Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-14

have to bother about the legal limit; it will
| be urgent. You understand"
Yes, Sir Eustace."
| Then go and get me the erowbar. Bring
large basket. too-something large enough
| to carry big stones"
While his man was away fetching the
things he had asked for he tore leaf from
his pocketbook and wrote on it: It am in
an underground passage below the re-
fectory. Sims will show you the entrance
If this note is delivered to you 1t will mean
that l have been prevented from returning
by Wiseman or Black. In that case give
information to the police that l have dis
covered that illicit distilling is going on
here, and that l have been kidnapped in
consequence. Probably you can get mag
strate's warrant to search the disuiiery.
l don't anticipate that the necessity viii
arise for delivering this note into your
hands at all, but If it does, and the note
is delivered, act at once.
He gave the paper to SIMS, with orders
that it was to be given to Miss Holland only
If he failed to appear at the time he had
sts ted. Then he made his way down into
the tunnel.
He had suspicion that he was taking
considerable risk. He did not know TO
what lengths Harvey Wiseman would he
prepared to go to defend his secret, but he
guessed; and his guess was that. short per-
haps of actual murder, the diSuller would
not be gentle in his methods. He had no
Illusions about the genial humorist WHO d.
vided his time between golf and the Eliza
be han drama. and gave only the intervals
regret was that because of certain compli--
cations due to the unexpected arrival OF
Lady Holland from Oporto. he WAS not
himself free to meet Wiseman with
laugh, and to defy him to do his worst.
He must make Mary safe: that was the
first thing. Afterward-well, afterward
there might be surprises, even for Harvey
WiSeman,
He was excited: and, because he scented a
real physical danger, he was even elated.
His fight had been one of diplomacy hlth-
erto, but there was prospect or hand-
grips now! He squared his shoulders again
at the thought. and welcomed the pleasing
change.
HIS statement. in the note which he had
given into Sims keeping, that he had dis
covered that illicit distillng was gong on in
the Holland Caves. was, yet, of course,
more than intelligent anticipation; but he
had little doubt but that, if only he were
allowed a short time Of uninterrupted work
in the tunnel. it would presently be the
plain truth. That, of course, was WISE
mans secret. That was the reason why
Mary had on Cousin Harvey's prompting,
been forbidden to explore the caves. That
was why. when he thought that the young
laird had come home to look after his own,
he had offered him large bride to go away
again That was why he had shown anger
and fear when he was told that in six
months his tenancy of the distillery must
cease. That was why, while he still be-
lieved that the returned prodigal was his
cousin Eustace. he had written to the ad-
miralty to betray him. That was why.
when the foul stroke had fallen harmless.
and the work of exploring the caves still
went on, he had sent the man in the hooded
macintosh to block the passage. That
was why he affected to believe. possibly
really believed, that the prodigal was an
impostor That was why he was driving
the woman back to her hotel now. (No,
not necessarily; but perhaps! Here on sec
ond thoughts certainly only perhaps: it was
really more probable thai in this case the
decision lay with the woman herselfD That
again was why Black, late surgeon on the
IS S. Orinoco,' dismissed, gone under, was
now finding a sphere of usefulness as
gsuger a the distillery: for extensive
fraud on the revenue can be best worked if
revenue officer is partner In 1t. That
why-but the list need not be carried
further. Harvey Wiseman's actions and
motives had become marvelously transpar-
ent. that all.
moving the stones to win passage
through the obstruction in the tunnel.
Again he was conscious of the faint sour
ish smell which he had noticed in the
morning. Oh, the thing was plain The
only doubt was whether he would be al
lowed to make his proof of it complete.
He expected foul play. Indeed, he al
most hoped for it, for ii would be an is
sue less complicated than some of the
others with which he must deal At any
rate he was quite prepared for the neces-
sity of having to meet it. The letter
which he had left in Sims hands was an
insurance deliberately effected against
war risks. For if Wiseman knew-and
Eustace meant. if necessary, to tell him
that unless his adversary appeared at
lunch at the usual time the police would
upon the scene. he not likely
TO persist in a serious attempt to keep
him from that meal
The work of removing the stones was
heavy. and the lowness of the roof made
it necessary to do most of it on his knees.
He worked for hour. and pro-
foundly dissatisfied with the smallness of
| ii a nlaS of iS- bnr1r
were aching from the cramped position
in which he had to work, and the sickly,
sour smell had begun to irritate him
and give him headache. He sat down
to rest
The second part of his problem the
part which as yet he had hardly dared
to face, began to clamor in his thoughts
for solution. Mary-hOW to face her to-
night what to tell her; how to answer
the questions which she would put. and
which he must answer now somehow!
He could not put her off any longer with
vague hints of mysteries to be solved, or
forgotten, in the future. That plea had
served hitherto. and served only indif-
ferently; but the time was past in which
it could serve at all. The mys teries had
come too close; the skeleton had opened
its cupboard and walked out into the
light of day. Mary would demand to
know its history, and he did not see how
he could refuse her demand.
But neither did he see how he could
meet her demand with an honest tale.
and still remain at Holland Abbey to pro-
tect her. His head was aching fiercely.
That sickening smell of rotting grain
becoming overpowering.
Some one spoke to him from the other
side of the barricade of stone:
MIR. Wortley"
The voice was low and cautious; as
though the speaker feared that some one
besides the man he was addressing might
overhear. Or perhaps the effect of dis
lance was due to the fact that the stone
barricade was vastly thicker than Eus-
tace believed it to be.
Again the voice came, faint and eau
tious:
arthur Manners Wortley"
Eustace rose to his feet with a laugh.
Though the voice was faint. he had rec
ognized the high, saw-like rasp of it,
That's friend Black" he muttered.
Now this is interesting And In loud
tones he called back: Yes. I'm here.
What does DIR. Angus Norman late of the
SIS. Orinoco. want with me?'
= (To be continued tomorrow.)
Wealthy Man Suicide
dispatch from New York last night
says: Hurting himself from the Wash