The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-01-03

But 1t was not cecily, 1t was Ire
maine himself who opened to me.
"Oh. Mr.. Lester" he cried, With hand
outstretched. how are you? l wanted
to see you've been listening for your
step. You must join US here this even
ing"
II shall be glad to-" said, returning
his clasp. all my suspicious melting
away. reduced to absurdity, at sight of
him. But why so particularly his
EVENING""
because we've planned a little cele-
bration. Cecily is going away--'
"Going away"
"Yes-back TO ST. Pierre to get my
house IN order-but I'll tell you at din
ner-it's to be served here in an hour.
You will Gomez"
Certainly 1 WILL" I assured him, and
FASTENED over to my room to dress.
He was awaiting me when l knocked
an hour later: a table had been set
With three places.
Come in" he said. Dinner will be
here directly. 1 thought it safer to have
and he nodded significantly toward the
inner room.
'Cecily?" I questioned.
"Yes-she takes it to heart more
than you'd believe. But he'll get over
1t in a day or two"
when docs she leave?"
I'm the morning early, by the fruit
boat. And, by the way, 1 want you to
gp down With me to see her of. She'll
appreciate It,"
why, certainly-but isn't 1t rather
sudden?"
IN a way, yes. You see. I've ar
ranged for a committee from New York
to 90 down to Martinique and o over
the ground. and l want to take them
before they IA a chance to COO off.
I've got to get my house there in order
and engage some servants, for that will
be our headquarters. and II Cecily
doesn't leave by the boat tomorrow, She
can't go for ten days. Ten days from
NOW I'm going to have the committee
ready 10 sail. and when I get them to
Martinique, Tn going to give them a
sample of Creole hospitality. 1 wish
You could come" he added warmly. I'D
like to have YOU"
There's nothing I'd like better" 1
said. suddenly conscious of how I had
aandered him in my thoughts. But
far it isn't possible just now"
Well, some day l shall have you
there. and I warn you l shan't let you
so in a hurry. Come in," he added, I'm
rsponse to a knock at the door.
Two walters entered, and in a mo-
nen the Inner was served.
THAT will do" said Tremaine, press
ing Il coin into the hand of each Of
them. Wei attend to ourselves. Send
' mp in an hour for the dishes. ! thought
that was best" he added. as he closed
he door after them. I'VE can talk
freely now
He stepped to the inner door.
"Cccily!" he called.
N She appeared In a olnc With eye-
bids Il !ittle puffed and red. but on the
whole in much better spirits than l had
expected. She was arlaNed i'm all her
F,a.,, c1., d of0 ,,Ht ~r ,;--- 80
leNvelry. I %think-and she paused in the
doorway to throw me Il courtesy. Ire
maine took her hand and led her to a
scat. with q grace worthy OF tho Grand
Monalque.
Sec the spoiled child," he said,
laughing across the table at her. a mo-
ment later. She's been making herself
miserable for nothing. In two weeks,
we shall be together again at Fond
Corrc.'
She answered his laugh with a thin
smile, and shot mo a glance pregnant
with meaning. | knew h meant that
her prophecy had come sue.
lie brilnmed her glass with wine.
Drink that he said. TO our meet
ing in two weeks"
ITO our meeting in two weeks," she
repeated ironically, and drained the
glass.
But in a few nen the mood
passed ana Slle became quite gay. Mo-:
till then did it occur to me that IRE
maine had made no reference to the
tragedy at Edgemere. Then | caught
myself just in time, for | remembered
suddenly chat | was not opposed to
know he had been there.
SO YOU have been successful?"
asked finally.
Yes. | believe so. I've succeeded in
interesting some capitalists. Richard
DelroN-perhaps you know him."
NO; only by reputation
Tile has helped me greatly"
You got through, then, sooner than
you eXDected?'
"Yes-l thought 1t would take n week
at least. MIR. Delroy had arranged that
the conference should take place at his
ountry house near Babylon. We fin
ished the details yesterday. and" he
added. after the faintest hesitation. IAN
extremely unfortunate event occurred
there last night which made any furth.
or stay impossible dare say you saw
an account of 1t in the evening pa
pcrs?'
"Oh, yes; that murder and robbery.
The evidence seems to point very
strongly toward a young fellow. named
DrSsdale."
Very strongly" he agreed. nodding
with just the right degree OF concern
although I'm hoping hat he NAV he
able to prove himself not guilty. An
a1llaDle young felloW-somewhat i'm
pulsive and headstrong-but let us not
talk about it. It's too unpleasant.
This evening we must be gay
There is no need for me to detail
what we did talk about, since it in
way concerns this story; but / have
never seen Trenaine to better adyan-
He was the unexceptionable gen
tlen'an. the man OF the world who had
far and tasted many things.
brilliant n witty talker-a person
ality in q word, on the whole so ~fascin-
atlng and impressive that long before
the evening was over 1 had dismissed
as ridiculous my vague suspicious of
hour before. The story that Cod
frey had built up, was, I reflected. wholly
flimsy with the nimsiness
Which always attaches to inns
tial evidence. I knew how a jury look
at Tremaine, would laugh at it. No
lawyer would risk his reputation with
such a case, no magistrate would allow
It to proceed before him. Why, for ali
l knew, Tremaine ould prove an alibi |
for the tragedy In suite fourteen as |
complete as that which Delroy had Of
fered for him In the Edgemere mystery
Godfrey and I had been forging a chain
Of sand, imagining 1t steell As for
that prison photograph. I had been de-
by q nance resemblance.
ss00hA h~a< |