The San Francisco call., 1907-02-17
CHAPTER xr
His Reyal IIIghness

His Royal HiGhness
-HE lora dining room was almost
filled with q troop OF guests
who had arrived on the previ-
Gus day Most OF the men who
were gathered round the hugo side
board, on which was a formidable ar
ray Of sifyer-covered hot water dishes.
Places were laid along the flower
decked table for thirty or forty. /
stood apart for 3 few moments while
the Duke Was greeting some OF ais
guests. Eas. who was sitting alona,
rnotioned me to q place by him.
Come and sit here, Ducaine," he said.
That is,'' he added, with sudden sar-
castle gleanI in his dark. eyes, unless
you still have what the novelist5 call
an unconquerable antipathy to me. I
don't want to rob you of your appe-
tite.''
i did not expect TO see you down
here again so soon, Colonel Ray"
answered gravely. 'I congratulate you
upon your nerves"
Ray laughed softly to himself.
You would have me go shuddering
past the fatal spot, suppose, with
shaking knees and averted head, eli?
On the contrary, I have been down on
the sands for more than an hour this
morning and have returned with an
excellent appetite
looked at him curiously.
l saw you returning" said. Your
boots looked as though you had been
wading In the wet sand You were not
there without purpose"
I was not" he admitted. II seldom
do anything without purpose
For moment he abandoned the
subject. He proceeded calmly with his
breakfast, and addressed a. few remarks
TO man across the table, man with
short cropped hair and beard and a
shooting dress of somber black
You are quite right he said, turn
Ing toward me suddenly. II had a
purpose In going there. I thought
that the gentleman whose untimely
fate has enlisted your syn1pathies
mlght have dropped something which
would have been useful to me-
For the moment / forget this mans
kindness to NE. I looked at him with
shudder
II you are in earnest" 1 said "I
trust that you were unsuccessful,
| fancied that there was that in his
glance which suggested tho ST. Ber-
nard looking down on the terrier, and
| chafed at it.
1t would have been better for you.
he said grimly. had my search met
with better result"
For meg' I repeated.
Dor you! Yes, The man came to see
you 1t he had been alive you might
nave been in his tolls by now. He was
very cunning person, and those who
sent him were devils
How do you know these things? ]
asked, amazed.
From the letters which ripped from
his coat" he answered.
he came to Braster to see me, thenT'
I exclaimed.
Precisely"
And the letters which you took from
him-were they addressed to me?"
They were.''
was getting angry, but Ray re-
NAMED inperturbable.
II think" I-said, "you will admit tha
have right to them.''
Not shadow Of a doubt Of IT," he
answered. I'm fact. 1t was so obvious
that l destroyed thenl."
DESTROYED my letters!'
precisely. I chose that course rather
than allow them TO fall into your
hands"
You admit. then / said, that had
right to thcm?''
"1ndubitasly. But they do not exist
You read them, without doubt. You
can acquaint me with their contents"
Some day." he said, II probably shall
But not yet. Believe me or not. as you
choose, but there are certain positions
IN which ignorance is the only possible
safe state. You are In such a position
at the present moment"
Are you," asked, my moral guard
ian?"
Il have at least he said. incurred
certain responsibilities on your behalf
You could no longer hold your present
post and be in communication with the
sender Of those letters"
MY anger died away despite myself
The mans strength and honesty of pur-
pose were things which l could not
bring myself to doubt. j continued my
breakfast in silence.
BY the by" he remarked presently