Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-11
CHAPTER xxx.

along behind the other one. and presently
Mary was greatly relieved to find that her
horse was going the faster Of the two. She
bitterly blamed herself now for her folly In
not waiting to see Beatrice, and still more
SO for trusting SO important a letter In the
hands of a mere servant
But it was idle to repine over the thing
now. The mischief had been done and the
great thing was to repair it as soon as pos
sible. As Mary's mind emerged from the
haze in which it had been enveloped for the
last few days, she began to see things more
clearly. Now she realized that she had no
settled plan of action when she set out to
see Beatrice. She would have had to tell
her everything or nothing had they met,
and she could not have done this without
making certain disclosures about her Dfoth-
er. She saw now that it would have been
far better to have destroyed the letter and
said nothing about it.
But then Mary could not tell deliberate
lie of that kind, and Carl Sartoris would
have been pretty sure to have asked the
question. He was pleased to regard his sis
ter more or less in the light of fool but
he did not trust her any the more for that:
Mary lay back In the cab and resigned
herself to the inevitable. 1t was good to
feel that she was leaving the others behind
now, and her spirits rose accordingly. II
she could only get to Wandsworth before
the precious pair. she would be all flght.
in front of her. But as most of the trains
were usually late there was more than
chance of success in this direction. The
girl was nearing her destination now. She
lifted the shutter on the top Of the cab and
asked if the other cab was at any distance.
There was queer sort of a grin on the
cabmans face. as he answered
about five hundred yards miss. he said.
Something seems to have gone wrong with
them. So far as 1 can see the cab has lost
a tire
The other cab had stopped, and something
like an alteration was going on between
the fare and the driver.
Mary had not far to go now. and she de-
cided that it would be safer to walk the
rest of the distance. There was a little
crowd gathering behind her and a police
fortune was playing on her side now.
1t was not very far to the house: there it
stood dark and silent. with no light show
ing in the garden in front. Mary felt pretty
sure that she was in time. Then the front
door of the house opened there was sight
of the hall in blaze of light, and in the
foreground the figure of a woman stand
ing on the doorstep
Mary gave a groan and staggered BACK
with her hand to her head.
what piece of cruel misfortune she
exclaimed passionately. Another minute
and l should have been in time Why did
not drive up to the house? My over-cau-
ton has spoiled it ALL / am sure that was
Beatrice Richford.''
The door of the house closed and the fig
ure Of the woman disappeared inside. Mary
had had all her trouble for nothing. Not
only was Beatrice more or less of prfs-
oner there but those thieves were pressing
on behind. What was the best thing to be
done now, with Beatrice exposed to the
double danger? Mary racked her weary
brains in vain. And in a few minutes at
the outside the others would be here. 1t
seemed impossible to do anything to save
Beatrice from this two-edged peril. Mary
started as she caught sight OF hgure com
ing up the front garden. 1t was stealthy
figure and the man evidently did not want
to be seen. AS he caught sight of Mary he
stopped. 1t was too dark to distinguish
anything but his outline.
Beatrice" the man said in tone OF
deep relief. Thank God, 1 have come In
time
Mary did not know whether to be pleased
or alarmed. Evidently this man was some
friend of Beatrice who had obtained an ink
ling Of her danger and had come to save
her. On the whole it seemed to Mary that
she had an ally here.
81 am afraid you are mistaken she whis-
pered. II am not Beatrice Richford. But 1
am doing my best for the young lady all
the same. She is"
Don't say that she is in the house?" the
man said in a muff1ed tone.
ALAS. that l can say nothing else. Mary
replied. Il was just too late. Mrs. Rich
ford had just entered the doorway as 1
came up If you will tell me your
name
perhaps 1 had better" the stranger said
after minutes hesitation. Il am Mark
Ventmore perhaps you have heard of me-.
Mary gave a little sigh of relief. She
knew all about Mark Ventmore. Here in
deed was a man who would be ready to
help her. She drew little nearer to him.
"And 1 am Mary Sartoris.' she said. IF
you have heard of me-
"Oh. yes. you are the sister of that
mean Carl Sartoris Is your brother. But
surely you are altogether innocent of the
the strange things that"
II am innocent of everything" said Mary
passionately Il have wasted my life cling
ing to a man In the faint hope of bringing
him back to truth and honor again. l am
beginning to see now that l am having my
trouble for my pains, Mr.. Ventmore. Suf-
flee it for the present to say that Mrs. Rich
ford stands in great peril
ooh / know that Ventmore said hoarse-
ly. II got that information from Brentwood,
the scoundrel! At the nstigation of In
spector Field, who has pretty we'll posted
me recent doings, l have been following
that rascal pretty well all day. We won't
say anything about Bennington. who I I'M
derstand is more or less of prisoner in
your brothers house. because Bennington is
the kind of man who can take care of him
self. But Beatrice is in peril-Bentwood
told me that The fellows brains are in a
state of muddle so could not get the truth
from him. 1t was something about case
of diamonds
Eyes, yes" Mary said. The diamonds
that Mr. Richford gave his wife for we'd
ding present. Mr.. Richford has got himself
into severe trouble
''Richford is disgraced and ruined man.
The police are after him.
$50 I gathered. He is now in the dis
guise of elderly clergyman, and at pres
ent he is"
Hiding in that house at Edward street.
Mark cried. Il him with Brentwood.
But what has he to do with those da-
monds?"
Everything. / overheard the plot laid"
Mary proceeded to explain. Mr.. Richford
went to his wife and demanded the da-
monds. He wanted to raise money that
he could go away in comfort and luxury.
He told his wife exactly how he was sit
uated. She refused to comply with the re-
quest on the ground that the stones be-
longed to Mr. Richford's creditors. Then
unhappily Mrs. Rchford withdrew the da-
monds from the custody of the hotel off,
Gals. being afraid that there would be a
bother them or something of that
kind. Richford watched her do it. Then
he met two accompiices who recently passed
as Gen. Gastang and Countess de In Moray.
and the plot was laid. Mrs. Richford was
to come here"
But in the name of fortune. why was
she to come here?" Mark asked.
perhaps 1 had better be a little more
candid with you, Mary sighed. There is
scheme on foot between my brother and
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