Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-18
CHAPTER XXXVI.


thinking about anything else. but now 1t
came to him that Beatrice might be in some
little danger.
In the first place, the girl was in posses
| sion of a parcel of valuable diamonds. the
possession of which the others knew Of and
coveted. The rascals were in tight place
now, and they would not stick at much to
make their escape. II they were short OF
funds the diamonds in Beatrice's pocket
would come in useful. But Bennington, like
the cool soldier that he was, had decided
not to spoil the thing by eager haste.
There was plenty of assistance outside. and
besides, he had trusty revolver In his
pocket. He stood now in the hall where he
was in a position to hear all that was go
ing on.
Beatrice had rushed to the door and beat
her hands upon it. She was pulled away
more or less roughly by the man called
Reggie, but she did not seem to notice it.
Am 1 mad or dreaming?" she said as
she pressed her hands to her forehead. Il
could have sworn that l heard a voice call
ing me, a voice
"AIl nonsense" said Sartors hoarsely.
you are overstrung, and your imagination
is too real for you. Did any of the rest Of
you hear voice?'
The other two denied that they had heard
anything Beatrice broke out scornfuly-
ut is lie.'' she said. You all heard it.
Everybody heard 1t. If not. why are you
all white. and why do you all look so
curiously at one another?'
1t quite true. and Sartoris had no re-
ply for the moment. He seemed to be
struggling to regain his lost self-posSes-
sion. Then he glanced at the man called
Reggie. who shrugged his shoulders. Sar-
toris was himself again by this time.
1T was certainly effect of the magma
tion'' he cried. Let us talk of other things
My dear young lady, my friends here have
been good enough to betray the fact that
you have a lot of valuable diamonds in
your pocket. Is that a fact?"
Beatrice scorned to lie, and now in any
case it would have been useless. She looked
from one to the other and wondered what
had become of Bennington. Bennington was
listening outside the door and feeling that
the time for him to interfere was close at
hand.
ut is exactly as these people say" Bea-
trice admitted.
at is very good of them to take all this
trouble Sartoris said in a sulky voice.
Because of those stones in your pocket
they are here tonight. They followed you
here because they are both lovers of that
kind of thing. Out of purely disnterested
motives, they had made up their minds not
to tell me. but little indiscretion on the
part of my fair lady prevented that silent
policy from becoming a success
Whats all this about?" Cora asked I'M
easily.
"Why ask" Sartoris said with contempt.
$50 that was your game. Ell? Fill your own
pockets and leave the rest of us to look
after ourselves. Go off together and try the
air OF SOuln America OECe you rep
tiles!"
The other two said nothing. They had
proper respect for the keen intelligence of
Carl Sartoris, and they knew that he had
found them out There was queer CLEAN
in his eyes.
1--WE will have a friendly discussion on
the ethics of the case some other time, he
said with an ominous frown. Meanwhile
l think you can leave the matter to me.
My dear young lady, 1 should very much
like to see those diamonds"
Il regret that 1 cannot accommodate you.
Beatrice said. I'm the first place thy are
not mine.
mo. but they belong to Stephen Richford,
which Is much the same thing"
Again | am sorry to have to disagree
with YOU" Beatrice went on quietly THE
man who calls himself my husband has
ended his career disgracefully. He has been
guilty of fraudulent conduct and even al
the present moment he may be in the hands
Of the police
Beatrice spoke more truly than she had
imagined. She was not in the least fright
ened, and yet she knew perfectly well that
these people would not stick at trif1es.
MY husband came 70 me tonight she
said He came and asked me for these
gems. He wanted to turn them into money
to fly with; he desired to have a luxurious
retreat l might have parted with them
but for one thing-he seemed to have no
sorrow for those that he had robbed. So
1 declined to part with the diamonds. l am
going to keep them and hand them over to
my huSDdnuS creditors. L TOOK them from
the safe in my hotel fearing that there
would be complications, but 1 was wrong,
and l am sorry that did So"
And why are you sorry?" Sartoris asked.
Because the stones were far safer there
than they are here" Beatrice said.
There was no installing the girls insinu-
ation even SartOriS REDEEMED.
$50 you mean to say that you suspect
me?" he asked.
Most certainly I do Beatrice said bold
ly. Il have only to look into your face to
see that You are all three together; there
is no honesty between you. You are not
even loyal to each other And l know who
you are and what part you all played in
the removal of my fathers body from the
hotel. You who call yourself Sartoris are
the little cripple of the black hanson cab.
you others are the rogues who posed
Countess de la Moray and General Gastang.
And if those diamonds are to become your
property, you must take them by force
lie brave CHEM the woman sneered.
well, l suppose what must be must. Who
will do it?'
WHO better than yourself?" Sartoris
asked. 81 had rather not lay hands on
woman, but"
'"There is no necessity. The painful thing
is not going to be done at all. 1t is well
that 1 am here to shield your consciences
from such an outrage.
The door had opened so suddenly that the
man Reggie was almost carried off his feet,
and Bennington stood in the room. Beatrice
gave sudden sob of relief, for she had
forgotten Bennington altogether In the ten
sion of the moment. He stood there erect
and upright his face pale with anger and
his eyes blazing like stars.
Sartoris burst out furiously and impatient
ly-
"Damnation!' he screamed. Il had clean
forgotten all about this fellow. His very
existence had passed altogether out of my
mind"
Then your memory is very short and
very convenient" Bennington said. 1T is
not very long ago that my presence in
the house was exceedingly convenient to
you"
You saved my life for what it is WORTH"
Sartoris growled sullenly
well, it may be worth a great deal to the
police" Bennington retorted. Il saved your
life, which was perhaps foolish thing to
do, especially as you had made prepara-
ton to sacrifice mine for so doing. While
your hands have been SO full, l have been
making investigations in the house. Really,
l have been very we'll repaid for my trou-
ble."
Sartoris started and looked up uneasily.
For once his ready tongue failed him.
perhaps you had better be little more
explicit he said
Time enough for that, presently My
first discovery was in connection with the
dining room fireplace. 1 fancy you know
what 1 mean. The next item was connected