Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-23

to decoy Dibbin away from London revealed that
tempted to appeal to David for help. But she had
given her word not to see him. and that was sacred,
even in relation to whom she considered to be
the worst man breathing.
The clerk promised readily enough to observe
due discretion anent her visit. He would have
promised nearly anything that such nice-lookng
girl sought of him. Suddenly Violet recollected
that the house-agent might know the whereabouts
of the real Sarah Gissing. She asked the question,
and, Dibbin being man of dockets and pigeon
holes the clerk found the address for her in half
minute, told her where Chalfont was looked up the
next train from Bakerst., and sent her on her way
rejoicing
Violet, like the majority of her charming sex,
paid small heed to time, and, indeed time frequently
returns the compliment to pretty women. 1t was
five hours ere Dibbin due at Kings Cross and
five hours sufficient for almost any undertake
ing So she journeyed to Chalfont, found the gen.
uine Sarah, and was alarmed and treasured at the
time by the girl nearly fainting away when she
set eyes on her.
Here then, at last, was real news of her Gwen She
could have listened for hours. The 1andlady of
the little hotel charitably let the two talk their fill
had met Sarah. Like David, too, whom Sarah
did not forget to describe as THAT nice young
gentleman, Mr.. Harcourt," Violet out-stayed the
train time, and, when she did make an inquiry on
this head it was impossible to reach Kings Cross
at siX-thirty NJ.
Amid all the tears and pognancy of grief aroused
by the recital of her sisters lonely life and tragic
end, there was one strange. unaccountaole feature
which stood out boldly. Neither by direct word
yelled inference did Sarah G1SS1ng attribute deber-
ate neglect unkindness to Strauss. If anything,
her simple story told of great love between those
two and there the evidence of it in Gwendone's
latest distracted words about him. Of course had
Violet read the diary, this would have been clear
enough; but, in view of the mans present attitude,
this testimony of the servants was hard to
understand
At any rate Violet sure now beyond the reach of
doubt that van Hupfeldt Strauss, and that he
was engaged in incomprehensible conspiracy,
nevertheless felt sensible softening toward him.
Perhaps her escape from the threatened marriage
had something to do with this and then, the man
seemed to have almost worshiped Gwen.
Assuredly the gods, meaning to destroy van Hup
feldt, first decided to make him mad. When he
reached Dibbins office, the clerk recognized him
Strauss, and was rendered suspicious by his
appearance after this long time, within hour
of Vio1ets call, seeing that the first person he in
qured about was Violet herself. Hence, being of
the same mind Miss Ermyn LEstrange
to the secret of in London life, he failed
to recognize any young lady name Mordaunt
among the list of Dibbin visitors that day Fur
Their, when Hupfeldt, goaded to extremites,
was fain to confess that it he
who had telegra phed from Rigsworth, Fl
the clerk became obtuse on the mat
ter of his employers whereabouts. #ss
All he could say definitely that -
Dbbin would be in his office next ~,
morning at ten o'clock. 4
The outcome of these cross pur- 4
noses seeing that David was in II