The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-11-27
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his feet, his hand pressed to his
heart, his face white, and wet with
terror. More than one of the
guests came forward. but Raven
spur waved them aside.
II al behaving like a child he
said. Il suppose the time comes
when all of us begin to feel the eff
feet of approaching age. l don't
know why Seton's misfortunes
should have upset me SO much. But
perhaps coming on the horrors of
this morning it has been a little
to much for me. 1t is most scan
dalous thing that gentleman can't
go out to dinner without being mo-
Tested in this fashion. What are
the police thinking about?"
Ravenspur spoke in hot indigna-
ton; in fact, he was slightly over
doig it. He fused about Seton,
and insisted that the latter should
go up to his room, which sugges-
ton the guest waived aside. He
was the far more collected of the
two.
ooh, nonsense" he said; ga can
full of hot water will repair all the
damage. Don't you worry about
me. You do in to dinner and leave
me to young Walter here"
A door opened at that moment,
and a young man entered and
came eagerly across the room in
the direction of the speaker. Wal
ter Lance might have been Lord
Ravenspur as he had been 20 years
ago AS matter Of fact, they
were uncle and nephew, Lance be-
ing the son of Ravenspur's favor
tie sister, who hadeaied some years
before For the rest, he was bar
rister eagerly waiting his chance
| of success, and, in the meantime,
occupied himself in the capacity of
Ravenspur's private secretary. He
seemed to have heard all that had
taken place. He was warm in his
sympathy as he piloted Sir James
Seton to his own room. They were
going down again almost before the
dinner going had cease dtO%sOund
and by this time a knot of dinner
guests were discussing ordinary
topics again.
| To the casual observer there
/ was no sign Of trouble or tragedy
here. Ravenspur sat there gayly
| enough now, his conversation
cleaning with wit and humor, the
most perfect host in London. There
was no sign whatever of his earlier
| agitation. And yet, strive as ne
| would, from time to time the name
of Louis Delahay crept into the
| conversation. 1t was in vain that
Lord Ravenspur attempted to turn
the stream of thought into other
channels. He was glad enough
when at length the dinner came to
an end, and the party of guests
broke up into little groups. The
host approached Seton presently
with request to know whether he
would care to play bridge or not.
"No bridge" Sir James said en-
phatically. Il am tired of the tyr
amy of it,"
ut shall be just as you please my
friends, Ravenspur said YEARLY
Now let us go and have coffee in
the studio. 1t is much cooler there,
and there is more space to
breathe"
The suggestion was received with
general approval, and a move was
Immediately made in the direction
of the studio. The apartment lay at
the end of a long corridor, which
cut it off from the rest of the
house, the studio being in reality a
huge garden room, which Raven
spur had built for reasons of pri-
vacy. He took lathkey from his
pocket and opened the door.
81 always keep this place locked"
he explained. Some years ago my
three Academy pictures were stol.
en- just as they were finished, and
since then | have taken no risk.
The annoying part of the whole
thing was that one of the missing
pictures was the best thing | ever
did. What became Of it is a mys-
terry"
81 remember the picture perfect
ly we'll" one of the guests re-.
marked at was the study of a
woman. Do you recollect my COM
| ing in one night, and you asked
me my opinion of it,"
/