The Washington herald., 1907-05-05

haps his legal caution was aroused, for
he blinked thoughtfully al Geoffrev for
fun minute before be made any reply.
and then It was not 10 answer his ques-
ton
You are "a stranger TO me. presume.
he said. since ] do not seem 70 rec0g-
nize either your name or your face Have
you any interest IN the lady? Do you
know where she is now2"
Geohrey threw out his hands sharply
and then drew back.
I know nothing" ne said, I was
merely making inquiries for-for-a friend
who wishes bis identity kept secret. IL
am his agent. and J came to you be-
cause be hesitated for a moment
with his eyes doubtully on JacEson-s
face, and then went on, because you are
lawyer, and your house happened 10 be-
opposite the address ] wanted. THE
house for which ] was looking has gone.
All yes. some time since" said Jack
shn. The property belongs 10 Lord Fan
Shave, and after Mr. Lancasters death
he had it cut up into building lots. He
had to wait "A year or two FOR that IS
there was still a little time To ran on
the lease. and Miss Lancaster could not
be found. Bat as you see. It Iapsed
and in place of Mr.. Lancastcr's house and
grounds his lordship has erected d fine
row of shops and villas.
Jackson rose as he spoke and moved
across the room, his shOrt~sighted eyes
peering cuTiously into GeOnreys face
Godfrey shTank a little into the shadow
with something Of tie old dread upon
him Jackson must not suspect his ide1-
tity lie had not been friend eight
years ago 1t had been he who had walk
ed with him through the narrow streets
OF Oldcastle on that last cold. gray morn
ing: he who had paid ais passage 90 AUS
tralia who had seen hiru on board tie
boat. who bad pushed him out into the
world, frlendless and alone. Hard and
pitiless be had been then. and hard and
ptiless he would be nov
He sat rigid in his chair, with ques-
tions that he dared not ASH burning on
his lips with d passionate CITY in MS
heart for Hetty-for the little, bright-eyed
girl whose face had sh0ne before MIN
like star all these years.
But Miss Lancaster" he said. hoaTse-
/ ~ can you tell ne nothing Of her, dld
she disappear utterly
The lawyer nodded.
she left no trace he replied. 'aBd
she has not communicated with any one
since. She went, as l said. TWO days be-
| fore Bfr. Lancasters death. II was said
/ the servants said at the inquest-tbat
I they had quarreled. and there We're
/ traces of poison in the house and proofs
/ that Hetty had purchased il, and alto
! gether II seemed most unlikely that Air.
/ Lancaster had met his death naturally.
Every one expected a verdict Of murder
against Hetty Lancaster and no doubt
we should have had it il il had not been
/ for DIT. North"
/ For Or. North.
"He had been attending Mr. Lancaster
! for some time, and at the inquest stated
/ that he had prescribed a certain poison,
1 but that. IN his opinion. be had died nat
/ uraIIy OF heart disease. Every one knew
/ that Dr. North was in love with Hetty
| Lancaster, and no one imagined that his
| evidence would be accepted as being un-
| biased bat somehow IL was. Most Of the
! jurymen knew him personally Half ~
them We're poor miners or mill hands,
who perhaps owed their lives or the lives
of tbeir wives or children 20 Dr. North,
and no doubt that weighed with them.
4 At any rate, DT. North got tne verdict
/ be wanted, in spite Of everything, In spite
of the fact that everybody believed Hetty
guilty
/ Geonrey's hands were cleuched on the
arms of his chair
He rose sharply 10 his feet. He could
stand no more; he could listen % no more
( Just now He looked blindIy at the law
| yers S old, hard face. and perhaps there
was something in his own that startled
jackson little. for he peered at him
curiousIy through his thick glasses and
moved "a little closer to him.
"Of course. personally. / have not the
/ slightest doubt that she was suilty.' he
1 said The ease was not thras. ed out as
it ought TO have been She ought fo
nave been found and Dr. North Should
not have been allowed 20 have all his
own way. But, OF course, it is little
late in the day 10 revive such things
now, and ! presume that It is not your
object?'
once more he made a movement nearer
/ Geoffrey. the puzzled look back I'm his
eyes as they searched mis- face, and Geof-
frey reused himself sharply and turned
away
No" he said. slowly. NO. I only
wished to inquire"
He broke OF with his face sdH Aalf
averted.
I only wanted TO know her where
lbouts." he added IF you cannot tell
me. I am wasting your time
The lawyer followed him across the
room. He was getting very blind and CID.
but even his feeble eyes could see that
the drawn and haggered lock had deepen
/ ed in GeOffrey's face-even he saw that
in the last few minutes he seemed %
have grown old and tired and careWorn-
/ AS the door closed, he hurried into his
head clerks room, and across TO the win
dow.
Barker" he said. who did that man
remind YOU Of? have seen his face be-
/ fore-where? Look at him now.
/ Barker rose and stood beside him I'm
front of the window. Ce0nrey was slow
lily crossing the road and standing 10
look with blind. unseeins eyes at the
row of shops and the villas beyond them
that occupied the spot. where eight years
ago had stood the old white house and
garden that had belonged TO Mr., Ian
caster.
Who does he remind you of. Barker
jackson said.
The clerk shook his head But a queer
cunning had grown in his eyes as Geof-
frey walked slowly out of sight, and he
stood gnawing his moustache, apparently
in deep thought for some minutes after
he had disappeared
tTO BE CONTINUED NEXT SUNDAY
Copyright. 1901. by the Philadelphia Ncrth Amcn-
can Ccmpans-l