The San Francisco call., 1907-03-17
CHAPTER xxtU
Moss.n Ray ExpIasr.

seeing either Ray OF Lady Angela,
but as ! crossed the hall they issued
from the billlard-rOom. Lady Angela
turned toward me eagerly.
Mr.. Ducsine." she exclaimed. have
you seen anything OF Lord BleuSvon
todsy?"
shook nay head.
Il have not seen him tor several days,
Lady Angela" answered.
Ray said something to her which
could not hear. She nodded and left ia
together.
IT seems" lie said, that this ami
able young gentleman iE more OF less
in the clutches OF sOur siren friend at
Brasier Grange. I think that you ana
i had better gO and diE him out
Thank YOU" I answered, but ] had
all ] wanted OF Brsster Grange last
night"
ssPooh." he answered lightly. you
are not even scratched. They are clumsy
conspirators there. I think that you
nnd ] are a match for them. Come
along
You must excuse me, Colonel Ray,"
I said. but ] have no desire TO Visit
13raster Grange, even with you"
Lady Angela. whose crossing the hail
had been noiseless. suddenly interpoeec.
you are quite right, Mr.. Ducaine,
She said: but this is no visit OF cour-
tesv. Is ft2 ] am sure that my brother
would never stay there voluntarily.
something must have happened 10
him"
I'VE viii 80 and see" Ray declared
Come along, Ducsine"
I hesitated, but a glance from Lady
Angela settled the matter. FOR an
other such I would have walked into
bell. Raw and ] started OF together.
and was not long before 1 spoke OF
The things which were Ia my mind.
colonel Ray" ] said. when saw
you this morning you mace two ses'e
luents. both Of which were false.
Ray brought out his pipe ana began
10 I'll 81 in leisurely fashion
go on" he said what were
..1be first was that you had come
down from London by the neNsp pAPel
train this morning. and the second Wa
that you had received your injuries ="
z hanson cab accident
ais pipe was started and he pulled
o,,t dense volumes OF smoke WIN an
air OF keen enjoyment
Worst OF having a woman TOT your
hostess he remarked, "one can
smoke except 3 sickly cigarette OF Two
You should take 10 pipe, Ducslne;
VIII YOU be good enough 70 e&pi1.., p1-,.,
those two rniSStHteinShle, NSAS-'
Lies both OF them" he answered
,,.,.,. s~riro cheerfulness. Rotten lies,
and I hate telling 'em. The manson
-cab accident must have SOUNDED w
thin"
IT did" I assured him
F5e removed his pipe from his teeOh
and pushed down the tobacco Win the
end Of his finger.
Il came down from town by Inc SAM
Tor my broken head and snlasiieu q 'i'
YOU did il yourself
Il imagined So I answered fet-
hans you will admit that you owe me
some explanation"
He laughed. a deep bass laugh. and
looked down at me with gieSm OF
humor in his black eyes.
Come" he said, j thiuk that lne
hoot is on the other leg MY head Is
s,ceedinely painful and my leg is very
! Stin. For young man Of your bUtld
,lou have most surprising muscle
Il am 10 understand. then. that IL was
,-ou who committed an unprovoked as
ss,ilt upon me-who planned TO have me
waylsid in that dsstardly fashion?
DO you think" Ray asked quietly.
that 1 should be such a d--d foolg
What am ] 20 think. then2 What
ann I 10 believer / asked with anger
You found me starving. and you save
INC employment. but ever since ] started
my work life has become a huge. ugly
riddle Are YOU my friend or my en-
eriy2 7 do not know. There is q drama
being PLAYED out before my very eyes.
The fgures in IL move about me con-
tinualiv. vet / alone am hlinSfolded.
am trusted to almost an incredible eN-
tent. Great issues arc conhded 10 me-
L have been given such post ss man
might work for q lifetime to secure
Yet where a little confidence would give
me zest for my vork-would Is ke away
this horrible sense Of moving always In
the darkness--it is withheld from me-"
Ray smoked on in silence for several
moments
Well he said. 4 am not sure that
you are altogether unreasonable But
on the other hand. you must not forget
that there ia method. and 4 good deal OF
ID. in the very things Of which you COM
plain. There are certain positions In
which a man may md himself where a
measure Of Ignorance is a blessed thing.
Believe me. that IL you understood. your
difficulties would increase instead OF
diminish.
shrugged my shoulders
But between you and me at least.
Colonel Ray" ] said, there IL g plain
issue. You can explain the events OF
lasi night 10 me-"
VIII 90 lndL. ne answered SINCE
YOU have asked 81. Briefly. then, part
cd from YOU on the steps OF my club at
a few minutes past 3 last night"
Yes"
II saw from the moment we appeared
that you were being watched. saw
the man who was lettering on the pave
ment lean over TO hear the address you
gave TO the cabman. and you were
scarcely away before he was following
you. But IL was only just as he drove
by. leaning a little forward IN his han
som, that I saw his face. I recognized
him for one OF that woman's most
dangerous confederates. and I knew
then that some viilainy was on foot
To cut a long story short. ] came
down unobserved in your train. fol-
lowed you TO Brsster Grange. and was
only a yard or two behind when this
fellow. who acts as the woman's chauf-
feur. sprang out upon YOU. ! was un-
fortunately a little too quick TO the
rescue and received a smash on the
head from your stick. Then you boited
and I found myself engaged with a pair
o. them. on the whole 1 think that
they got the worst Of it,"
The other one--was Lord Blenavon.'
j exclaimed.
''It was"
Then he is concerned in the plots
81