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

Mark Ventmore repeated his statement
three times before anybody seemed to COM
prehend the dread meaning of his words.
The shock was so sudden. SO utterly unex-
pected by the majority of the people there
Of course nobody in that brilliant throng
had the least idea of the brides feelings in
the matter, most of them were privileged
guests for the reception. They had been
hidden to festive afternoon. a theater had
been specially chartered for the evening.
with a dance to follow. This was one of
the smart functions of the season.
And now death had stepped in and swept
everything away at one breath. People
looked at one another as if unable to take
in what had happened. There was
strange unea siness that might have been
taken for disappointment rather than re-
greet Perhaps it partook Of both. Some
body a little more thoughtful than the
rest gave a sign to the organist who had
begun to fill the church with a volume of
triumphal music. The silence that followed
was almost painful.
Then as if by common consent every eye
was fixed upon the bride Beatrice had
turned and walked down the altar steps in
the direction of Mark, who advanced now
without further opposition. Beatrice stool
there with her hand to her head as if try
ing to understand it all. She was terribly
white, but absolutely composed.
did you say that my father was dead?'
she asked.
Il am afraid So Mark stammered.
"He-he has been dead fo- hours. | came
on here as fast as l could, hoping to be In
time to-
He paused. conscious of the fact that he
was about to say something terribly out or
place. Just for an instant Mark had Tor
gotten that he and Beatrice were not alone.
He was looking into her beautiful. diated
eyes, obiivious to the fact of the spectators
He was going to say that he had hurried
there in the hopes of being ir time to stop
the ceremony. And Beatrice had OWNED IL,
for she flushed slightly. 1t seemed a terri
Bile thing, but already she had asked ner-
self the same question. The shock of her
fathers death had not quite gone home to
her yet, and s..e could still think about her
self Was she really married to stephen
Richford? Was the ceremony legally COM
pleted? The thought was out of place, but
there it was. A mist rose before the girls
eyes. her heart beat painfully fast.
Don't you think We ought to do some
thing?" Mark asked
The question startled Beatrice out OF her
stupor. She was ready for action. 1t was
as if stream of cold water had been
poured over her.
"Of course" she cried. cit is wrong to
stand here. Take me home at once,
Mark"
1t was a strange scene strangely carried
out The bridegroom stood irresolute by
the altar, feeling nervously at his gloves.
whilst Beatrice, with all her wedding finery
about her, clutched Mark by the arm and
hurried him down the aisle. The whole
thing was done. and the strangely assorted
pair had vanished before the congregation
recovered from their surprise.
Come back" Richford exclaimed. Sure
ly it is my place to"
Long before Richford could reach the
porch his wife and Mark had entered
hanson and were on their way to the
Royal Palace Hotel. The story had got
about by this time; people stopped to stare
at the man in tweeds and the bride in her
fHll array in the hanson To those two 1t
M strange.
Ibid you manage to see my father, after
all?" Beatrice asked.
No. l tried to do So you see, l had to
wait for him. He was very late. SO L fell
asleep. It was after II today when l awoke
to find Sir Charles had not left his room. l
ventured to suggest that he had better be
wedding. Nobody could make him hear, SO
the door was broken in He was quite
dead"
Beatrice listened in dull kind of way.
She had suffered so terribly, lately, that
she could not cry. The horrible doubt as to
whether she was free or not could not be
kept out of her mind Yet II seemed SO
dreadfuiiy unnatural.
HE died in his sleep, I SUPPOSE" Bea-
trice asked.
THAT nobody can say yet" Mark said.
1.-THE doctor we called in was very
guarded. Nobody seems to have been in
the bed room, though the sitting room ad-
joining is not locked, and last night saw
lady come out of it, lady in gray"
"A lady in gray! Beatrice cried. What
a singular thing. Mark. Do you mean to
say 1t was the same lady Who sat next to
you in the Paris theater?"
well, yes" Mark admitted. ut was the
same I have not told anybody but you,
and it seems to me that nothing will be
gained by mentioning the fact"
Beatrice nodded thoughtfully. She could
not identify the gray lady, the Slave OF
Silence, with anything that was wrong.
And yet it was strange how that silent
woman had come into her life. She must
have been known to Sir Charles or she
would never have ventured into his sitting
room If she was still staying in the hotel,
Beatrice made up her mind to seek her out.
There was some strange mystery here that
must be explained. 1t was uppermost in
Beatrices mind as she descended from the
hanson and passed through the curious
group of servants into the hall.
The fine suite of rooms was ready for the
festive throng; in the dining room a ban
quet had been spread out. The scarlet
flush of red roses gave warm note to the
room; the sun came streaming through the
stained-glass windows and shone upon the
silver and glass and red glow of wine and
on the gold foil of the champagne bottles.
In the center of the table stood a great
white tower that Beatrice regarded vaguely
as her wedding cake. A shudder pas Sed
over her as she looked at 1t. She lonled
for something dark and somber, to hide her
diamonds and the sheen OF her ivory saith
dress.
The place was silent now: the very bare
ness and desolation Of the scene sickened
Beatrice to the soul. No guests were here
now-they were not likely to be. A polite
manager was saying something to the
bride, but she did not seem to heed.
"Mr. Marius is talking to YOU" Mark
said He wants to know IL he can do any
thing"
"Mr. Marius is very kind" Beatrice said
YEARLY. 81 should like to see the doctor.
1 suppose that he is still here? May 1 see
him at once?"
The doctor had not gone yet. Mark pro-
cured a small plate of dainty sandwiches
and a glass of port wine which he forced
Beatrice to take. To his great surprise she
found that she was hungry. Breakfast she
had had none; now that the crisis had
passed, her natural healthy appetite had
returned. The feeling of faintness that she
had struggled against for SO long passed
away ar
The doctor came in, rubbing his hands
softly together. He regretted the unfortu-
nate occasion. but when he had been called
in, Sir Charles was long past mortal aid.
Evidently he had been dead for some hours.
''You are in position to be quite sure of
that?" Beatrice asked
.'Oh, quite" DIR. Andrews replied. zones
experience tells that. Sir Charles was quite
stiff and cold. should say that he had
been dead quite four hours when the door
was broken down..
Just for an instant the doctor hesitated
and his easy manner deserted him.