Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-18

aione with the ueAd boiy OF ner Ii-le II.
was only partially undTessed; he lay on ths
bed as If he had been overcome with q
sudden illness or fatigue. The han .some
boyish features were quite composed; there
was smile the lips. and Yet the ex-
preston on the face was one of pain. Sill
Charles appeared to have died as he has
lived-gay careless and easy to the last
Always neat, he had placed his studs and
tie on the dressing table; by them stood q
little pile of letters which had evidently
come by recent post. They had beer
carefully cut open with a penknife, so thai
Beatrice could see they had been read.
There were tears in the girls eyes now,
for Beatrice recalled the time when Sill
the days before he had dissipated his for
tune and started out with the intention OF
winning it back in the city. Those had
been happy hours Beatrice reflected.
There was nothing further in the room
to call for notice. On the carpet. in con-
trast to the crimson ground, lay what
looked like a telegram. 1t was half folded
but there was no mistaking the gray paper
If there was anything wrong here, PEI
haps the telegram would throw light on
it. Beatrice picked up the message and
fattened it on her hand. Then she read II
with puzzled face. Suddenly a fash OF
illumination came upon her. Her hand
clenched the paper passionately.
rs it possible, she muttered. that he
could have known? And yet the date and
day! Why, that coward must have known
all the time
A glance at the dead. placid face there re-
called Beatrice to- herself Hastily she
thrust the message in her corsage and
quietly left the room. Some time had
elapsed since Beatrice entered the hotel.
but as yet the man she called her husband
had not returned. 1t seemed strange, but
Beatrice said nothing. She stood regarding
her wedding fnery with some feeling o.
disgust.
II must have room somewhere and
change she said: sit seems horrible to b,
oJl.;-. 49,
lying dead upstairs. Mark, my woman is
here somewhere. VIII you try and find her
and send her to Lady Marlborough for
something black and quite plain? Mean
while, I'll go to a bed room and get some
of this finery off. The mere touch of it
fills me with loathing'
Beatrlce's maid was discovered at length
and dispatched in hot haste to Lady Rash
bOrough's. Beatrice had scarcely entered
before Stephen Richford drove up. He
looked anxious and white and sullen withal,
and he favored Mark with a particularly
malevolent scowl. Richford knew the rela-
tiOnship that had existed at one time be-
tween Mark and Beatrice.
Il suppose you must be excused under
the circumstances for racing Off with my
wife in this fashion," he said hoarsely. 1t
seemed to Mark that he had found time to
drink somewhere, though, as rule, that
was not one of Richford's faiings. Where
is she?'
''She has gone to change" Mark said.
This is very unfortunate business, Mr..
1tichford."
Richford shrugged his shoulders with an
assumption of Indifference. His hand trem-
bled slightly.
"Sir Charles was getting on in years." he
said; land Sir Charles had not troubled to
give very great attention to the question of
his health. In fact, Sir Charles had gone
It steadily. But it seems now to me that
SO long as the doctors are satisfied as to
the cause of death"
II am not at all sure the doctor is salts
fed" Mark said significally Whats the
matter?"
Nothing, nothing" Richford s.ammered.
Nothing more than twinge of that con-
founded neuralgia of mine.''
(To be continued tomorrow