Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-11-24
CHAPTER XVII.


was trembling with eagerneSs. / en-
deayored 10 string upon a common
thread the bits Of evidence which had
seemed TO Godfrey so important-the
bottle. the scratches on the wall, the
coat rack. the broken cane. The note:
but FOR the life Of me 1 could see no
connection between them. Yet / knew
there must be OF Godfrey would not
now be walking up and down the room
with a face SO beaming. so triumphant.
Miss Croydon VIII see you at once.
sir announced Thomas from the
( threshold, and we followed him to the
farther end Of the corridor, where he
tapped az q door. a voice babe us
enter
She was standing by a window. look
ing out across the waters OF the bay.
and she did not turn for an Instant
not indeed, until Godfrey had closed
the door carefully behind him. I have
seen few women more regal more
magnificent. yet there was about her
in her face. In the droop OF her figure
such an air Of utter misery, Of exquisite
suffering. that. after the first moment
one forgot 10 admire her i'm the desire
20 be OF service.
You wished to see mer' she asked.
in low voice.
Yes, Miss Croydon" replied God
frey. more gently perhaps than he had
intended 20 speak. This IS Mr.. Les
ter" he added. "who has been engaged
20 defend Mr. Drysdale."
She acknowledged the introduction
with the faintest OF bows.
II hope Mr. Lester VIII be success
full. she said. I'm tho coolest Of tones.
One would have thought her a mere
chance acquaintance OF my client.
I saw Godfrey looking at her with
searching eyes. and his face hardened.
we mean 10 be successful" he said
CURLY. You may as well ask us TO sit
down, Miss Croydon. because our bust
ness here viii take some time. and 1
am sure &c win tire YOU 20 stand"
Really" she began: then her eyes
met his. burning with meaning. "Oh.
very WELL" she said family and sank
Into the chair nearest her.
"Now. Miss Croydon" Godfrey con
unued in the same coldly imperative
tone, II Intend 90 speak % YOU bluntly
and directly We have beaten about
the bush too long already ] see that
you are not inclined TO deal frankly
with us. You have not been frank
with us from the first. You have sought
20 blind us. 90 throw us OF the track.
Therefore 1 shall tell YOU what we
already know in order that you may
realize how useless 10 is for YOU TO try
to hold MS OF. Were going TO see that
the guilty man Is punished not for this
crime alone. but also for that other
one az the Marathon. OF which YOU
were the only witness. You shall not
be permitted 90 keep him from justice
day longer In the first place. we
know that this man Tremaine inveigled
your sister into a schoolgirl elopement
and marriage; she was rescued from
him; she thought him dead; she mar
ricd pelroy; came 10 New York: Ire
maine followed her and attempted the
extortion OF blacSmail. YOU met him at
the Marathon; while You were talking
Thompson mterfered and Tremaine
killed him, escaping before the officers
arrived. You did not know Thompson.
but you saw Simmonds and me take
out his pockethoolx You heard me
read line or two from one OF a packet
Of clippings we found there, and while
we were in the bedroom you took those
clippings from the body and hid them
under the edge OF the carpet
She breahed a long sigh and sat
erect again.
"Ah." she said. with a little smile, Il
q. ID Lad -.
seemed 50 supernatural. But now ]
sec where your Information came
from"
1T Is correct. thenT' asked Godfrey.
yes" she answered. Yes"
Godfrey leaned back ina his chair. with
a long sign OF relief lie had won the
battle
Miss Croydon" he said. "Tm going
10 reward you for your .frankneSs by
telling You something which had In
tended 20 keep secret awhile longer.
just 70 punish you. Your sister never
was the wife OF Tremaine and has
nothing whatever 20 fear from him.
He has no holl on her at all She has
never been anybody's wife but Mr..
Delroy's"
She was staring at him with widely
opened eyes. her hands clasped above
her heart
"Oh If it were really So" she cried.
eff il were really sor'
1T is So" repeated Godfrey. and
took a little yellow envelope from his
pocket. Read this" And he unfolded
a sheet OF paper and held it toward
her
She took il with trembling hand and
read the message written upon IL. but
seemingly without understanding il.
1t is a cable" he explained from
the Records correspondent at Dieppe
Your pardon, Lester" be added, with
a ieeting smile; Il forgot TO show it
to you on the trip out. Please read ii
aloud, Miss Croydon"
THE widow Of Victor Charente." she
read in low voice, 'died here Feb.
p. 1901. Had never married again"
She looked up, her brows still knitted