Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-12
THE SLAVE OF SILENCE
BY FRED M. WHITE,

eyes dilated and she looked across at the
man opposite He was lying back in his
chair feasting his eyes upon her beauty. SO
that the subtle change in the girls face
was not lost upon him.
II seem to have alarmed you about some
thing" he said what was it? Surely the
spectacle of a crooked little man like me in
hanson cab is not so dreadful as all that.
And yet those words must have touched
upon a chord somewhere"
Tit recalled my father to me-" Beat
rice stammered. 1.-The police found certain
things out They discovered the night my
father disappeared that outside the hotel
was black hanson cab with man inside
who was cripple
you don't mean to say thatv' Sartoris
cried
In his turn he had almost betrayed him
self. He could have cursed himself aloud
now. AS it was, he forced an unsteady
smile to his lips.
Il mean to say that the police are very
clever at that kind of thing" he went on.
But surely you would not possibly iden-
tify me or my remark with the monster in
question! There are great many people
in this big London of ours who would an
swer to that description. Now tell me, did
the police find anything more out?'
The question was eager. despite the fact
that Sartoris impaired laugh into it. But
Beatrice was not to be drawn any further.
She felt absolutely certain of the fact that
she was talking to the real cuiprit who was
picking her brain so that he could get to
the bottom of what the police had discov-
cred, with an eye to the future.
Really. don't know" the girl said
coldly. THAT is all that | overheard. The
police, 1 find, very close over these mat
tiers. and in any case they do not usually
choose a woman their confidant. You
had better ask Col. Bennington"
1t was an unfortunate remark in more
senses than one. Beatrice did not quite
realize how quick and clever was the man
to whom she was talking. If his instinct
had told him much his cleverness told him
more. Bennington was in the confidence of
the police. And Sartoris had imagined that
the soldier was working out the problem on
his own behalf He haa counted. too. on
Berrington's affection for Mary to do as
little harm as possible.
"I'll ask the colonel" he said between his
teeth "Oh. yes, | will certainly do that.
What are you looking at closely?"
Beatrice had risen to her feet in her
eagerness. She pointed to two cabinet pho
tographs.
CHOSE people, she stammered. "Why,
I know them. They call themselves Coun-
tess de la Moray and Gen. Gastang. They
We're staying at the Royal Palace Hotel the
night of the tragedy. They pretended to
know me and all about me- I am quite
sure that they are actors in disguise. But
seeing that you know them
Sartoris turned away his face for mo-
ment, so that Beatrice should not see its
evil expression. He cursed himself for his
inane folly. But he was quick to rise to
the situation
"a very strange thing" he said. GAS
matter of fact l don't know these people.
But some friends of mine in Paris were
their victims some little time ago, and they
were anxious that the police here should
be warned the precious pair had fled to
England. Perhaps they were proud Of this
guse perhaps their vanity fmpelled them,
but they had those photographs taken and
my friends got copies and sent them to me.
They only arrived today or they would not
be here. They will go to Scotland Yard in
the morning."
Beatrice Inclined her head colby. She
knew the whole thing was quick and
ready lie, and she could not for the life of
her pretend to believe 1t. She buttoned her
jacket about her and stood up.
IT will not detain you any longer" she
said. ''If can find what you desire I will
let you know. I can find my own way to
the door,"
.'Wait till Bennington returns" sartors
urged. He will not be long. He is not in
the house yet but he will be sorry he has
missed YOU
Beatrice stood before the glass putting her
hat on straight. She could see over her
shoulder in the direction of the door, and
there In the gloom with his finger to his
lips stood Bennington. There was just
suggestion of surprise in his eyes, surprise
and annoyance but the look which he
passed the girl was a command to keep
herself we'll in hand. The mere fact that
help was so near gave her new courage.
She smiled as she turned to Sartoris.
ing" she said. please tell the colonel
when he comes in that am sorry to have
missed him. He Will understand that
There was the faint click of key In the
front door, and two people came noisily
into the room They were a young and
handsome man and equally young and
handsome woman. we'll dressed. smartly
groomed. and well bred. And yet, though
they were strangers to Beatrice, they were
at the same time curiously familiar. The
girl was trying to recall where she had
seen them both before.
1--WE are rather late" the man said with
q wink at Sartors. Business detained US.
Yes. we are also rather hungry, having
had no dinner to speak of. Hullo. 1 say,
look here Do you mean to say that you
are fool enough to keep our photographs In
our very last disguise?
Something like an oath broke from Sar-
torts as he glanced at Beatrice. The girl
could not control herself for the moment;
she could not hide from Sartoris and the
others that she knew now that she was In
the presence of Countess de la Moray and
Gen Gastang in their proper person.
"Those are not your photographs at all,
Sartoris croaked. LAS a matter of fact l
only got them from Paris today. If you
will"
The speaker paused as Beatrice was step
ping toward the door. All of them realized
that she knew everything. Sartoris made
sign and the man Reggie stood between
Beatrice and the door.
(To be continued tomorrow)