The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-09-13
CHAPTER XII.
Hls Royal hiqhnsss

CHAPTER XII.
His Royal hlohnsss
The long dining room was al
most filled with a troop Of guests
Places were laid along the flower.
decked table for 80 or 40. I stood
apart for few moments whilst
the duke was greeting some OF
his guests. Ray motioned me To
q place by him.
"Come and sit here, Ducaine,
he said. Il have been down on the
sands for more than an hour this
morning and have returned with
an excellent appetite
81 saw you returning" said
"Your boots looked as though you
had been wading In the wet sand
{ You were not there without pur'
pose"
: II was not he admitted. Il sel.
dom do anything without a pur'
pose"
For a moment he abandoned the
subject. and addressed few re
marks to a man across the table
with short cropped hair and beard
and shooting dress of black.
"You are quite right" he said
turning towards me suddenly. y
had a purpose in going there.
thought that the gentleman whose
untimely fate enlisted your sympa'
thies might have dropped some
thing useful to me-"
/ looked at him with shudder
"If you are in earnest" said. u
trust you were unsuccessful"
1T would have been better FOR
you," he said, grimly, had my
search met with better result. The
man came to see you. II he had
been alive you might have been In
his tolls by now. He was very
cunning person, and those VINO
sent him were DEVILS
"And how do you know these
things?" l asked, amazed.
From the letters which l ripped
from his coat" he answered. i,
1.-The letters--were they addrefDi
ed to me?"
"They were.'
was getting angry.
II think" l said, you will admit
that l have q right to them"
mot a shadow of doubt of 1t.
he answered. "In fact, 1t was sc
obvious that / destroyed them"
Destroyed my letters!"
Precisely! l chose that course
rather than allow them to fall into
yoso hands"
"You read them, without doubt
You can acquaint me with theil
contents"
Some day." he said. 81 probably
shall. But not yet. Believe me OF
not, as you choose, but there are
certain positions in which ignor
ance is the only possible safe
state. You are in such a position
at the present moment"
Are you," l asked, my moral
-Nguardian?'
81 have at least" he said, Gin
Cured certain responsibilities on
your behalf. You could no lOnger
hold your present post and be In
communication with the sender OF
those letters"
My anger died away despite my
self. The mans strength and hon
esty of purpose were things which
/ could not bring myself to doubt
"By the by" he remarked pres
emily, you, too, my young friend
were out early this morning"
Il was writing all night" / an
swered. II had documents to put
In the safe"
He shot quick, searching glance
at me.
"You have been to- the safe this
morning, them"
Certainly! 1t Is the object Of
my coming here"
"You entered the room with the
duke. Was he in the study at that
hour?"
mo. I went upstairs to him. ]
had question to ask"
"And you have met Lord Blen'
avon? What do you think Of him?'
I'VE were at Magdalen together
for term" l answered. 'He was
good enough to remember me-"
left the room few minutes
afterwards. and came face to face
in the hall with Lady Angela.
81 am glad, Mr.. Ducaine," she 70
marked. that your early morning
labors have given you an appetite
You have been In to breakfast
have you nOt?"
"You father was good enough to
insist upon It," answered.
II trust 80 far that everything ID
+ going on satisfactorily? she In.
|, Quired, raising her eyes to mine.
think so,' l said. Forgive me-
Lady Angela Iadded, but I think
that you must have walked too far
this morning. You are very pale
: II am tired she admitted.
Il There was lounge close al
hand. She moved slowly toward It.
and sat down. There was nc
spoken Invitation. but I understood
that I was permitted to remain
with her.
"Do you know" she said, looking
round to make sure that we were
alone, II dread these meetings OF
the council. ! have always the
feeling that something terrible will
happen. I knew Lord Ronald very
well, and his mother was one OF
my dearest friends. I am sure that
he was perfectly innocent. And to-
day he Is In a madhouse. They say
that be will never recover"
l tried to lead the conversation
into other channels. but she ignored
my attempt.
"There Is something about It ali
DO grimly mysterious" she said. "It
seems almost as though there must
be traitor. II not In the council
tself, In some special and privi
legged position,