Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-20
BY
C. N. and A. M. WILLIAMSON,
Authors OF
THE LIGHTNING CONDUCTOR.

about midnight Il knew that already and
hadn't returned since. Ny man had been
/ TO the bureau to ask. and ii had struck
J him. he admitted to me on beng cate
ch,sed. that his questions had been an
swcrrd with a certain reserve, as Il more
were known of the absent gentleman s
movements than it was considered wise
to tell.
/ The servant had not been long away.
though it seemed long to me. and he had
delayed only to buy all the evening pa
pers, which he thought that made
moiselle would like to see. as they were
sure to be filed with praise of her great
acting" 1t was on my tongue to scold
him for stopping even one moment when
I he had been told to hurry, but he looked
so pleased at his own cieverness that /
hadn't the heart to dash his happiness.
/ would however. have pushed the pa
pers aside without so much as glancing
at them, If it hadn't suddenly occurre d
II me that, il anH accident had befallen
Ivor. news of it might possibly have got
into print by this time.
When l read what had happened-how
he was accused of murder. and while de-
claring his innocence had been silent as
to all those events which might have
proved 1t. my heart went out to him in a
wave of gratitude. Here was a mani A
man loyal and brave and chivalrous. as
all men ought to be, but few are, He
had sacrificed himself to the death, no
doubt. to keep my name ont of the mud
into which my business had thrown him.
and to save me from appearing in Raoul' 9
eyes the liar that | was. Had 1vor told
that he was with me. after I had pre-
varicated Gf | had not actually lied) to
Raoul about the midnight visitor to my
house. what would Raoul think of me?
lvor was trying ia save me, If lie could
and he had been trying to save me when
he went to the room of that dead man.
though how and when he had decided to
go | knew not. If it We're not for me. he
would be free and happy today.
My conscience cried out that the one
thing to do was to go at once to the
chief of police and say: Monsieur, this
English gentleman they have arrested
cannot have committed a murder in the
Rue de la File Savage. between half
past twelve and one last night for he
came to my house. far away in the Rue
d. Hollande, at Quarter past twelve and
didn't leave it till after one o'clock"
| even sprang up from my chair in the
very room where l had hidden Ivor. to
ring for Marianne and tell her to bring
me hat and coat, to bid her order my
electric brougham Immediately. Butt
sat down again. sick and Departing de-
liserately crushing the generous impulse.
| couldn't obey ii. | dared not. By and
by. perhaps. If Ivor should be in real
pressing danger, then certainly. But not
now.
At o'clock Ra1ul came. and was with
!
the other. l did all ! could to make him
hope that even yet he would have news
of the brocade bag and its contents. He.
thinking me i'll and tired out. did all he
could to persuade me that he was not
miserable with anxiety, AT least he was
man, and was huuhly repentant for his
suspicious of me the night before. When
Raoul Is repentant. and wishes to atone
for something that he mas done, he is en-
chanting. There was never a man like
him.
At five I sent him away. with the ex-
cuSa that l must rest as | hadn't 81 apt
much the night before, but really it was
because | feared lest | should disgrace
myself before him by breaking down and
giving him a fright-or perhaps even by
being mad enough to confess the thing
had done. l felt that ! was no longer
mistress Of myself-that / might be
capable of any folly.
| could not eat. but I drank some beef
tea before starting for the theater. where
j went earlier than usual 1t would be
something to be busy. and in my part l
might even forget for moment, now and
then.
Marianne and | We're in my dressing
room before seven. ! insisted on dress
ing at once, and took as long as | could
in the process of making up: still when
was ready there was more than half an
hour to spare before the first act. Tn r.
were letters for me-the kind that al
ways come TO the theater-but | couldn't
read them. after | had occupied rnys IF
with tearing open the envelopes. I knew
what they would be-v9ws of alteration
from strangers; poems by budding poets
petitions for advice from girls and young
men who wanted TO go on the stage: re-
quests from artists who wanted to paint
my picture. There were always such
things every night. especially after the
opening of a new play
| | was still aimlessly breaking fantastic
seals, and staring unseeingly at crests
and coronetS. when there came a knock
at the door. Marianne opened il, to
speak for moment with the stage door
keeper.
"MadamoiselIe, she whisper d. coming
to me. Monsieur le CJmta Godensky
wishes to see you. Shall | say YOU are
mot receiving?"
l thought for moment. Better see
him. perhaps. l might learn sonnet hing
If Motif he had only come to torture me
uselessly to please himself. | would soon
find out. and could send him away
l went into my little reception room adj
joining and received him there He ad-
vanced. smiling, as one advances to a
.riend of whose welcome one is sure
'Well?' l asked. abruptly. when the