The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-05-03

4
up In some SMOKING or billiard room
windows Of which we had not seen.
His broad, grizzled head, with it's shin
ing patch of badness, was in the i'm
mediate foreground of our vision. He
was leaning far back in the red leather
chair, his legs oustretched, a long,
black cigar projecting at an angle from
his mouth. He wore semimilitary
smoking jacket, claret colored, with a
black velvet collar. In his hand he
held long legal document, which he
was reading in an indoient fashion,
blowing rings Of tobacco smoke from
his lips as he did so.
| l felt Holmes hand steal into mine
and give me a reassuring shake, as if
to say that the situation was within his
powers and that he was easy in his
mind. l was not sure whether he had
seen what was only too obvious from
my position, that the door of the safe
vas imperfectly closed and that Mil
Verton might at any moment observe
1t. In my own mind I had determined
that if We're sure from the rightly of
his gaze that 1t had caught his eye
would at once spring out, throw my
greatcoat over his head, pinion him
and leave the rest to Holmes. But Mil
verton never looked up. He was Ian
guidly interested by the papers in his
hand, and page after page was turned
as he followed the argument of the
lawyer. AT least, thought. when he
had finished the document and the
cigar he will go to his room, but before
he had reached the end Of either there
came remarkable development which
turned our thoughts into quite another
channel.
Several times l had observed that
Milverton looked at his watch. and
once he had risen and sat down again,
with a gesture of impatience. The idea,
however, that he might have an ap-
pointment at so strange an hour never
occurred to me until a faint sound
reached my ears from the veranda out
side. Milvcrton dropped his papers and
sat rigid in his chair. The sound was
repeated, and then there came q gen.
tie tap at the door. Milverton rose and
opened it.
We'll" said he CURLY, you are near
ly half an hour late"
So this was the explanation of the
unlocked door and of the nocturnal
vigil of Milverton. There was the gen.
tie rustic of q wOman's dress. had
closed the slit between the curtains as
Milverton's face had turned in our di-
rection, but now l ventured very care
sumed his seat, the cigar still project
ing at an insolent angle from the cor
ner of his mouth. In front of him, in
the full glare of the electric light, there
stood tall, slim. dark woman, veil
over her face, a mantle drawn round
her chin. Her breath came quick and
fast, and every inch of the 1.-THE figure
was quivering with strong emotion.
Well" said Nrilverton. you've
made me lose a good nights rest, my
dear hope you'll prove worth it.
You couldn't come any other time
chg"
The woman shook her head.
We'll if you couldn't you couldn't.
If the countess is a hard mistress you
have your chance to get level with her
now. Bless the girl. what are you
shivering about? That's right. Pull
yourself together. Now let us get
down to business" He took a note
book from the drawer of his desk
You say that you have five letters
which compromise the Countess DIAL
bert. You want to sell them want
to buy them. So far so good. 1t only
""n'oins tn fix nrice- I shonld want
to inspect the letters, of course. If
they are really good specimens Great
heavens! Is it your
The woman. without word, had
raised her veil and dropped the man
tie from her chin. 1t was a dark,
handsome. clear cut face which con
fronted Milverton-a face with curry.
ed nose, strong. dark eyebrows shad
| ing hard, glittering eyes, and straight
thin Tipped mouth set in dangerous
smile.
ut is l" she said-"the woman whose
life you have ruined"
AIilverton laughed, but fear vibrated
in his voice. You were so very obsti
nate" said he. why did you drive
me to such extremities? put the price
well within your means You would
not pay"
$50 you sent the letters to my hus
band, and he-the noblest gentleman
that ever lived, man whose boots
was never worthy to lace-he broke his
gallant heart and died You remem
Der that last night, when cam,
through that door, begged and pray
ed you for mercy, and you laughed il
my face as you are trying to laugh
now, only your coward heart canno
keep your lips from twitchng? Yes
you never thought to see me her,
again, but it was that night which
taught me how could meet you face
to face and alone. Well, Charles Mil
verton what have you to say?'
Don't imagine that you can bull,
me-" said he, rising to his feet. %
! have only to raise my voice and could
call my servants and have you arrest
ed. But l will make allowance fol