Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-03
A Woman's Enchantment
By WILLIAM LIE QUEUX.
now and leave it to me to discover the
Copyright 1909. BY william LIE Queux)

know and leave it to me to discover the
rest
IL can't. Phil. I wont-so please
don't ask me. All! my Cod" cried the
guilty man, holding out his hands. Spare
me, il you are really my friend"
Answer me one question. Who was
the woman who called on Garshore at the
Cecil that night?'
Lydia Popescu. Of course"
Then the woman now dead was not
/ the woman by whose influence Soutzo
withheld the concession from you?" l de-
| manded seriously. noting how pale and
naggard was his countenance.
He nodded in acQufeScence.
What occurred afterward?" 1 asked.
How can l tell?" he moaned. There
| was a plots not that evident2'
/. "A plot that had for its object the TAX
| ing of a woman's ife.' l remarked; add
ing, Has it never occurred to YOU that
| that blackguard Garshore had every mo-
tive In getting rid of her. After she had
served his purpose in obtaining the con-
| cessiOn in ROumania she was only an
| incubus-and probably was exorbitant in
| her demands for money as payment for
| her services?"
NO" was his decisive answer: you're
wrong there. He had every motive that
Lydia should live. The motive that she
| should die was mine-for l hated her"
Already he had admitted his guilt.
| Therefore what had / to say?
Look here. Granny" l exclaimed at
last. There must be some way out Of
! this How can l help you?"
by continuing to supply me with funds.
so that l can remain in exile and live in
secret in some out-of-the-way hole" was
his bitter reply.
But l want to clear you-to prove an
alibi."
| How can guilty man do that" he
asked. You're speaking of pipe dream,
old boy" he added, with catch in his
| voice.
! | reflected for some moments. If he
knew Lydia Popescu better than he had
| at first admitted to me-and this seemed
so-he would surely know her maid, the
woman Marie Lebas. She had been a
mystery throughout the whole affair.
| having disappeared before the crime, all
subsequent efforts of the police to trace
| her having proved futile.
/ According to Cunliffe, only three per-
sons had ever seen her in England. there
fore the police were sadly handicapped in
| their search. An appeal had been made
to her by Scotland Yard to induce her to
come forward and volunteer a statement,
| but all to no purpose. She was either far
away in some distant land and had not
seen the appeal or else she feared to face
unwelcome inquiries.
Tell me frankly. Granny. l
said in an earnest voice. THAT
woman had a French maid, Maria
Lebas. You, of course. know her Be
| fore the-er-unfOrtunate occurrence-she
! Granny started. turned pale. and stood
| staring at me IN wonder. possibly for
| getting that l was aware of the fact, and
forgetful that we. had already spoken of
/ the maids existence.
Where could find her. do you think?'
| added
How should l know
!! But you might make shrewd guess.
i You admit knowing the young woman,
| don't your"
| Certainly. She was French-from AK.
| in Provence, 1 believe. But she's not
likely to have gone back home"
| "Why?"
Because she has money, and would,
therefore, keep away from her parents.
| That class only returns to the paternal
| roof when stranded"
"Where shall l look for her?"
| my dear fellow how should / know
he repeated, half impatiently. It daresay
she's to be found somewhere in Solo,
THAT would be dangerous, for the po-
lice would discover her." l remarked.
mo Remember that she was seen by
Garshore. therefore the description given
| to the police must of necessity be vague.
And there being some thousands of
young Frenchwomen resident in that
lively concealed than IL she escaped
abroad"
scotland Yard has many secret agents
in Solo," l remarked.
L
the woman Lebas. depend upon it,
He spoke in tone OF quiet conviction,
with ring of despair In his voice. My
departure for England seemed complete
lly to have unnerved him. It was as
though he would have given up all hope
Of clearing himself rather than I should
leave him.
"Come. comet I said. ut is useless
taking that tone. At least I can do my
best to find the woman Lebas while
am in London"
with what object?" he inquired.
with the object OF protecting you,
Granny"
He laughed bitterly.
my dear fellow. you are fitting against
the wind. All. I only wish that 1 dare
tell you everything. But If did SO I'd
lose your friendship-and you are now
my only friend"
Granny" l said. very seriously, "you
have already admitted your guilt. but l
have not turned my back upon you. You
have my deepest sympathy"
IT know, dear old fellow he cried. un-
shed tears standing in his eyes. And