Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-08
Chapter XVI.

The notwithstanding old cleric sat there
| for the better part of an hour In the patient
attitude of one who waits for a friend, but
though he puzzled his cunning brain he
could see no way out of the difficulty. He
had no money and the police were after
him. He recognized only too we'll that he
had to thank Sartoris for this-he had
measured his cunning against that of the
little cripple and he had failed. He had
played for the greater part of the stake
that was at the bottom of the mystery. and
he had paid the penalty. Bitterly he re-
GREETED his folly now.
Presently his humming brain began to
clear. He saw one or two people there
whom he knew; he saw Beatrice come down
to the Office and go out presently, with
little fiat case under her arm. R1chford S
eyes cleaned, and a glow of inspiration
thrilled him.
LAS sure as fate she has the diamonds. "
he told himself. ''She is afraid that l
them, and she is going to dispose of them
in some hiding place. I'll follow her. Cour-
age. my boy-the game is not up yet
AS a matter of fact, Richford had sum-
med I'D the situation correctly. In some
vague way Beatrice was a little alarmed.
She had heard of such things as injunctions
and the like Suppose the law stepped In
to protect the rogue, as the law does some
do, for she had read Berringtons letter, and
she had made up her mind to go to Wands-
worth without delay. But first OF all she
would walk as far as the old family jewelers.
in Bond street and deposit the stones there.
She had every faith in the head Of the
firm, whom the family had dealt with for
SO many years.
No sooner had Beatrice stepped out Of the
hotel than Mary Sartoris came back. She
proceeded quietly up the stairs to find AIDE
line alone in the room of her mistress. The
girl blushed as Mary put the question that
rose naturally to her lips.
I'm very sorry, miss the girl stam-
mered; but l forgot all about your mes
sage and the letter. l left the letter on the
table. and my mistress has just gone out.
Did she get the letter before she went?'
Mary asked quickly.
"Well, yes, 1 suppose so, miss" was the
reply seeing that the letter is no longer
on the table. I suppose that my mistress
has got it. She must have done SO, for
the envelope Is in the CRATE
Sure enough, the envelope with the forged
handwriting of Bennington upon it lay in
the CRATE Mary was too mortified to speak
for the moment, besides there was no occa-
sion to tell the maid anything.
I'm sorry you were so careless, she
said. Did your mistress go out alone?"
II believe So" the contrite Adeline said
"She had visitor, an old clergyman
who"
But Mary was not listening, she was only
thinking of Beatrice's danger. At the same
time she had clear recollection of the old
clergyman, for he had pushed past her into
the hotel at the moment when she was
leaving the building for the first time.
She went out into the street which was
dark by this time. She would take cab
to Wandsworth at once and get there before
Beatrice came. But there no cab in
sight, SO that Mary had to walk some little
way At the corner of the road she stopped
and hesitated for a moment. Close by stood
the well-dressed couple who had imposed
themselves upon Beatrice under the guise of
Countess de la Moray and Gen. Gastang.
Whatever were they doing here, just now,
Mary wondered? Just for the moment it
flashed across her mind that they We're pry-
ing upon her movements. But another idea
occurred to her. as the two were accosted
by the old clergyman that Mary had seen
before, and who had been visitor to Beat
rice Richford such little time previously.
She saw the man raise his hat politely at
some question from the clergyman then
she saw his face change to a startled ex-
preston, and instantly Mary understood.
II know who it is she said half aloud.
1T is Stephen Richford in disguise. He
has been to see his wife. 1 should like to
know what they talking about"
The trio were talking very earnestly in
deed now. Just for the moment 1t had
looked as if the man called Reggie and the