The Minneapolis journal., 1905-06-24
(coPYRleHT, 1908, 14 A. VESSELS COS

suite to him since yesterday, she must
still be the heart and core Of the evil
influence he had to combat. Without
knowledge she would not have been
duke, how could she have obtained
knowledge without completely? Why,
too, should she also be unwilling to
use her knowledge openly9 No, he
came back to the opinion that there
must originally have been one gigantic
plot against Senator Sherman s precious
charge, and that there must have been
section, or whether by both sections,
the duke was threatened was an irri-
tating conundrum. Anyhow, Sybil Han
bury's peril assumed ugly shape again
in the general s mind.
'.The woman must have sent it to
mislead-to throw dust in my eyes, "
he murmured, not knowing that he
spoke aloud. And following up that
train of reasoning he found it grow into
anonymous. That is to say, the wt1.ter
had been at particular pains to disclose
her identity by means of the scent it
General Sadgrove deemed the COM
nlunication sent to his wife of sufficient
Importance to investigate. The letter
had been dispatched, he new felt as
sured, with the express purpose of
any further accident" happening to
the duke. In short, he was Of opinion
that Mrs. Talmage Eglinton had sus-
pected his maneuver at the hotel and
had devised this method of hoodwink
ing him, and of diverting his vigilance
from herself during her Forthcoming
visit if her suspicious were correct. The
craftness Of the idea was obvious, and
the general was beginning to be de,
| rh wv w
and behold, the whole fabric crumbled
again, from flaw at the very base
of the structure. It was inconceivable
that Mrs. Talmage Eglinton, if she was
guilty of criminal intent, should have
directed his thoughts to Ziegler, who, if
not confederate, was certainly part
and parcel of the mystery.
"Too many women in it, he
growled, testify, unaware, in, the brown
study into which he had fallen, that
he had seated himself in one Of the
cane chairs round about the teatable
at which Sybil Hanbury was already
presiding. He was also unconscious
that he had expressed himself audiblY
at least, SO far as concerned Sybil,
| who at that moment happened to be
handing him his cup. Indeed, he re-
peated the phrase, the sentiment Of it
growing in vigor from the sight Of LIE
/ onie Sherman listening to Beaumanior s
description Of his ancestral home, and
Of Mrs. Sherman and Mrs. Sadgrove
talking to Alec Forsyth.
! Sybil gave the old man queer look,
more affectionate than reproachful; and
when she had finished pouring out tea
came and took a vacant seat beside
him. For while she drank her tea
in silence, stealing a half amused
glance now and then at the puckered
face Of the checked hunter Of men
The general was gazing moodily across
the green expanse of park, wishing
with all his heart that Azimoolah, on
a guard out there in the leafy solitudes
was a fitting oracle to consult in a mat
ter touching the private feelings Of
memsahibs.
".No,n, he growled regretfully, ant
J again aloud, this must be a whit,
man s war;
Il Sybil leaned over and tapped hi
knee with her gold teaspoon The gen
eral started, smiled fatuously at th
= celebrated Beaumanoir heirloom,- as th
he were expected to admire it, and thel
suddenly came down from the clouds
! EI realizing that the young woman witt
t something more than source Of anx
| iety to him: She was a factor to b
reckoned with, and if he was iudg
Of the human countenance she wa
|. about to enforce that view.
/ A white man s war with too man
women in. it, generals0 she asked
: archly. Isn't that rather an anon
) alyY0
NIt's gospel truth" " the general re
8 piled, with sturdy insistence. "Sig
s You are not delayed, You Nigh
e as well accuse me of being in my frs
: childhood, and I have really passe
b that Sybil smiled back at hin
n But, = she added. am childis
! enough to be little hurt that yo
i don t appear to think SO.
.My dear girl, what have I done
D Pom honor, don It know that I hav
{ done anything the general proteste
n piteously.
!. nThat's just it. It's because yo
e have done nothing. or next to nothin,
: that your contemptuous reference
J. too many women seem to me trif
t unkind, replied Sybil, pretending