Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-15
BY
c. N. and A. M. WILLIAMSON,
Authors OF
THE LIGHTNING CONDUCTOR.

tainty Sprang TO lie IN me that he q 1oi-
lowed my cab from the foreign office to see
where l would go. Why couldn't l have
thought of that danger? | have always
thought of things and guarded against
them: YET this time, this time of all others.
I seemed fated.
But If Godensky had known what you
were doing the game would have been up
for you before this" l said.
He didn't know. of course. Only-if ne
wants to be Wonnans lover and she won t
have him he's her enemy and he's the
enemy Of the man who is her lover. He's
too clever and too careful of his own IN
terests to speak out maturely anything
he might vaguely suspect. for 1t would do
him harm If he proved mistaken. He
wouldn't yet. l think even warn those
whom It might concern. TO search and see
II anything in Raouis charge were out OF
order or missing. But what he would do.
what | think lie has doua. is this: Having
some idea. as he may have. that my rela-
lions with certain important persons In
England are rather friendly. and seeing me
come from the foreign office to go almost
straight to the post, it might have occurred
To- him to try and learn the name of my
correspondent. He has inf'uence-he could
perhaps have found out: but If he did 1t
wouldn't have helped him much. for natur
ally my dealings with the British foreign
secretary are always well under cover
hence delay sometimes in his receiving
word from me. What | send can never go
Stra ght to him. you guess. GOden-
sky would guess that. too and he would
have perhaps informed the police. very
cautiously. very unofilcially and contiden-
tally. that he suspected Maxine de RenZe
of being n political spy in the pay of Eng
land. He would have advised that my
movements bc watched for the next few
days. that English agents of the French
police he warned to watch also on their
side Of the channel. He would have argued
to himself that if I'd sent any document
away. with RaOuls connivancc or without.
| would be wanting it back as soon as pos
s!ble. and he would have mentioned to the
police that possibly a messenger would
bring me something-if my correspondence
through the post was found to contain
nothing compromising. oh. there have
been eyes on me and on every movement
of mine I'm sure. See how efficient,
though quiet the methods have been where
you're concerned. They-the polce-knew
the name of the man | was to meet here
a this hotel and If. as Godensky must
have hoped. any document belonging to the
French government had been found on you
or me. everything would have played into
his hands RaOul would have been ruined.
his heart broken. and but there are no
words to express what l would have suf-
rercd. what | may Yet have to suffer.
Ciodensky would be praised for his clever
ness we'll securing satisfactory
venge on me for refusing him. The only
thing which reJoces me now is the thought
of his blank disappointment when he gets
the news from the commissary of police"
You don't believe then" l asked that
Godensky has had any hand in the disap-
pearanCe of the treaty."
Il would believe 1t If ii weren't for the
necklace being put in its place. Even If
Count GodenskS could have known of
RaouIs mission with the diamonds and
got them into his own hands. he wouldn't
have let them get out again with every
chance of their going back to RaOul and
thus saving him from his trouble He'd do
nothing to help, but everything 10 hinder.
There lies the mystery-in the return of the
necklace instead of the treaty. You have
no knowledge of il. YOU tell me: yet you
come to me with it in your pocket-the
necklace stolen from Raoul du Laurier
days ago in Amsterdam or on the way
there"
You're certain its the same?'
Certain as that you are you and l am l.
And I'm not out of my mind yet-though 1
soon shall be unless you somehow save me
from this horror.
I'm going to try l said Don't give
up hope. | wish. though, that you hadn't
to act tonight"
SO do l. But there's no way out of It,
And | must go now to the theatsr or 1
shall be late: my makeup's a heavy one
and takes long time. | can't afford to
have any talk about me and my affairs to-
night whatever comes afterward. Raoul
will be in box. and at the end of the first
act he'll be at the door of my dressing
room. The agony of seeing him, of hear
ing him praise my acting, and saying dear,
trusting. loving words that would make me
almost too happy, If l hadn't betrayed
him. ruined his career for ever
Maybe not" l said. And anyhow.
there's the necklace. That's something"
Yes. that's something
''Will Godensky be in the audience too?"
asked.
I'm sure he will. He couldn't keep
away. But he may he late. He won't come
until he's had long talk with the commits
sary Of police and tried TO thrash matters
out"
If only Your theory right, then-if he
hasn't dared yet to throw suspicion on du
Laurer. and if the loss of that letter-case
with its contents is as much of mystery
to him il is to us. have little time
before us still: were comparatively safe
for a few hours.
Were safe" answered Maxine. with
kind of desperate calmness. las If we
We're in house with gunpowder stored
underneath. and d train laid to fire it.
But" she broke off bitterly. why do l
say We To you all this can be no more
than regret. a worry.
You know that's not just" l reproached
her. I'm in this with you now, heart and
soul. | spoke no more than the truth when
said I'd give my life. if necessary, to