Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-06
7 H E G R I M I N A L S
Continued from page S

others to have Your hidden vice brought to
the light OF day. You cannot deny, Mr..
Mchae, cambridge, that you have signed
name other than your to valuable papers,
over and over again, and that you have
ceived money upon these papers, and that
You have kept the money in reckless disregard
of the rights and interests of the person whose
name YOU used. Doubtless you think you are
very sly about it 1t would have been better
for You to let into your secret. That
was where YOU made Your mistake.
And, now, we come to our host. 1t will be
revelation to You gentlemen here, and it
would be nightly interesting for the public,
were 1t to get into the papers, to know that our
charming daughters, was, and is, associating
constantly, the most affeCtionate terms
with lady whom he would under no circurn-
stances make his wife. Such, however, is the
case.
"Outwardy, You will be shocked; inwardly,
YOU vii. be immensely diverted, to hear that
only to-day he was in this woman house that
he was seen to kiss and to embrace her affec-
tionately on entering, and as he left. When a
man gets into that sort of thing he seems to be
swathed in a fatal delusion; he imagines
nobody knows OF 1t, and that the world will not
remark upon it. Doubtless Mr.. Dentwel
rnagines that his wealth and his standing in
society and his many high connections will
prevent an exposure. Like others, he is blind
to the fact that these are the very ingredients
that make toothsome scandal That there
VIII be an explosion some day, | need not
assert, when say that he has actually lavished
his attentions upon this creature in the pres
ence OF one Of his daughters. Conceive of her
feelings! Most men who have this weakness
have at least the deCency to conceal it from
the Young and tender susceptibilities of their
own children; but our friend Dentwell has
even gone 50 far as to bring this person into this
house, his own home, and to lodge her here for
days at time
Dentwell his face livid and his lips trem-
bling, grasped the arms of his chair and gaZed
IN mounting wrath at the man.
The stranger continued, still in his low, yet
distinct voice, And now gentlemen, | think
YOU have been entertained by some most inter-
esting disclosures and every word have said
Is true. 10 make the evening perfect, how
ever, YOU really ought to experience that feeling
which of all emotions is the most vivid. l
mean, the sense of the approach of death
You have often enjoyed it after a fashion as
you have witnessed tragedies upon the stage;
but can assure you 1t Is vastly more real when
You come to face death in your own case.
Raising his revolver till it pointed above the
heads of all, he went on, his voice sinking still
lower, but every word sharply marked, and a
smile touching his lips:
One Of you is going to die. You do not
know which one, but it will be one of you.
Each of YOU can enjoy that peculiar sensation
You know how it feels to realize that YOU
| are face to face with the thing you have always
dreaded. Death has been waiting for you at
every corner all these years. You have
lodged him SO far Presently l am going to
lower this pistol, nd-when-I-do-"
The company sat chained in mute horror,
every eye riveted on the stranger He let the
tense moment drag for a few seconds, which
seemed like hours, then continued:
And when | dot will be to break the
action OF this revolver, thus and to show YOU,
So that it is not loaded, and then, after | have
partaken of a light refreshment to proceed
to the second part of the evenings enter
tain1nent, which will consist in explaining