The Washington herald., 1907-07-07

| unseeing. into the gay crowd in the gay
/ square. listening without hearing. as the
/ King made his speech, standing with his
head always turned in one direction. his
/ eyes fixed unmoving on a little group in
. The square
That little group held his death war
rant. In their grim faces he read his
doom. and under the blue helmet Of a
/ policeman on horseback he thought he
could read knowledge Of the crime he
had committed eight yearst ago. The ST.
lence was broken az last, Murder, held
long at bay. was out,
/ The sun, shining brilliantly. gIittered
sharply upon the jewels in the golden
key that was handed 20 the King al the
end OF his speech. and Lord Fanshawe
suddenly blinked his eyes. He looked
round like a man awakened from. sleep.
/ The sun seemed 10 get into his eyes
for moment and he passed his hand
across them as though TO drive out from
them some ugly thing that he saw.
The King. surrounded by his brilliant
escort. had moved toward the building
he was to open. the key glittering in his
hand Lord Fanshawe half turned his
yes. never quite leaving the group be-
low, and stepped back as # to follow.
As he did 50 Evelyn Walter sprang to
her feet The crowd drifted away from
them. moving with the King to inspect
the new building. leaving them almost
alone.
She caught him by the arm.
Claude, what can I do 10 save you?"
she whispered
He turned and faced her. looking down
into her haggard eyes with queer,
blank look in his own.
What can 7 do? The police have been
10 me again about the note I sent and
/ have lied 70 them, but they know. and
they only want proofs. Claude Oh. what
shall do"
He seemed 20 be rOusng slowly. He
looked back. down at the crowd in the
great square as though he was searching
il for a face he knew Presently his
eyes steadied and grew fixed again
Look down. he said do YOU see
that group of people over yonder. toward
the right. just beneath the tower? Well.
they are workpeople-mill hands-and
they all know what you know. and more:
they heard last night There is GeOffrev.
too. and he knows. You know that Thorn
sons mill was burnt 10 the ground. Well.
E3r6er-Barker was burnt 10 death in
it, but before he died they say he made
fun confession. and that group over there
are Waiting-waiting for what is 10 come.
for my arrest"
Evelyn started. and her face whitened
sharply. Her hand tightened on his arm.
Lord Fanshawe's lips curlsd a little
So that il would be all the same if
YOU had not sent that note to the police.
II would make no difference" he said.
'Geoffrey Clavering and Hetty Lancas-
ter are down there. waiting And some
where in Oidcastle. I'm the possession of
the police. perhaps. there is at this mo-
ment a little bit of paper. Barkers con-
fession, that will hang me"
Evelyn gave a cry.
"Claude-dOnt. oh don't"
lie laughed, then with a sudden fury
clenched his hands.
Curse him. Curse Geoffrev Clavering %
he cried. Curse that lot down There
Do you see who they are? Clavering and
Hetty, and Bessie Merrill. and DR.. North.
They'd like to see M caught. And those
mill hands who heard You can see
how they hate me. Evelyn They'd lynch
me if they could. curse them. Well L
shall cheat them yet" he laughed. harsh
ly. They think l shall be caught. Let
them think
He turned. wrenChing himself free from
her grasp, and began making his way to
the back of the platform.
The waiting crowd below saw him fol-
low the King and his escort into the
great. building They saw him pass out
of the sunshine into the shadow. and
and a group of police watch
ing from below made a move across the /
square, and drew up on guard before the
door through which the King and his es-
cort would reappear.
For a moment, Evelyn Walter. rigid on
the platform looked like a woman of
stone Then she too. turned. But she
did not follow Claude Instead she sud |
denly flung out her arms. and rocking |
unsteadily on her feet fell heavily to |
the ground
Meanwhile Claude passed slowly out /
To the greetings that met him he replied |