Evening star., 1909-04-25

| very reason. By the way General, do you
know Switzerland we'll?
Every hotel in the country" he boasted
proudly.
= don't quite mean in that sense. Who are
| the authorities? For instance, if | had a
| friend buried in the cemetery here, to whom
| should apply for Identification of the grave?"
THE General screwed up his features into
judicial frown "Well-er-I should go
| to the communal office in the village if were
you, said he.
| Braving his mothers possible dispeasure,
George de Courcy Vavasour asserted his mani-
ness for Beryls benefit.
| Il know the right Johnny" he said. Let
me take you to him, Miss Jaques-eh, what?"
Millicent affected to consider the proposal.
She saw that Mrs Vavasour was content :" 1t
is very kind of you, she said, with her most
charming smile Have we time to 60 there
| before luncheon?'
| "Oh, loadSl''
| "I am walking toward the village May
come with your" asked Beryl Wragg
That will be too delightful" said Millicent.
George feeling the claws beneath the velvet
/ of Miss Wragg's voice. could only suffer IN
| silence. The three went out together The
| two women did the talking. and Millcent soon
discovered that Bower had unquestionably
paid court to Helen from the first hour of his
arrival in the Maloggia, whereas Spenser seemed
to be an utter stranger to her and to every other
person in the place. This statement offered
curious discrepancy to the story retaied by
Mackenzie assistant. But it strengthened her
case against Helen She grew more determined
than ever to go on to the bitter end.
| A communal official raised no difficulty
| about giving the name of the occupant of the
grave marked by the seventh cross from the
| tomb she described child was buried there,
| boy who died three years ago. With Beryl
Wragg's assistance she cross examined the man;
| but could not shake his faith in the register
t1a Tho
official knew them, and remembered the boy
quite well He had contracted fever and
| died suddenly.
This was disappointing. Millicent, pre-
pared to hear of tragedy. was confronted by
| the commonplace But the special imp that
attends all mischief makers prompted her next
question.
do you know Christian Stampa, the guide?"
| she asked
The man grinned Yes, signora He has
| WAS he any relation to the boya What
interest would he have in this particular gravefj
chin He took thought and reached for
another ledger. He ran finger through an
index and turned up page "A strange
thing. he cried. Why, that is the very
| place where Eta Stampa is buried! You see.
signora. = he explained it is small cemetery,
and our people are poor.
Eta Stampal WAS this. the cluee Mill
cents heart throbbed. How stupid that she
had not thought of woman earlier
How old was Eta Stampa'' she inquired.
| Her age is given here as nineteen, signora,
but that IS guess 1t was a sad case She
killed herself She came from Zermatt.
have lived nearly all my life in this valley. and
hers is the only suicide can recall
| Why did she kill herself. and when!'
| The official supplied the date; but he had
no knowledge of the affair beyond village
| rumor that she had been crossed in love. As
for poor old Stampa. who met with an accident
about the same time. he never was heard to
mention her
| "Stampa is the lame Johnny who went up
| the Forno Yesterday" volunteered George
when they quilted the office But say, Miss
| Jaques his daughter couldn't be friend OF
yoursl"
| Millicent did not answer. She was thinking
deeply. Then she realized that Beryl Wragg
was watching her intently. No she said.
Il did not mean to convey that she was my
friend only that one whom l know well was