Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-04
CHAPTER VI.
Light From a New Angle.

1t was long past midnight whom Cod
frey dropped from the top of the Record
building in the express elevator and
walked over to the station of the elevated
for the trip uptown. The story was writ
tent would be the feature of the morn
ing's paper, and 1t would be illustrated
acknowledgment he was not wholly
satisfied with 1t. He had accepted the ex-
PLANTATION given by Miss Croydon, yet he
felt instinctively that it did not explain
that there was much below the surface
of which he had caught only the faintest
glimpse and which he was utterly unable
to decipher. He did not at all believe
and he took care that the readers OF the
Record should have no cause to believe
that Miss Croydon was in any way d.
rectly connected with the crime. Indeed.
there was every evidence that she had' In
that particular, spoken the truth.
And in the other particulars! wen, IL
was hard to separate the wheat from the
chaff; hard to tell where truth leit OH
and invention began. Some roundation oI
truth the story must have had, or IL
would not have been told so g1Dly nor
appear so plausible. Indeed, In two de-
tails, it had been confirmed by otner eNi-
dence-they had found the pipe WIN
which the blow was struck and the bullet
from her pistol embedded in the door
Below it all. underlying 1t all tne
foundation upon which the mystery rest
ed was Miss Croydon's motive in making
such an appointment, and, above an III
keeping it, That was thing utterly OPP
posed to her social training, to ner malo-
emily instinct-it was wild. foollsh' cues
tionable. She would feel this more acute.
ly than a man could, and yet 1t had not
been sufficient to deter her, to hold her
back What resistleSS motive was 1t that
had urged her on? What was the secret
contained in the papers she mad hopeo 10
Cnaf
dim glimpse of something dark, repusive,
terrible What was the secret! An, ne
would have known of Goldberg hao oiiy
been moment later! -,
AS to Jimmy the DUDE. aooiles NV
maintained careful reticence. while COM
mending Simmonds' promptness IN ar
resting him. Simmonds, no DOUBT, pc
lieved him guilty; but then Simmon9s
lacked imagination. 1t mlsht pe; uo ~ !.
frey thought, a little savagely, that ne
himself possessed too much OF II, out
the theory which that grlzZled veteran
had built up adroitly did not IN .he
least satisfy him. 1t was TOO pLosaio' t ny,
matter-of-fact; reasonable. perhaps, pu'
not convincing. 1t reduced the mystery
to a mere sordid crime. Godfrey wanted
color in his mysterles-ano rlsht me :,
he reminded himself again, was ms CO co. :
weakness Yet Jimmy's manner hao ho'
been that of a guilty man; to be sure, II
had changed at the last moment, at tne
mention of Miss Croydon's name. why
What was this understanding net oI
intrigue woven in the dark, involving
alike 9Th avenue and the Tenderloln -
the Delroy mansion, the Marathon, Ma
graw's gilded saloon ,.r
Pondering this puzzle, with an INTENSITY
that had something poignant and personal
in II he would have been carried past MS
station but for the guard, who kne" nm,
and who touched him on the arm. he wen
mechanically down the stair ana turned up
toward the avenue. Still mechanically ne
mounted to his rooms and opened ene oooi
man who had been sitting IN CHAIR NC
fore the fire sprang up as he entered.
..Why, Jackr' cried Godfrey. waking SUD
denly. and he held out his hand with that
fine heartiness of greeting which is some
times seen between men. Iheh, as ne
caught the others eyes his face changed.
"Sit down." he said gently, It'll l get OUT
of these damp toys. Then Wen have
talk 49,
He disappeared into the inner room, while
the younger man sank back into his cnair
and eazed gIoomily into the fire. Even
strained by emotion as it was at this mo-
ment his face was worth looking at-clear-
cut square ia we'd alert-such as one mas
come, of late years, to associate with the
typical college-bred American. But the
face was more than merely handsome-lt
was open, ingenious. winning-and looking
at it, one could understand without fur
Their explanation how 1T happened that
John Tolbert Drysdale had so many friends
and so few enemies.
Godfrey was back in moment, drew up
another chair. and got out tobacco and
pipes-for Drysdale a glossy briar, conse-
Grated to his service; for himself, a meer-
schaum of deep and tender brown, be-
speaking years of loving usage Not until
the pipes were going nicely did Godfrey
speak.
you've heard about it, them" he asked.
II know that something terrible has hap
pened,' said Drysdale, little hoarsely. Il
don't know what-it's beyond imagining,
even-at least. beyond my poor brain. Miss
Croydon told me to come to you"
"Ah"' commented Godfrey. Did she do
that?'
"Yes-she said you could tell me all l
wished to know.
Where did you see herr"
AT Mrs. Delroy's. l came straight here
from there
$50 you were at Mrs. Delroys?' and
Godfrey unused for a moment, with eyes
intent on the fire Put come. well never
get the thing Strengthened out this way
Let's begin at the beginning. Tell me what
happened at Mrs. Deroy's and then I'll I'LL
out the story, if l can. Let me have every
detail you can remember
Drysdaie waited moment to be sure OF
his self-control.
Il called at Mrs. Delroy's about 9
O'Clock he began, "and asked for Miss
wait a minute Godfrey interrupted 81
want to ask you a question which you
mustn't be offended at. I'm asking be-
cause I'll have to know If I'm really to
help you. Are you and Miss Croydon en-
ga ged to be married?"
Again minute passed before the answer
came.
Yes said Drysdale huskily, at last.
Godfrey silently held out his hand and
gave his companions fingers warrp pres
sure.
Now go on" he said
Il was shown into the library,'' continued
the other while the maid took I'M nv card
The room was In darkness, save for the
light of the fire. The windows Won know,
look out upon the street. Instead of sitting
down. ! wandered toward them and in .
moment saw some one standing behind the
curtains. My first thought-don't laugh nj
me-was that 1t was Miss Croydon lool,jnp
Tor me, for she knew that l was coming
ana strobe to the curtains and threw
them back, uttering l know not what non
sense You can imagine how aba shed T
was when Mrs. Delroy wheeled around unon
me with face so white and distorted thar
/ scarcely knew her.
Oh. beg your pardon cried. seeing
how had startled her.
For a moment she didn't Seem m knon,
me. ~ A''o"
What is IT.? she asked In a hoarse
whisper. What has happened?
My dear Mrs. Deroy, you really must
pardon me- T repeated. I'm awfully sorry