New-York tribune., 1906-10-28
THE GREAT SECRET
Continued from page II

she spoke, knew that tragedy was IN the room
with me.
Mr. Courage" she said 'once was to have
married him, and | have cared for no one else
all my life. There was great political scandal,
and it was he upon whom the burden fell. His
lips were sealed. | did not understand then;
but | understand now. | sent him away.
oined with the others who prosecuted him.
And all the time-all the time he was lnno-
cent" Her last words were almost wall
His life has been one long exile, she SAID
:" He has never married; he has been dead TO
the world for many years. His name, OF course
Is not Leslie Guest If l dared tell YOU you
would understand. | want hlm-oh, want
him 50 much to have few years OF happiness!
What we do;" asked earnestly
Take me to him alone.
Guest was still writing. The alr OF the room
was thick with cigarette smoke opened the
door gently and Lady Dennisford glided past
me. / rcvself hastened down stairs
Stanley was apparently comfortable. he
was smoking one of my best cigars ana
whisky and soda stood at his elbow. He looked
IN from behind The Times" as l entered.
Lady Dennisford is with HIM sad;
"She will endeavor to persuade HIM to see you.
Excellent he remarked. Pray, DO not
trouble to stay with me II you nave otheT
matters to attend to. | have both time ana
patience to spare
| went out into the garden. began to feel
the need of being alone. 1t must have been
nearly an hour before a servant found me and
Ladv Dennisford was sitting by Guests side.
She looked up as | entered again, and saw
that the shadows lay deeper still upon her tace.
He chooses DEATH" she said simply.
He leaned over and touched her hand His
tone and manner had softened wonderfully.
Eleanor" he said earnestly, it is not who
choose. There is no choice. Your TREND
down stairs would say: Tell me all that you
know of a certain matter, and the sentence
which has been passed upon you shall be held
over But when | had told him, when he
knew everything, no agreement, no promise,
could possibly be binding. | could not myself
expect it. In his place | should make very
sure that in a matter of hours | was dead
man | say that myself whose whole life has
been sacrificed to a matter in which honor
was largely concerned
Lady Dennisford began to weep softly. He
laid his hand upon hers.
you are not exaggerating the Importance of
this secret knowledge OF yours? | dare say
that Stanley, like every other man, has his
price. If money
He interrupted me- with a slight gesture of
impatience. My young friend he said, q" |
am not a poor man. Stanley is not to be dealt
with as single individual. He represents
system. Believe me now when | tell YOU
that there are only two things IN the world
which can be done for me. The first is that
you leave me a few minutes to say good by to
| Lady DenniSford, and the second that you
keep everyone away from me for one hour,
| while finish these documents.
| | left them alone. There was nothing else
which | could do and waited in the hall
| below for Lady DennisfOrd.
| When she came, she walked like woman in
! a dream Her veil was close drawn, and l
could not see her face but was sure that she
had been weeping. had already ordered her
carriage round, and she took her place in it
without a word Without a word she drove off.
| l went back to the man in the library.
" Our friend I said has asked for one
hour for consideration. If you will allow me,
should be pleased to show you the gardens
and stables.
He accepted my offer at once, and proved
himself an intelligent sightseer. 1t was an
hour and a half before we returned to the
house. | left him once more in the library,
and was on my way up stairs, when | came
face to face with Rush and another man
on their way down. For a moment | was
| speechless.
| Professor Kauppmann was unfortunately
| indiSposed," Rust explained; but he has
|