Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-12
CHAPTER Xxx.

Meanwhile, absolutely unconscious of the
dangers that were rapidly closing around
her, Beatrice took her way, to Wandsworth.
Richford had been ingenious enough to see
that Beatrice would go down by rail, as she
had very little money to spare, so that If
they desired 1t the two conspirators could
have got there before her. But there was
no occasion for that seeing that Beatrice
had the treasure in her pocket and Sar-
toris was none the wiser.
Richford would have gone far at that
moment to spite Sartoris. He had tried to
play the latter false over the scheme that
they had in hand together. and Sartoris
had found him out. The latter made it
rule never to trust anybody, and he had
been suspicious of Richford from the first
He had known exactly how Richford's af-
fairs stood. he had seen that sudden blow
dealt at him now would pull the whole
structure down and ruin it forever. And
without the smallest feeling in the matter,
Sartoris had done this thing. But for him
Richford could have pulled around again,
as Sartoris had been aware.
But Sartoris had had enough of his ally
and in this way he got rid of him altogether.
Richford dared not show his face again;
he would have to leave the country and
never return. Sartoris chuckled to himself
as he thought of this.
He was on extremely good terms with
himself when Beatrice called She had not
given the letter from bennington very uuCil
consideration, though she was a little sur
prised at the address. Doubtless the mat
ter had something to do with her father,
the girl thought. The mystery of that
strange disappearance was getting on her
nerves sadly.
Rather timidly the girl knocked at the
door of the gloomy looking house, which
was opened after pause by little man
in an invalid chair. Beatrice looked at him
in surprise. She gained some courage from
a. quick glance at the hall with its electric
lights and fine pictures and the magnificent
flowers in pots and vases everywhere. 1t
seemed to Beatrice that only woman could
be responsible for this good taste, and she
took heart accordingly. No desperate char
acters could occupy house like this. she
told herself. and in any case helpless 1T
tie man in chair could not prove a Tor
midable antagonist
II hope 1 have not made any mistake"
she said. IF this is 100 Audley place"
This is 100 Audley place. Mrs. Richford,'
the little man said. 'Will you be so good
as to come this way and shut the door? L
have been expecting you"
1T was a letter that / received from my
friend, Col Bennington" Beatrice said. He
asked me to call and see him here. l hope
he is not ill
II have not noticed any signs of Illness"
Sartoris said drily. 81 have doubt that
the colonel had very good reasons for ask
ing you to come here, in fact he did so to
oblige me. The colonel is out at present.
He is staying with me, being fond of the air
of the place. 1 dare say he will be back
before you go.
Beatrice nodded in bewildered fashion. In
some vague way it seemed to her that her
host was making fun of her. there was just
a faint suggestion Of mockery in his tones.
Was there any plot against her on foot,
Beatrice wondered. But nobody could pos
sibly know of the diamonds in her pocket:
besides. she had received the letter before
she had thought of removing those dia-
monds from the custody of the hotel people.
Again, as to the genuineness Of Bennington 8
letter she did not entertain the shadow of
a doubt. Nobody, not even an expert.
could succeed in making successful forg-
cry of the dashing handwriting of Berring-
ton.
.If you will come this way" Sartoris said
quietly, 1--WE shall be more comfortable. AS
the evening is by no means warm, you will
perhaps not object to the temperature of
my room: If you are fond of flowers you
may admire It, ..
A little cry of admiration broke from
Beatrice at the sight of the conservatory
room. She had forgotten all her fears for
the moment. Gradually she let the atmos-
phere Of the place steal over her. She
found that she was replying 20 a lot of
searching questions to her past and the
past of her father, Sir Charles No, she
had no papers, nor did she know where to
find those keys. She wondered what this
man was driving at.
IT knew your father very we'll at one
time" he said. II saw a great deal Of
him In India. In fact he and L were In
more than one expedition together"
What year was that?' Beatrice asked
quite innocently.
To her surprise Sartoris gave signs of ir-
ritation and anger. He turned it off mo-
ment later by an allusion to neuralgia, but
Beatrice was not quite satisfied Why did
this man want the key of a certain desk,
and why did he require bundle of papers
in a blue envelope therefrom? Beatrice re-
solved to be on her guard.
II will do what I can for YOU she said.
eff you can come and see me-"
IT am afraid that Is impossible" said
Sartoris, who had lapsed into his bland
manner once more. II am sensitive of peo-
pies remarks and all that kind of thing. I
dare say you will think that am morbidly
self-conscious, but then 1 have not always
been a cripple. I was as straight as your
self once. Fancy a little crooked figure
like me in a hanson cab!'
Beatrice started violently. The words had
recalled a painful time to her. She recol-
lected now with vivid force that on the
night of Sir Charles disappearance little
crooked man in a hanson cab had been the
directing party In the outrage
The girls instinct had led her swiftly to
the truth. She felt, as sure as if she had
been told that this man before her was at
the bottom of this business. She knew that
she stood face to face with the man who
had stolen the body of Sir Charles Darryll
For a moment Beatrice fought hard with
the feeling that she was going to faint. Her