Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-15
CHAPTER I.

The girl turned away from the splendor
of it and laid her aching head against the
cool window pane. A hanson flashed along
in the street below with just a glimpse of
a pretty laughing girl in it with a man by
her side. From another part of the Royal
Palace Hotel came sounds of mirth and
gayety. All the world seemed to be happy,
tonight, perhaps to mock the misery Of the
girl with her head against the window
pane.
And yet on the face Of ii, Beatrice OAR
rylps lines seemed to have fallen in pleasant
places. She was young and healthy, and.
in the eyes of her friends, beautiful Still.
the startling pallor of her face was In vivid
contrast with the dead black dress she wore,
dress against which her white arms and
throat stood out like ivory on a background
of ebony and silver. There was no color
about the girl at all. save for the warm
ripe tone of her hair and the deep, steadfast
blue of her eyes. Though her face was
the spectator the impression of GOODNESS,
only utter WEAKNESS and a tiredness Of life
IT the early age of twenty-five.
Behind her was table laid out for a score
Of dinner guests. Everything was absolute
~ perfect and exceedingly costly ap-
pertained to all things at the Royal Palace
Hotel, where the head waiter condescended
to bow to nothing under a millionaire. The
were red shades to the low electric lights,
and masses of red carnations everywhere.
No taste. and incidentally no expense. had
been spared. for Beatrice Darryll was to be
Charles. was giving this dinner in honor of
the occasion. Only very rich man could
afford luxury like that
81 think everything is complete, madame"
n waiter suggested softly. II there is any
thing"
Beatrice turned YEARLY from the window.
She looked old and odd and drawn just for
the moment. And yet that face could ripple
was made for laughter. Beatrice's eyes
swept over the wealth of good taste and
criminal extravaganza.
ut will do very nicely" the girl said. eft
will do-anything will do. mean you have
done your work splendidly. 1 am more than
satisfied"
The gratifed. if slightly puzzled. waiter
bowed himself out. The bitter scorn In
Beatrice's eyes deepened. What did all this
reckless extravaganza mean? Why was 1t
Justified? The man who might have answer
ed the question sauntered into the room. A
wonderfully well-preserved man was Sir
Charles Darryll. with boyish smile and
an air of perennial youth unspotted by the
world. man who was totally untitled to
cope with the hard grip and sordid side of
life. There were some who said that he was
\ grasping, greedy. selfish old rascal. who
under the guiSe of youthful integrity con-
cealed a nature that was harsh and cruel
We'll my dear child" Sir Charles cried.
"And are you not satisfied? That table
setting is perfect; never saw anything in
more exquisite taste"
TT will all have to be paid for" Beatrice
said YEARLY. THE money
"Wil be forthcoming. l have no doubt Of
II. Whether I have it at the bank or not
cannot for the moment say. If not. then
our good friend Stephen Ricn.ord must lend
II me. My dear child, that black dress of
yours gives me quite painful shock. Why
wear it?'
Beatrice crossed over and regarded her
pale reflection in the glass opposite. The
little pink nails were dug fiercely into the
still pinker flesh Of her palm.
why not?" she asked. as 1t not appro-
pirate? Am 1 not in the deepest mourning
for my lost honor? Tomorrow 1 am going
to marry a man who from the bottom Of my
heart loathe and despise. / am going to
sell myself to him for money-money to save
your good name. Oh, know that shall
have the benediction of the church, less
fortunate girls will envy me-. but am not
a whit better than the poor creature faunt-
ing her shame on the pavement. Nay, am
worse for she can plead that love was the
cause of her undoing. Father, l can't, can't
go through with it, -
She flung herself down in chair and
covered her face with her hands. The boy
ish innocence of Sir Charles face changed
suddenly, wicked CLEAN came into his
eyes. His friends would have found diff
Guilty in recognizing him then.
Get up" he said sternly. Get up and
come to the window with me. Now, what
do you see in this room?"
Evidences of wealth that is glittering
here" Beatrice cried. Shameless extrava-
gance that you can never hope to pay for.
Costly flowers"
"And everything that makes life worth
living. All these things are necessary to
me. They will be with me till the end II you
marry Stephen Richford. Now look out
side. Do you see those two men elaborate
You do? Well. they are watching me. They
have been logging me for three days. And
II anything happened now. a sudden Illness
on your part, anything to postpone to-
morrow's ceremony, 1 should pass the next
day in Jail. You did not think it was as
bad as that. did your
The mans face was livid with fury; he
had Beatrices bare arm in cruel grip,
but she did not notice the pain. Her mem
tai trouble was too deep for that.
ITS that city company that limited at"
Sir Charles went on. There was chance
of fortune there. l recognized that chance,
and l became director. And there was
risk, too. We took our chance and the
chance failed. We gambled desperately,
and again fortune failed us. Certain people
who were against us have made unhappy
discoveries. That is why those men are
watching me. But If can send the chair
man letter tomorrow assuming innocence
and regret and enclosing a check for
$4,000 to cover my fees and to recover all
the shares l have sold, then l come out
with higher reputation than ever. / shall
shine as the one honest man in a den OF
thieves That check and more Richford
has promised me directly you are his wife.
Do you understand. you sullen, white-faced
fool? Do you see the danger? If 1 thought
YOU were going to back out of it now, I'd
strangle you"
Beatrice felt no fear; she was long past
that emotion. Her weary eyes fell on the
banks of red carnations: on the shaded
lights and the exquisite table service. The
fit of passion had left her Indifferent and
cold. She was not in the least sullen.
1T would be the kindest act you could
do, father" she said. "Oh. know that this
is no new thing. There is no novelty in the
situation of girl giving herself to a man
whom she despises, for the sake of his
money. The records of the divorce court
TEEN with such cases. For the battered
honor of my father l am going to lose my
own. Be silent-no sophistry of yours can
hide the brutal truth. i hate that man from
the bottom of my soul. and he knows IL.
And yet his one desire is to marry me. In
heavens name. why?"
Sir Charles chuckled slightly. The danger
was past. and he could afford to be good
humored again. Looking at his daughter
he could understand the feelings of the
lover who grew all the more ardent is
Beatrice drew back. And Stephen Richford
was a millionaire. 1t mattered little that
both he and his father had made their
money in crooked ways- mattered LITTLE