Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-11-24

me VIII MS attenuOnS. AT the time |
thought them merely insulting; see
now that he may have been in ear
nest"
Il don't in the least doubt that he
was In earnest" agreed Godfrey. sMr.
Drysdale. then. overheard him ask you
10 be his wifeg''
Eyes; just that"
i But he also heard yor refuse, no
doubtg"
'oh, yes" she said. smiling and col
oring a little, ''he heard me refuse in
the most positive way. but my refusal
provoked Mr.. Tremaine to an intern
perance of language which Mr.. Drys-
dale resented aud which he thought /
should have resented too. He demand.
ed that explain to him Mr.. Tremaine's
position. and l promised to do so on
the very evening he-he stayed away
from the house. His staying away
offended me deeply"
Godfrey had listened with intent
eyes and quick nod from time TO
time
There is only one point lacking" he
said. Did Tremaine know of your
y
Eyes; he even charged me with that
intention
"Ah. he had listened at a keyhole
probably"
He said that Mr.. Drysdale himself
had told him. / might add. Mr.. God.
frey. that l met Mr. Drysdale and the
officers I'm the hail that morning as
they were going away. and l implored
him 20 tell them where ne had been.
He answered me with such Insult and
contempt that I thought be must be
mad"
And NO wonderl You we're playing
at cross purposes. 1 presume, then.
that IL was not you who wrote Mr..
Drysdaie this notef" and he handed her
the crumpled sheet OF paper he had
fished from Drysdale's wastebaslet.
She took it with trembling hand:
already beginning TO suspect. perhaps.
what Il contained.
BE at the pergola at o." she
read. OF I am late. wait for me. G.
I certainly never wrote any such note
as that, Mr. Godfrey. Where did il
come from2r
us IL In your handwritingG"
"Why. yes" she answered. looking
at ia more closely. THAT is. it is some
thing like Oh, l begin to seew she
cried. and l SAW her seized with a sud.
den convulsive shuddering
Yes" said Godfrey. lit was n pretty
plot. This note lurcd him from the
house and kept him away until the
storm came up and he was forced 10
abandon the hope OF meeting you. He
concluded that you were playing with
him. When ne returned TO the house
he found that YOU had spent the even.
Ing with Trem0inc. Afterward. In his
room, lac did a number Of violent and
foolish things. Finally he determined
10 20 away. lie started TO pack his
belongings-an then. i'm the hall. YOU.
as he thought. added insult TO injury
by asking him 10 tcll'-
She stopped him with Wild gesture.
"Oh, | must see hlmr' she cried
Something must be done
Something shall Ice DONE" Godfrey
assured her. rising "The real culprit|
shall be Ia custody tonight"
"Thc real culpritT" The words ar.
rested her attention
"Who but TrcmalneT'
"IrcnLainet But he was IA the house.
As you know. I talked with him for a
long time"
THAT is all, I think" said Godfrey.
zone thing more Mr. Godfrey" she
said. do you think we'd better tell
Mr. Delr0y tile storyT
Yes answered Godfrey decidedly.
Tell him the whole story. That's al
ways the best way and the safest. Re
member, your lack Of frankness has
already cost one human life. Your
sister has incurred no guilt She has
committed no fault Her husband will
have nothing 20 forgive"
And the publicT'
"rhe public? What has the public to
do with ltr'
But / thought-you see-you'-
"Oh. you thought / would write 1t up
In the RecordT have no such inten-
ton. Miss Croydon. | shall let that
first tragedy rest. This second oneI
VIII be enough-and. after all. Ire
maine has only one life for the law to
take"
Pardon me-" she said quickly, hold
ing ou- her hand. Il see Z have offend
ed you. You must forgive me-"
"Oh. / do" he said. taking her hand
and smiling into her yes-allowing
himself moments reward. Even a
yellow journalist, Miss Croydon. has
his reticences. That's hard to believe.
isn't it,"
mot when one knows them" she
answered. and opened the door for us.
Thomas was waiting in the hall.
Anything else. slrg" he asked.
mo" said Godfrey. We've finished
here. Now let us have our trap"
We stopped moment in the library
to say goodby TO Delroy. He came
forward eagerly 10 meet US.
"WellT he asked. Can you clear
Jack?"
Yes" said Godfrey. 1--WE can.
What's more. we Will"
Thank GodT' and Delroy passed his
hand across his forehead. This whole
thing has been a sort OF terrible night
mare TO me- Mr. Godfrey I'm hODing