
head. Her deadwhite complexion was I'M
relieved by any color. Her reddish eye
brows were thick, and her Eyes. large and
the color of agates, cleaned with approval
we entered the hall. She came forward
at once to meet us.
''Welcomer' she said, in her harsh voice,
and as she spoke she smiled, showing those
white, regular teeth which Vandeleur had
mentioned the work of that genius, Mad
anne Sara.
We stood for a moment or two by the fire,
and as we did SO 1 watched her face. The
brow was low, the eyes very large and very
brilliant, but 1 thought them altogether
destitute of humanity. The nose was thick,
with wide nostrils, and the mouth was hid
eous. cut like a slit across her face. Not
withstanding her beautiful teeth that
mouth destroyed all pretense to good looks.
In the presence of one so coarse and colos-
SAL Madame Sara, who was standing in the
background, appeared at first almost insig-
nificant. but a second glance showed that
this woman was the very foil she needed to
bring out her remarkable and great attrac-
tions. Her slenderness and her young fig