Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-04
CHAPTER xxi.

SartoriS sat in his chair without express
ing any opinion or emotion of any klno.
There was just a faint suggestion OF
smile on his face as If he were getting
little more pleasure than usual out or MS
cigarette. He glanced quite casually IN the
direction of the doorway, and he moved MS
chair lust q little Then his left hand stole
quietly to his side.
1.-The battle is not always to the strong,
he said in quite a gentle tone OF voice.
But since you will, not give me your word,
I must do without it. If you want to CO.
there is no reason why should detan you
any longer. Good night, sir, and pleasant
dreams to you.
Though the words were uttered in quite
simple fashion, there was a ring ABOUT
them that Bennington did not altogether
like He wanted to flatter himself that ne
had conquered this murderous ruHlan py
sheer force of WILL as he had done more
than once with certain native tribes tnat he
had been sent out against.
But he could not think that he had any
kind of right to the feeling. Ihese people
had really got the best Of him, for they
had spirited away that mysterious parcel
and what was more to the point he had be-
trayed the fact that he had pretty good
idea of what that parcel was. why, tIien,
was there this sudden change OF front oll
the part of Carl Sartoris? The thought was
uppermost in Berrington's mind as ne lald
a hand on the door.
Then he reeled back as if struck by some
stupendous unseen force. great PAIN
pripped him from head to foot. his brain
seemed to be on fire. In vain ne strove TO
release his hand on the door knob; 1t seemed
welded to the metal. From head TO 1901
the shooting agony went on: win MS
teeth ripping his lower lip till the blood
came. Bennington tried to fight down the
yell of pain that filed his throat, but the
effort was beyond human power a long,
piteous wall of agony and entreaty came
hoy, q
fourth cry was torn from him and he 1elt
the oppression of a hideous death, mat tne
thing suddenly ceased and Sartorls gehtie'
knocking laughter took the place OF the
agony
..You are not feeling very WE'LL Sartoris
called out .If you are not altogether in
state of physical collapse, will you kindly
walk this way little brandy will about
fit the case
bennington was past protest and past
flight for the moment He seemed TO be
sick to the soul. There came back 10 MN
the vivid recollection of the time when ne
bullet through his lungs waiting YEARLY
for death in the morning. He hung hlmsei1
exhaustedly into a chair and gasped for
breath Sartoris watched him as some cold
blooded scientist might have watched the
faying of a live animal.
Your heart is not nearly so bad as you
think" he said. When the pressure goes
from your lungs you will be much better
That is a little dodge of mine whlcn IS pull'
upon a pretty full knowledge of electricity.
I'D to now l have not had an opportunity
of giving it a good trial. Are you feeling
any better?"
Harrington nodded. The color was coming
back to his cheeks now, the painful feel
ing at his chest abating. The brandy
was going to the right place.
You malignant little fiend,' he gasped.
Il should be doing the world service II l
took you by the throat and squeezed the
life out of YOU
well, the remedy is in your hands,
though I doubt whether or not Judge and
jury would take the same sanguine we" OF
the case. But you are free to try II you
like / am only mere miserable bag of
bones and you are a strong man. Get TO
work.
The cackling challenge passed UNDECIDED.
Actually there was something about the
strange little man to be afraid of. He took
up the thread of conversation again.
You will find that every exit is guarded
in the same way he SAID i nave ON! 10
set the whole machinery in motion and you
are poweress. You are in my hands. II
you had touched me when / asked you just
now, you would have been dead at my feet.
hidden in this crooked little body of mine
somewhere. l was not always bad, as you
know There was time when / was an
other man"
Never" bennington said dispassionately.
The seeds of evil were always there
well. let that pass, if you like. bad
man and a bad woman and dreadful &C
cident have reduced me to what you see.
What took place here tonight is beside the
mark The fact remains that you know too
much You stand between us and a scheme
that have been plotting for years. Wheth-
er that scheme is connected with Sir Charles
Darryll matters nothing. The great point,
as | said before, is that you know too much
What are you going to do?
wait my chance and publish my knowl-
edge to the world" Bennington cried.
7 hot
YOU are still in love with her l know that
YOU will never be happy till she is your
wife But you seem to lose sight of the
fact that she is strongly attached to me-
And if harm comes to me through you,
Mary will never become Mrs. Bennington.
She will love you and leave you as they do
in the stories.
You cannot detain me here for any
length of time" Bennington said coldly
Il can keep you here till l have finished
nv campaign" Sartoris replied. Il could
murder you, and nobody be any the wiser.
Bennington thought of Field, and smiled.
Hitherto he had not tried diplomacy. His
contempt and hatred for this man, his
knowledge of his own strength and cour
age had suff1ced for the present. NOW it
seemed time to resort to strategy.
"You are quite correct, SO far he said.
Il know much. 1 know a great deal more
than you imagine But in taking the risks
1 took tonight / did not do SO bllndly. l
had my own reasons for attending to the
L
ger and the man 1 had to deal with. So,
indeed, 1 would proceed to make my retreat
safe Did you ever hear of sealed orders?
Naturally l have. But what have they to
do with the present case?
Everything. When an admiral detaches
a part of his fleet in war time, he sends the
detached part away with sealed orders
which are to be opened under certain cir
cumstances. If those said circumstances do
not arise, then the sealed orders are de-
stroyed. AS I do not desire my second in
command to know too much, I gave him
sealed orders. If / do not return by a GER
tain time, these orders are to be opened. 1
should say that they are being opened about
now You understand me?''
Sartoris nodded; 1t was quite clear that he
understood perfectly we'll But his dry lit
tie face did not change in the slightest.
THAT was clever he said; but not quite
clever enough. l should have gone little
further If ! had been in your position. What
you say merely induces me to get rid of
you altogether. But let us go into my room
and discuss the matter quietly. Kindly turn
my chair around, no. not that way. Grip
the handle at the back and push me-
Bennington heard no more AS his hands
came in contact with the brass rail at the
back of the chair there came a tremendous
blow at the base of the brain, cold feeling
Of sudden death, and the crisis was past.
When Bennington came to himself again he
was living on a bed in a small room; there