Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-08-19

YOU COULDN'T COME
that If were sure from the r.gidlty Of
his gaze that il had caught his eye !
would at once spring ont. throw my
greatcoat over his head pinion him
aud leave the rest TO Holmes. But Mil
verton never looked up. lie was Ian
guidly Interested 10y the papers I'm his
hand. and page after page was turned
as be followed the argument OF the
lawyer At least. I thought. when he
had finished the document and the
cigar he VIII q u his room. bat before
he had reached the end 70 either there
came a remarkable development which
turned our thoughts into quite another
channel
Several times had observed that
Milverton looked at HIS watch. and
once he had risen and sat down again.
with n gesture Of Impotence. The idea.
however. that ne might have an ap-
pointment at SO strange an hour never
occurred % re until a faiut sound
reached my ears from the veranda ont
side Milvcrton dropped his papers and
sat rigid in his chair. The sound was
repeated. and then there came a gen
tie tap at the door. Mllvertou rose and
opened &C.
well" said he curtly. you are near
~ half nm hour late"
So this was the explanation OF the
unltcked door and OF the nocturnal
vigil Of Milvertan There was the gen.
tie rustic OF a womans dress. had
closed the slit between the curtains as
Milverton's face had turned in our di-
rection, but now I venturcd very care
fully 10 open q once more. lie had re-
sumed his seat. the cigar stul project
ing at an us)lent angle from the cor
ner OF his mouth. In front 81 him. In
the full glare ~ the electric light there
stood q tall. slim. dark woman. vell
over her face. mantle drawn round
her chin. Her breath came quick and
fast and every inch ~ the 1.-The figure
was quiveriug with strong emotion.
well" sai Nfilvertcn you've
made me lose a good nights rest. ms
dear hope youW prove worth il.
You couldn't come any other time
ehg"
The woman shook her head
well. n Won couldn't YOU couldn't
II the countess Is hard mistress YOU
have your chance 20 get level with her
now. Bless the girl what are YOU
shivering aboutg That's right. Pull
yourself together. Now lat us get
down 80 business" He took a note
book from he drawer Of his desk
You say that YOU have Eve letters
which compromise the Countess d'Al-
bert. You want 10 sell them. ! want
10 buy them SO far so good. II only
remains 10 fix u price / should want
20 inspect the letters. Of course II
they are really good specimens Great
heavensl Is il youF"
The woman. without a word. had
raised her veil aud dropped the man
tie from her chin II was a dark.
handsome. clear cut face which con-
fronted Milverton-a face with u curv-
Ell nose, strong. dark eyebrows shad-
ing hard, glittering eyes. and a straight.
thin Tipped mouth set In a dangerous
smile
1T is l." she said-"the woman whose
life you have ruined"
MilvertOn laughed. but fear vibrated
IN his voice. You were SO very obsti-
nate" said he. Why did you drive
me 10 such extremitiesg | put the price
well within your means You would
not pay"
so you sent the letters 10 my hus-
band, and he-the @ est gentleman
that ever lived. a man' whose boots /
was never worthy 60 lace-he broke his
gallant heart and died You remem-
Der that last night, when 1 came
through that door, begged and pray
ed you for merry, and you laughed in
my face as you are trying to laugh
now, only your coward heart cannot
Keep your lips from twitching? Yes,
you never thought TO see me here
again. but it was that night which
taught me how could meet you face
to face and alone. Well. Charles Mil
verton, what have you TO sayT'
Don't Imagine that you can bully
me-" said be, rising 10 his feet. Il
have only 70 raise my voice and could
can my servants and have you arrest
cd But i win make allowance for
your natural anger. Leave the room at
once as you came, and l will say no
more"
The woman stood with her hand
buried In her bosom and the same
deadly smile on her thin lips.
"Hou viii ruin no more lives as you
bave ruined mine You viii wiring no
more hearts as you wrung mine.
will free the world OF poisonous
thing. Take that you Homeland that
land tbat--and that-and that"
She had drawn little cleaning re-
voiver and emptied barrel after barrel
into sfilverton's body. the muzzle with
In two feet Of his shirt front He
shrank away and then fell forward
upon the table, coughing furiously aud
clawinS among the papers. Then he
staggered 20 his feet. received another
shot and rolled upon the door You've
done met ne cried and lay still. The