Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-21
THE ACCOMPLICE
FREDERICK TREVOR HILL
Copyright by Harper a Brothers
(
There's
Copyright, 1905, by Harper a Brothers.
ALI rights reserved.

Soi Frayne. who greeted me most corr
MY daughter has told me OF your cour-
tesy to her. Mr.. Lambert" he began. and
hoa dsei l already know you through your
Mr.. Lambert says you are mistaken.
father. intcrposed Miss Frayne. 1T isn't
ne e. who writes on Peasant Pottery"
Peasant Pottery:" laughed Col,
Frayne. Il told you Persian Poetry Did
You ever know such girl Mr.. I.ambertT'
| Il have never been so fortunate before"
| Bravo. sir knightr' cried Miss barbara.
ciapping her hands in mock applause.
Il warn you, Barbara" Col. Frayne OBJ
/ served. that Mr.. Lambert's Persian friends
were the greatest ffatterers the world has
ever known.
Then, when I've read all his books.
should be able to ask very pretty pardon
| for not having done sooner" she re-
forgive me?''
Without the penance. II there IL any
thing TO pardon" I responded. offering my
! hand. She placed her fingers in mine, but
almost instantly withdrew them.
Here is the man you've come to meet"
she announced. as Gilbert appeared in the
| doorway
The situation was decidedly embarrass-
| ing. was not sure that Gilbert would re-
member me, and / could not discuss my
business before our hosts. Moreover, I had
every reason for wishing to make no
| nouncement of my connection with the
Emory case until it was thing of the past
| once and placed me entirely at my ease.
Good morning, Mr. Lambert" he called
out, You're the right man In the right
place, and you've arrived just In time to
settle a dispute between Col. Frayne and
me-
ut hardly amounts to a dispute" conf
IDENTIFY interrupted the colonel.
Il agree with you for once" laughed GLE
bert. II should have said you've come in
the nick of time. Mr. Lambert. to correct
our. hosts Interpretation of the lines OF
How alAtf rno<J tvav
I'm afraid I'm no authority on Shake
speare, Mr. Gilbert" / protested.
No expert is required to settle this
point" asserted the colonel. Here, III
fetch the book
Now, father" interrupted his daughter,
| before you draw Mr. Lambert into this
discussion 1 want to tell you that he has
come to see Mr.. Gilbert and not us. Sup
pose We drive his horse to the stables while
he disposes OF his business
She drew the old gentleman's arm through
hers as she spoke and led him toward the
buggy.
Here, / protest. Miss Frayne." inter-
posed Gilbert: This is most unfair: You've
heard your father worst me hundred
times. and to cover his retreat at the mo-
ment OF my most spectacular triumph is
giving aid and comfort to the enemy, which
| is most provocative of war"
Il never professed to be neutral"
But propose an armistice and arbitra-
| ton"
| The girl looked up at her father.
Are we to accept terms from the van
| quished?' she demanded.
There's partisan for your laughed
Gilbert. She doesn't know what the Ques-
ton Is. but she is sure her side is right"
I'D rather be loyal than judicial"
why not be both and be fair?'
finish skirmishing well be here all day." in
terrupted Col. Frayne. Come. Barbara If
we're going to the stable. OF course you'll
stay to lunch with US, Mr.. LAMBERT
Without waiting for my answer Miss
Frayne touched the horse with the whip and
started of with her father for the stables.
AS they disappeared I turned to the pros
ecutor and Immediately preached the SUBJ
ject of my errand.
II followed you here this morning Mr.
Gilbert L began. for the purpose of
speaking about the Emory case. and"
But you mustn't" he interrupted. good
naturedly.
II certainly must" 1 insisted seriously
Since the court adjourned yesterday have
unwittingly heard certain things which
compel my resignation from the jury
Your resigna tiong' he repeated smiI-
fngly We've no right to talk about this
case at all, you know" he added warn
ingly, but
But necessity knows no law" inter-
rupted. Il cannot act as a juror any longer
and would like you to present my excuses
to the court"
Gilbert struggled to keep serious face,
and he succeeded fairly well but / could
see he was amused, and the fact annoyed
me-
II hope you won't think me discourteous,
Mr. Lambert, he responded. but really
cannot listen to you this subject. If
you've anything to say about resgning you
must say 1t in person to the judge. He Is
the only one who can properly hear you,
and he alone can discharge you from duty.
In the meantime let us aboo the subject"
1 was too provoked by this summary dis
position of the business to answer at once
but Gilbert prevented awkward
pause by some tactful observations
on flnn irnn xrnvfa h Al.
were subjected and the impossible
ity of avoiding them. His handling
of the situation was so easy and sympa-
thetio that / was speedily modified, and
when he shifted the conversation by ask
ing how long I had known the Fraynes
replied that l had met Miss Frayne for the
first time only the day before.
Then you must be her knight Grant
he hazarded.
II happened to meet her after her mis-
hap, and drove her home" answered.
That's what / mean" he responded.
''She called you her knight Grant. and was
so enthusiastic about your chivalry that
dubbed you knight Of the road who had
stolen her heart-whch made her perfectly
furious"
I tried to smile appreciatively, but the
remark and the tone and manner in which
1t was voiced Infatuated me. Gilbert was
scarcely two years my junior. yet he was
talking to me as though l were a tooth
less old man.
I'm surprised you've never met Col.
Frayne before" he continued. affably. He
is a remarkably well-read man, and his
library Is very unusual. Come in and take
a look at it."
There was nothing in Gilbert's manner
to warrant the suspicion that he was ma
neuvering TO immune me In the library
while he monopoized Miss Frayne, but q
spirit of opposition possessed me. ana
would not have followed any suggestion OK
his no matter what II had been.
mo, thank YOU" answered. coolly. Il
see so much OF books
ct understand" he interposed- ''But
Col Fraynes collection is such rare one
thought 1t might interest you"
even the book worm will occasionally
turn" retorted meaningly. but my shot
miscarried, for the prosecutor merely
laughed politely and let the subject drop.
I might a s well have been grac Gus, how
ever for the moment Col Frayne reap
peared he carried me of to the library and
Gilbert was left in possession OF the fed.
NY host certainly had one of the finest
private collections I had ever examined,
but I confess I spent most of the morning
in artfully arousing his interest In my own