Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-19
CHAPTER vi.

beatrice came UOWn from her TOOm PRES
emily. dressed in quiet black. In her hand
she carried not only the telegram. but a
| letter she had taken from the dressing
table of the dead man.
The little group in the hall had by this
time been augmented by the presence Of
Col. Bennington; Stephen RichfOrd had
slipped off somewhere. Mark had not failed
to notice the restlessness and agitation of
his manner.
81 think 1 have got rid of everybody"
Bennington said. ''It has been a most dis
tressng business, and I am afraid that
there is worse to come. DR.. Andrews has
just telephoned. He has seen Sir Charles
medical man. and they have decided that
there must be an inquest. l don't suggest
that anything is wrong, but there you are"
81 am not surprised Beatrice said
coldly. II have been to my fathers room
| looking over his papers, and I found let
ter that puzzles me. 1t was written last
| night, as the date shows. in the hotel, on
hotel paper, and evidently delivered by
| hand, the envelope proves. Look at
this"
Col Bennington held out his hand for the
envelope. He started slightly as he looked
at the neat clear handwriting. Something
was evidently wrong here, Mark thought
The colonel was man Of courage, as he
very well knew, and yet his fingers trem-
bled as he glanced interrogatively- at Be-
atrice before he drew the letter from the
envelope.
Yes Beatrice said. Il want you to read
it. brought it down on purpose
There does not seem to be much,' Ber-
rington said. "As there is no heading and
signature. the letter may be intended for
anybody
only my fathers name happens to be on
| the envelope" Beatrice said quietly. Pray
| read it aloud
| Bennington proceeded to do SO. There
were only two or three lines, in which the
/ -;tn 4 hat ~l,a fIn INF ont
of the letter without delay. and that it was
| of no use to try and keep out of the way.
There was nothing more: no threat or sign
| of anger, nothing to signify that there was
any feeling at all. And yet 50 much might
have been concealed behind those simple
lines. Bennington looked grave and trem-
bled he handed the letter back to Be
atrice
Clearly it is duty to find out who
| wrote that letter. Mark observed. 1T was
written in the hotel, probably by somebody
that it was written by some one who was
staying in the hotel. In that case we can
easily ascertain the name of the writer
How is that possible?" Bennington de-
manded He asked the question quite ner-
vously. "In a place SO large as this, with
so many visitors continually going and
coming"
There is a rigid rule here" Mark pro-
ceeded to explain. Every guest even if
only passing a single night under the roof
| has to sign the visitors book. With this
letter in my hand can compare signatures
If there Is signature like this character
| istic handwriting then our task is no easy
one. On the other hand, If there is
The speaker paused significantly. Ber-
rington's agitation deepened. With all her
distress and sorrow Beatrice did not fail to
notice it.
Perhaps you will go down to the office
and see at once, Mark Beatrice sug-
gested.-
Ventmore went off obediently enough
Bennington stood watching him for a mo-
| ment, then he turned to Beatrice and laid
his hand gently on her arm.
Believe me, this is not going to help any
body he said in low voice. UNLESS 1
am greatly mistaken, l know who wrote
that letter What connection she had with
your father and what the secret was be-
| tween them 1 shall perhaps never know
But the lady who wrote that letter.
H." Beatrice cried, with flash of sud
den Inspiration, lit was the gray lady,
am sure of it."
You have guessed correctly" Berring-
| ton went on. TT was the person whom you
have elected to call the gray lady. 1t was
a great shock to me to recognize that hand
writing. The secret is not wholly mine to
| tell, but for a long time have been seek
| ing the gray lady. 1 had not the remotest
| idea that she and Sir Charles had anything
| in common. Little did l dream that she
was here in this hotel last night. But
whatever may be the meaning of this mys-
| terry. If there has been foul play here, the
gray lady is quite innocent of it. Don't
not, I dare not"
Beatrice nodded in sympathy. The brave,
grave soldier by her side was terribly agi-
! tated; indeed, Beatrice could not have rec
| ognized him being capable of such a
| display Of emotion.
4 am going to believe in you both" she
said probably the gray lady was the
| last person to see my father alive. She
may have told him some terrible news; she
may have given him the shock that killed
| him. But there was another who knew"
hof Ia hvyf hat ID
asked.
| Nothing 1 have said too much That is
quite between myself and-and could pos
sibly have had nothing to do with my
| fathers death Oh, if only Mark had ar
rived five minutes sooner!''
| Bennington knew exactly what was pass
| ing through Beatrices mind
"A great pity, indeed he said quietly.
| What difference moments make in our
| lives. Still
Still there is always the doubt" Be-
atrice whispered eagerly. constant
throng of people passed through the great
| hall, where the death of Sir Charles was
already forgotten. Il am living on the
doubt, Col. Bennington Am 1 or am 1 not
married to Stephen Rchford?'
4 could not say" Bennington replied. IT
have very little knowledge of these mat
| ters. AS far as 1 could see the marriage
ceremony was completed, the ring was
placed on your finger; therefore,
Therefore you think that l am married"
Beatrice said. She was twisting the gold
badge of serVitude on her finger nervously
/ II am going to find out for certain. The
! service was not quite finished; there was no
| eXhortation, there was no signing of the
| register. Surely 1 am free if it Is my desire
| to be free. After what 1 found today"
| Again Beatrice paused as If aware of the
| fact that she was saying too much. There
| was a certain expression of relief on her
| face as she saw the figure Of Mark ap-
| preaching.
well. have you done anything?' she
asked eagerly. Have you made any great
| discovery"
Il have only been partially successful
| Mark said. Il have identified the writing
with signature of guest in the visitors
! book. The lady came only yesterday, as
| the date Is opposite her writing. She came
| without maid and with very little lug
| gage, and she called herself Mrs. Beacon
| Light"
Beacon Light" Beatrice said reflect
| lively. 1T sounds like nom de plume it
| suggests the kind of name lady novelist
| would assume. Too singular to be real.
| And are you quite sure that the lady wrote
| that letter to my father?"
Il should say there is very little doubt
| about it, Mark replied The handwrit-
ings are Identical. 1t seems that Mrs.
| Beacon Light stayed here last night and
| dined in the red salon. She had breakfast
| here very early, and then she paid her bill
| and departed. The clerk cannot saw where