Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-09
1.-THE CASE OF LADY BR0ADST0NE;
BY ARTHUR w. MARCIIMONT.
BY =
= ntereda at =
Copyright, 1903. by Arthur W. Marchmont


|
| Her courage beat him. Had she given
| sign of fear or even of hesitation he
would have made the effort. desperate
though it was. But he was afraid of her,
and he skunk back 10 the wall.
| Sadie shut the door leading to Eva's
room. and he heaved a sigh of relief He
understood the action She did not wish
| Eva to hear what was taking place. and
| therefore she might be willing to let him
| go and say nothing of this visit
His confidence began to return immedl-
ately. and with it the capacity to think
| freely once more. He recalled her former
conditon-that everything was to be
| kept secret from Eva.
On her side, Sadie, having Won the
| victory, was somewhat at a loss what
use to make of it, Her real wish was
that he should leave the house and con-
tinue his journey to London; but she
had already threatened to denounce him
if he was found at Broadstone in the
morning. and he had returned in spite
of that.
Il was hesitating whether to let you
go, Mr.. Dorrison. but l have decided
that you are too dangerous she said.
firmly. Il shall rouse the house. and
you must answer all the charges against
you
If she meant that she wouldn't stop to
tell me so, was his thought Very we'll.
/ can't help myself You have beaten
me: do as you will,' he answered; and
after pause added: 1T will be best now
| to have the whole truth out"
you admit you came here to kill me?'
For second he hesitated: but. as an
admission made now to her alone could
easily be denied afterward. he made it.
Yes; I came to get back what you
forced from me-
And that you killed Jack Petherby?"
She took out the two pieces Of cord as
she spoke.
You have said that before. and have
those proofs. as you deem them"
With smile of triumph she put them
back In her pocket, as she replied: IF
you had succeeded, you would have done
the same to Eva. leaving 1t to be sup
posed that had done it. 1 know your
purpose"
He showed TO surprise at this reading
of his intentions. There was a pause
and then he said jerking his head toward
the next room: You do not wish her to
know that she is not my cousins wife.
but 1t will have to come out some time"
He spoke now with some of dis GUS
tOmary nonchalance.
That is the one thread on which your
life hangs" declared Sadie, CURLY.
I'D rather lose it than be pauper
round my neck. Do what you will He
was playing on her reluctance to bring
! matters to crisis by calling up the
house Il can put up pretty good an
thread is much thicker than you say
You have admitted your guilt
''To you alone, yes. But to others. no.
Jacks death was an accident. and as for
taken. That's all. Tonight 1 returned
because / had forgotten some important
papers. The house was locked. and l
thought this was my cousins room.
was going to wake him when you mis-
took me for burglar" He could even
laugh now as he shrugged his shoulders
with an air Of Indifference.
Words and manner both angered her.
THAT decides me. You shall have the
chance to explain if you can she said,
as she moved back to the bell In doing
this her eyes were for second off his
face, and he saw his chance to escape
and darted through the window. Di-
rectly afterward she heard him clam
Der hastily down one of the stanchions
Of the balcony and rush across the grav-
eled drive in headlong flight.
With something like a sigh Of relief.
she closed the window; It was perhaps
the best ending to the incident, after all.
she reflected. She could still bring both
charges against him in case Of need. and
it would strengthen her case that. Just
| as she had threatened to denounce him.
he had fed. That she did not at once
rouse the house after his flight would be
quite plausbly and nationally explained
by her reluctance to take any steps
which would disturb Eva.
She had scarcely closed the window
| before she was conscious of a strange
| feeling Of weakness, and had to slip
into the nearest chair and rest while
she steadied her nerves. She had gone
through the ordeal of the encounter with
Dorrson without tremor; she knew
that if he had forced her she would have
shot him without a qualm of hesitation
and her nerves had been as steady as
steel.
But now that the tension was relaxed
she began to tremble like scared child
In a flash she seemed to realize with
vivid and alarming distinctness, the
danger through which she had passed.
| She had been close to death once
before-when her husband had made that
dastardly attempt years ago out in
Helena. But she had not known of her
danger until it was all past. and she had
not had to fight for her life as Dorrison
had forced her to fight.
A cold chill seized upon her till she
| shivered and her teeth chartered: every
vein seemed a channel of ice, while the
perspiration stood thick on her fore
head She tried to rise and her knees
shook under her SO that she could not
stand. and she sat gripping the arms
of the chair, confused and half dizzy in
sudden almost paralyzing faintness.
| Il am going to faint" she thought
and then an irresistible inclination to
| laugh seized her, and she began to giggle
| vacuously and stupidity. she did not know
| at what.
(To be continued tomorrow)
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