Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-18
CHAPTER VIII.
Moran

IN the morning of the discovery of the corpse at
~ the foot of the statue, Abraham Crampiron,
to the surprise of the servants at living Park,
down stairs to breakfast fifteen minutes later
than usual. The servants had had other surprises
that morning. In the first place letter had
arrived by special messenger for Miss Norah from
Tudor Hundreds, and had been delivered into
her hands in her bed room at an hour strangely
early. And in the second place Miss Norah also was
late for breakfast.
In the course of the breakfast servant put a
discreet but highly. perturbed head into the room
having served the tea hurried out to the hall In
credible news had suddenly got abroad in the house,
and it apparently had escaped from Miss Norah 5
bed room.
his throat and dsarrangng his side whiskers said,
Pardon me, sir. Have you heard: ;"
Heard WHAT" Abraham Crampiron demanded;
They say that Mr.. Courlander has been found
dead over at the Hundreds"
Dead?'
Yes sir Murdered! 1 thought YOU would like
Oh, you did, did YOU" said Crampiron grimly.
Well, must look into that. Get me my hat
Whereupon, without sign of astonlshment or of
emotion, without word of any sort, the impressive
Crampiron left the house. He returned to his home
in exactly an hour and quarter, and at once went
to town. He regained living Park shortly after
midnight, four hours and half late.
In the meantime only her maid had Norah,
who did not quit her bed room during the entire day,
and who gave the strctest orders that She would
nobody whatever not Maurice Courander.
The second day after the news of the murder was
the day of the inquest. And Norah was still a re-
cluse Crampron attended the inquest. He came
back between three and four o'clock. went into his
bed room, remained there for quarter of an hour,
and then descended to the drawing room, where he
rang the bell
Where is Miss Norah! he asked the butler.
" In her room, Sir.
Tell her l want to speak to her"
In two minutes the butler cautiously reentered
the drawing room Miss Norah says she cannot
come down. sir he enuncated.
NOrah had thrown down the gage, and Crampiron
picked it up with instant and fierce decisiveness
He rushed to her door and seized the white
earthenware handle and turned it violently; but the
door was bolted on the inside. Then he knocked
ferociousy.
Who's there?" 1t was Norahs voice, faint but
hostile.
Il am"
do you want me?"
"Of course want you'll
hour"
The insolence of it maddened him Half an hour,
She was forcing him to attend her convenience dur
ing half hour. I'll thank you to be quicker than
that!'
No answer.
He returned to the drawing room and sat down
In twenty-five minutes Norah Crampron entered
and advanced as far as the table She had the air
of being exhausted by fatigue. Her dark and burn
ing eyes dilated; she was pale her breast
and fell in quick breathings under her black robe ;
and her feet were restless.
What have you been doing this last day or two ?"
Crampiron began.
We been keeping Out OF the way, she answered
icily.
Perhaps in that moment, as he caught the new
of that voice. the father had his first linking of
the composition of the stuff of which the daughter
made. If he had not acquired knowledge before.
his ignorance due to chance and not to any
weakness on Norah's part Two years earlier, when
the girl was twenty and she and Maurice Courlander
had fallen in love with each other and Abraham had
opposed formal and positive refusal to the match,
she had been ready to pit her obstinacy against his
Come back in year" she had said to Maurice in a
secret interview the eve of Maurice's departure
to study financial conditions in Buenos Ayres. Il
shall write you in the meantime as father has
forbidden it. But shall then be of age and able to
please myself in every way; and | will marry YOU