Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-20
CHAPTER Xxx.
The Fourth Duel.

wortley had spent very busy day. As
he drove back to the abbey, and reviewed
the events of the morning and afternoon.
he found 1t hard to believe that twelve
hours had not yet passed since Sims had
met him after breakfast and given him the
news Of the hooded ghost in the refectory.
1t was o'clock now; he had not finished
breakfast till nearly 8; why. 1t still wanted
two hours to make up the twelve. The
thing seemed absurd. About nine hours
ago he had found the tunnel: eight hours
ago he had got his first intimation of the
arrival OF Lady Holland. from Oporto;''
and what q crowd of things had happened
since then!
On the whole he was rather inclined to be
pleased with his days work, SO far. Black.
Wiseman. and finally Ellen, had each In
their different ways given him. so to speak.
run for his money: for the fight with each
had been keen and relentless, although-ex-
cept. of course, Blacks little experiment
with the carbon fumes in the tunnel-it had
SO far been a battle of wits rather than OF
deeds. But the deeds. perhaps, were to
come; or Harvey Wiseman had threatened
foolishly and ratuitous1y-which was not
likely!
do you know. Sims" he said suddenly,
as the trees Of the abbey came into sight,
ment. l should say 1 had had enough to-
day7"
Sims gave crooked smile.
II am glad you are satisfied, sir" he said.
If may take the liberty of saying so, you
always work hard to earn your fun
Fun" exclaimed his master. Il said ex-
element"
YES SIR" said the man. "But you hint
ed this morning that there was danger, too.
and always believed that you considered
danger to be fun
We'll" admitted Wortley with laugh.
''the best fun always has little danger In
1T, you know"
Yes SIR" answered Sims, deferentially.
''That is what understood you to mean"
Wortley did not pursue the subject. AT
another time he might have found enter
tainment in drawing his chauffeur out on
this theme, for he knew there was a vein
Of caustic shrewdness In the little man
So Sims thought his object in staying at
Holland Abbey had been to amuse himself
by playing a difficult and hazardous part.
and for the mere pleasure Of playing It. In
his own thoughts he admitted that the judg-
nent of the little cynic at his side had per-
haps in the beginning had some little foun-
dation in fact. His reception by Mary on
that first night had piQued him, and had
made him there and then want to see more
of her; but his pique had been a mere straw.
whose weight was added to the burden OF
heavier motives. And after the first day,
he had ceased to think of 1t, and had carried
on the game for far different reasons than
any that the chauffeur knew.
And had he even had the recompense OF
fun? Well. yes, he had to admit that he
had. The succession Of duels today, with
Black. with Wiseman. and with the woman
from Oporto, had not been dull But they
were over; there was another and harder
duel than any Of them still to be fought. It
also, would have its excitement, but the
last thing on earth that he anticipated from
1t was fun.
He dined alone Mary was still with her
mother. After dinner he went to the study
and waited with a growing nervousness
which would have astonished the little
chauffeur could he have been witness to
1t. He watched the hands of the clock Greer
slowly round toward nine, the hour al
which he had asked for an interview with
Mary: and almost he found himself wishing
that she would not, come at all.
Then he remembered the telegram which
picked up the Scotsman and read in the
court circular the announcement which had
made Lady Ellen Holland wish that she
had waited little longer before claiming
paper was startling. and 1t added another
to the list Of his perplexities. He weni
out to find Sims.
Have the car ready by In the morn
Ing" he said. II shall be making an early
start"
He returned to the study to walt for Mary
A few minutes after the hour she came. A.
he rose to place chair for her. he stole q
glance at her face, and his heart sank al
| the look OF utter WEAKNESS which he saw
| there. His one desire was to save her from
suffering and yet 1t seemed that all that hi
had brought into her life was sorrow. =.
''You asked to see me at 8" she said
Mother is asleep now; so can leave hel
| for little
SIS Lady Holland iii?' he asked anx.
iously.
"she had two more fainting fits after tbs
one you saw. She is very brave, and she
refuses to believe that she is really Ill, bu
she admits that all the right side OF hel
| body feels cold and numb"
for
Eyes. He says that there Is nothing sera
ously wrong yet. and that II she Is KEEP
! perfectly quiet for a few days she may be
quite we'll again. But
1.-THE numbneas?' asked Wortley quickly
The girl nodded.
Eyes. The doctor is afraid that IT may
be q warning symptom OF paralysis"
| For a moment neither spoke. Then ths
man said in a low voice: II am sorry" Il
was futile. inadequate remark enough
| and he felt that it was: but he could thinl
| OF nothing better to say. Mary looked a
| him gravely. and asked:
Twill you tell me what it is that yor
want me to hear?'
He flushed and answered hurriedly:
IT once told you that some day I woult
| answer all your questions. I meant II
| answer them tonight; but when YOU
mother Is ILL
| She Interrupted him with gesture.
Tell me now" she said. my mother!
| illness does not make other doubts an,
easier to bear
| II beg your PARDON" he said humbly. 81
| owe 1t you to be frank with you now.
| will answer what you WISH
You wrote to me that the woman whit
| called you husband il not your wife. VIII,
| Ii she7'
| "She Is Lady Holland. the wife OF Eu
| STAGE"
| Mary turned to him quickly. and asked:
| "'Then who are your
II am not your brother"
She broke into q low. mirthless laugh
| and the sound OF II was to him more bit
ter and more pitifui than anything that hat
| gone before.
"Oh. know thatg' she said. IT think
| have always known It. But I don't ash
| who you are not. but who you are"
II gave you my name on the first occa
| sion on which you asked me-" he answered
| IT am Arthur Manners Wortley'
| She gazed at him with eyes wide open II
| establishment, saying scornfully:
II thought you were going to tell me tn,
| truth! Isn't 1t timer
SIT Is the truth"
but that was my brothers name-a
least 1t was the name he assumed. / dom
understand! You have confessed that yot
| are not my brother Is my brother alive?'
HE died In Oporto. His wife's letter Il
1 II II.