Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-08

1
Godfrey was at Ravenhall that night"
| muttered the viscount uneasily.
HE was herein this vault, l repeat at s
| in the morning; and the scene he witnessed
| was past belief. 1t would do you good,
| War, to listen to his story. 1t would really
| interest you-you. perhaps, more than any
| other person.
| 1t is no exaggeration to say that at these
words Ivar became green with fear. He
| turned his head from the earl in order to
| conceal his agitation. The secret which
| he had believed to be locked within his own
| breast was known to others-was being
| limited at in the presence of his father the
: very person from whom he most desired to
conceal it. How much did Lorelie know =?
what would she be saying next? Words
perhaps. that would bring him to ruin.
WAR, L see, is persuaded of the truth of
my statement. You are more skepticaI my
| lord; but you shall be convinced"
She detached the velvet bow from her
neckband and flung it lightly beside God
freys note.
cut the threads of that; unfold the vel
vet and you will find that its shape cor
responds exactly with the little rent at the
loot OF that curtain. 1t was DR.. Rothwell
who cut off this piece of velvet, bringing it
away with him to prove-if proof should
ever be required-that he has stood in the
secret crypt of the Ravengars Do YOU
sun doubt me, my lord, or do you require
further proof?'
On the contrary, he was certain of the
truth OF her words that he did not attempt
to verify them, but stood lingering the vel
vet DOW with a dark expression of coun-
tenance.
Looking upon Lorelie as an enemy to be
silenced at all costs, he had brought her to
TINS vault intending that she should never
leave II. War was reluctant accomplice
his reluctance arising not from any con-
sclentlous scruples, but from the dangerous
consequences attending the commission of
such a deed. The disappearance of the
ne" Vlscountess on the second day of her
coming to Ravenhall would be an event that
could not fail to bring suspicion and inquiry
in its train.
Loreiie Lad OWNED their plot, and having
taken steps for its Illustration, had fear
lessly accompanied them to the de-
stlned scene of her death. And here
She was, slender, fragile woman, in
lonely situation, with no one to hear
her cry for help, in the presence of two men
aeslrous of her death, and yet, thanks to
an armed escort
Hef calm air, her radiant beauty, added
luel to the earrs secret rage. If he had
l follow his first impulse he would have
seized her IN his arms, and, twining his
fingers around her throat, have silenced her
forever. But prudence compelled him to
refrain from violence. The thought of hay
Ing 10 face on the morrow the stern in
check -" p0'eA.
Fortunately for himself, he had not pro-
ceeded to the length of openly avowing his
awful purpose; he was therefore free to
deny 1t, II she had any suspicion as he was
strongly disposed to believe that she had.
besldes, what mattered her suspicion? She
nild no real proof to offer the world. OPP
posed 10 her single testimony was the Joint
testimony of himself and her husband
he began to breathe freely again. The
matter might yet end well as regarded his
troubled him.
Lorelie, knowing the cause of his NORTH
cation, sat at ease in her chair, secretly
enjoying her triumph.
At last, feigning to be angry sba ax
claimed va
How silent you are. Are you going to
let me depart from this vault without en-
tightening me as to its mysteries? Come
Ivar, play the part of cicerone. Draw
aside the curtain from each alcove, and
give me the names and biographies of the
coihned dead. l am in historic genoa
logic mood
War. not knowing whether to obey,
glanced irresoutely at his father
crafty the curious fool the earl NUT
tered moodily.
With an i'll grace at having to obey the
wife whom he hated, and troubled by a
secret foreboding that his guilty secret was
about to transpire, War approached the al
vet drapery, disclosed a deep recess, the
walls of which were pierced with inches
containing collins.
This" he remarked sullenly, touching
the first earl of Ormsby''
And so he proceeded from one alcove to
another, giving the names of the dead
peers, his amiability not improved by the
caustic remarks made by LOrelie
"A dull catalogue of nonentities I'M
known to fame she said when Ivar had
finished his recital. But l observed that
you entirely passed over the fourth al
see what it contains
With manifest reluctance the viscount
lifted the drapery, revealing in the alcove
This is the coffin of Urien Ravengar,
my grandfather"
In saying that you. of course, mean
simply that that is the name on the plate"
That coffin" broke in the earl in a harsh
voice, contains the body of my father,
Crien Ravengar.
II do not think so,' replied Lorelie
quietly.
In blaze of wrath the earl turned sud-
denly upon War.
Fool. what have you been telling this
woman
II? Nothing," replied the viscount
shrinking back. And, seeing disbelief ex-
pressed on his fathers face he added
ASK her; If she speak truth she will tell
you that nothing relating to this coffin has
passed my lips
Then how-how?" began the earl Then,
breaking off abruptly, he turned to Lorelie
with the question, Tell me, then. what this
coffin does contain?'
That is what l wish to learn she re-
piled cooly. 1T is my chief reason for
visiting this vault
You will remain in ignorance"
Il shall depart enlightened. Was it not
from that coffin, War" she said, turning to
him, that you took the golden vase you
gave me some time ago?'
She was drawing a bow at venture
but the arrow found its mark The sweat
glstened on Wars forehead. He betrayed
all the confusion of a guilty person. His
father eyed him suspiciously.
"A golden vase! he exclaimed with a
bitter smile. 'Ivar, 1 must look into that
coffinr'
Thus speaking he made his way to the
a1cove where the viscount was standing
Moved by curiosity, Lorelie also drew near
Take the screwdriver and remove the
i'd said Lord Ormsby in a stern voice.
Sullenly and mutely War proceeded to do
his fathers bidding.
No one spoke and nothing disturbed the
stiffness save the crisp revolution of the
screwdriver. With folded arms and COM
pressed lips the earl stood looking on, an
| expression on his face that BODIED i'll for his
| son should he find his suspicion verified
The last screw was loosed, and as Ivar
| raised the lid Lorele's eyes instantly
| closed. dazzled by thousand rays of
many-colored light shooting up in all d.
rections from the coffin, like bright spirits
| rejoicing to be free.
Putting up her hand to shield her SIGHT
| from the radiance she endaayor - ~