Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-11
CHAPTER v.
A Flash From the Depths.

"A Flash From the Ueptns.
| IT have come to thank you for your kind
ness of last night" said Tremaine, as he
entered. 1T was great favor"
1T was nothing" I protested, waving
him to a chair. II was glad to do 1t. ]
had a very pleasant time myself"
AS he sat down. he laid handful of
| cigarettes on the table beside him.
| You see, I've come for chat" he said.
| with his inimitable smile. Il hope you
| will help yourself"
Thank YOU" and I suited the action to
| the word; Tremaine's cigarettes would have
| tempted any one. II trust the business OF
the railroad is getting on well?"
| 'Splendidy." he answered, inhaling 4
great puff Of smoke. THE interview of last
night did much to assist IT. 1t was for that
also l wished to thank you-for leaving
| me free--it was most important
| / waved my cigarette deprecatingly. was
| conscious that he was watching me keeniy.
| II am not interrupting any plans or
| yours?" he asked suddenly. You were not
No 1 said I'D resigned myself to
spend the evening over a book. Your COM
pany is very welcome"
| THAT is good of you to say. l shall
speak frankly, then, as l had Intended
| doing
| He paused and puffed at his cigarette.
| saw that, in spite of his superb assurance,
| the subject whatever it was presented a
certain difficulty.
Il have been curious to see,'' he began.
at last, how Cecily would AFFECT New
Workers. She is certainly well stared at.
And no wonder" I said She would
make ST. Anthony turn his head
You really weren't bored last night!
II don't see how anybody could be bored
with Cecily." l answered with conviction.
"Ah. you think so?" and he shot me
quick glance. You admire her. then?'
Admiration is hardly the word" l said
slowly. 1T is too weak, too thin
Evidently he misunderstood me, for he
| did not wait for me to anish-to explain
myself.
That makes 1t easier for me-" he inter-
rupted. You have perhaps suspected that
the union between US is not a-ah-a legal
one?"
yes" I said 81 had suspected that"
Such unions are the rule in Martinique,
he continued calmly. and have been from
time immemorial. They are part OF the
life there-they matter of course-and
frequently they are as permanent and hap
Ply any regular one could be. Cecliy
is what is known fille-de-colleur; phys
ically, 1 believe, the most beautiful women
In the world"
Then she Is not an exception"
"Oh, no-she is a type-physically at
| least Mentally, l believe she does differ
somewhat from the typical capresse. For
| instance, l never knew another attempt
| to tame a fer-de-lance-'
1T seems to me-" l observed, that she
had as many possibilities as the snake
He laughed lightly.
For evil, you mean? That's merely The
effect of the first view. Really, the ca
presse girls have excellent reputation
| for docility and all the rest. Not that 1t
| would matter much in Martiniaue-the peo-
| pie there are used to living over vol
| cano and don't mind. or course" he add
| ed In another tone, II shall. before long,
have to break it off Society here, Is differ
emily organized-different climates, differ
ent morals, you know: 1 feel that 1 must
conform to it. Indeed. 1 even wish to do go
1t is time that settled down, ranged my
self, became man of family have been
a wanderer long enough. Cecily can't en-
dure this climate, anyway. I'll send her
back to ST. Pierre"
what will she say to that?" I asked.
with vivid memory of the adoring way
her eyes always dwelt upon him.
you think it sounds a little brutal?'
and he smiled gaily. 1T isn't. in the least.
You've put Cecily on too high pedestal.
They have axiom down there, Nee de
ramour la f1le-de-couleur nit d'amour. de
rires ct d'oublis'-her life Is a thing of
love, laughter and forgettings. think it,
essentially true. At the same time" ne
added, more seriously, Il don't wish to be
needlessly cruel. That's the reason I'm
telling you all this. It's sort of introduce
ton"
"Ah," I said, and looked at him.
I'm blurt it out in a word. I'll be out of
town next weeA-all week-my business de-
mands it-and it's absurd for me to think
of taking Cecily with me-it's absolutely
impossible-it would ruin the whole affair.
What / want to ask you is ths-look in on
her occasionally cheer her up, take her to
the theater, If you'll be so good. She knows
no one here, and she has ridiculous need
of companionship, of chattering to some
one of having some one to admire her. It's
born in the blood, l suppose; it's an inner
itance from two centuries of ancestors.
Left to herself, she'll soon NOPE herself
sick. Will you do this for me, my friend?'
There was a compelling wiZardry in his
he looked vet L had self
control enough to pause and reflect. Still
/ saw reason why should refuse even
had my own inclination not greatly urged
me forward. Here would be an opportunity
to unveil such secrets of his Cecily
might know-especially as to where they
had been on the evening of the murder.
Perhaps she even knew the victim; could
give me a clew to the connection between
him and Tremaine, If such a connection ex-
isted-there were unlimited possibilities.
And yet, feeling of shame held me back.
To take advantage in this way of man
who trusted me, against whom there was
nothing but the merest, most intangible
suspicion
l looked up and met his intent gaze.
You were refiecting?' he said.
Merely that it is a delicate trust. I'm
not at all unwilling to undertake it,
only"
Again he misunderstood: again he did not
wait for me to finish. 1t was the only weak
ness l ever detected in him-he made false
step that could never be retraced.
"Only you are flesh and blood, you would
say?' and he shot me a smile which IL
lumined as a lightning fash the depths of
his character. 'On that score do not worry
/ beg of you; am not of jealous DISPOSE
toni shall not
A knock at the door interrupted him. or 1
might have answered in way that would
have wrecked Godfrey's plan forever. 1
flung the door open and saw Higgins stand
Ing there
"A call at tn telephone fer you, Mr. Les
ter" he said.
Excuse me, please" I called over my
shoulder to Tremaine, and strobe down the
hall after the janitor. So heated was with
anger, SO shaken by this sudden revelation,
that not till we were in the elevator drop
ping downward did l remember that God
frey was In my bed room. sudden chill
struck through me. Suppose Tremaine
should take advantage OF the opportunity
to examine my rooms; suppose he should
discover Godfrey.
1t was too late now to avert 1t; could not
20 back, so went on to the telephone. 1t
was Mr. Royce who wanted me; he had
been called suddenly out of town and wished
to give me some instructions for the next
day. Our conversation lasted perhaps five
minutes; then hung up the receiver and
mounted to my rooms. With a hand not
wholly steady I opened the door. Tremaine