Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-07


and dangerous task before her. Rightly or
wrongly, it seemed to her that her place
was by the side of the brother who had
treated her SO badly. Many a good woman
before had sacrificed herself to a scoundrel.
and many good woman will do so again.
Mary had always chung to the idea that
Sartoris might be brought back to the fold
again. She knew pretty well how far he
had fallen, but she did not quite understand
the deep depravity of the mans nature.
After all, he was an object to be pitied; al
ter all, he had been the victim of wom-
ans cruelty. or so Mary thought. But Mary
did not know everything; mad she done SO
she would have been forced to leave her
brother to his own devices.
She came at length to the Royal Palace
Hotel and asked for Beatrice. The latter
was in her room, she was told. ana mary
went up. But Beatrice was not there, her
place for the time being occupied by Ade-
line, the maid.
my mistress is out" the maid explained;
but if you will leave any message l can
deliver it. She will not be very long, in
any case"
Mary hesitated. She had many things to
do and no time to waste. 1t was not alto
gether imperative that she should see Beat
rice just at the moment. She turned the
matter over In her mind before she replied
to Adeline's suggestion.
II rather wanted to see your mistress,
she said. perhaps 1 may make 1t conve-
nient to return In about half an hour or so.
Meanwhile. will you please give her this
letter. Will you be very careful to say that
Mrs. Richford is to do nothing till she has
seen me? I mean that she is not to take
any steps in the matter of the letter TIL !
come back. Will you be especially careful
about that?'
Adeline promised, in a vague kind of way.
She did not express the usua! curiosity OF
her. class; her mind seemed to be elsewhere.
She showed Mary out with an alacrity that
would have aroused her suspicious had she
had less to occupy her mind. But Adeline
had affairs of her own to think OF. There
was very striking-looking valet on the
same floor who had shown himself not in
sensible to the girls attractions. Adeline
laid the note on the table and promptly
forgot all about 1t.
In the full assurance that no harm was
possible for the present Mary went her
way It was getting late In the evening
now. and the hotel was full of people;
strange excitement seemed to be in the
air: outside. the newsboys were particularly
busy. and there seemed TO be more than
usually heavy run on their wares.
Surely they shouting a familiar
name Mary Thought Size came out of her
brown study and listened. IT was some
thing to do with Stenhen Richford Surely
there could not he two men of the same
nar-e. No: it must be the same
Startling disclosures in the CITY Col
lapse of great firm Rirhford & Co. go
down Warrant ont for tire arrest OF the
sorior partner Flight of Stephen Rich
ford
Mary listened in arnaZene1t.. Her brother
knew great deal about this man: he had
ALWAYS been sDoken of as a wealthy indi
vidnnl. And here was Beatrice DarryllS
husband criminal and fugitive from JUS
tice Nobody appeared to be talking about
anything else: the name was on the streets.
Mary could hear It everywhere. bent
man. with clerical hat and glasses and
an Inverness cane hurried by the girl as
she came out of the hotel. Even this elderly
gentleman seemed interested.
He pushed his way into the hotel and
feebly assembled the stairs as if he had
business there. In so large place everv
respectfully dressed man could pass in and
out without mourning susnicfon. No hall
porter would stOn any visitor and ask his
business so that the elderly clergyman
PASSED uncha lerged. AS he came to the
door of Beatrice's room he hesitated for a
moment. and then passed in and closed the
doo- behind him.
"Nohody herer' he muttered. Maid gone
off on her own business. T suppose. Well
can sit down here and wait till Reatrice
comes hack What's this? A letter adj
dressed nv some unknown correspondent to
Mrs. Richford. BY Jove! Sartoris' address
on the fan Nov. what does this little
zane mean? And who wrote the letter?
Ny dear Sartoris. if ] only had you here
for the next five minutes"
The mans face suddenly convulsed with
rage. his fists Were .cle7ched passionateIv
He paced up and down the room with the
letter in his hand.
This may tell me s'nething.' he said;
this may be clue. III omen it,
As frequently fapnens with thick eovel-
ones the gun, was defective. and the back
Of n pcnkHife served to omen tie cover
without in any way betraying the fact that
the cover had been tamDered with. 4 puZ-
zled frown crossed the face of the thief.
"Berrington!" he muttered: "Rerringtor,
Oh. I know. That beast, Ell? Now consid-
ering that he is more or less of prisoner
In the house of my dear friend Sartoris
WHY does he write like this to Beatrice?
Damn Sartoris; there is no getting to the
bottom of him. with his willy brain On
the whole Beatrice shall be allowed to 60
It's a horrible position for a girl like her;
but the present moment l have no choice
perhaps I'll join the party later on. Hang
those newsboys. too-why can't they stop
their silly clatter?"
The intruder replaced the letter. and a
moment later Beatrice came in. She started
at the sight of the stranger. who made
some apology for the intrusion. The man
looked old and respectable and harmless so
that the girl smiled at him. But she did
not smile when the shovel hat
moved. together with the wig and the
glasses.
the meaning of this?"
'Well, I conclude that my disguise is
a pretty good one" Richford grinned, see
ing that you did not recognize me at all.
And as to what this means, should say
that your common sense would tell
you. Did you hear anything?'
IT heard the boys with the papers," Beat
rice said; but | did not connect do
you mean to say that you are, you are"
Beatrice could not say the word But
there was no reason for her to ask the ques-
ton.
"Why be so delicate about it in the pres
ence of a mere husband?" Rchford sneered
DO you suppose l came here in disguise
just to give you pleasant surprise? The
bubble has been pricked and all the rest of
it. / went for too much and l failed as
many better man has failed before me. I
have Carl Sartofis to thank for this:
should have pulled through but for him.
This IS his revenge because i would not do
as he desired. Whatever you do beware of
that man! Don't go near him under any
circumstances.
II am not likely to go near him. Beat
rice said colby but tell me. why did you
come here? 1t is not possible that l can
help you in any way!'
"Oh. yes It is Richford said with GER
tain good humor that caused Beatrice to
turn suspicious at once. you can do a
great deal for me if you only will. 1 am
going to leave you a desolate and discon-
ISOLATE widow. A grass widow If you like
but you will have your freedom. 1 am GO
ing to leave my country for my country's
good; / shall never come back again But
the crash has come at time when least
tod xyhj iS hahj hot