Evening star., 1909-08-21
Judith.

GriinbleShaw was provoked with him
self not simply for having told Trafford
so much that to tell him more presented
itself necessity. but well because
of the degree to which the detective had
impressed himself his imagination.
Trafford had told him. what? Simply that
he had given Calden an order on the
state agency for brandy, and that he
had talked over the telephone with Alien
burg two DAYS before the atters death.
The first fact was within the reach of
any one who chose TO exercise the com
mon right to inspect the record of agency
sales; the second would inevitably come
10 light in the perfectly natural inquiry
that would be made at the telephone Of
flee. in view of the two mysterious mes
sages on the night of the murder. Actu-
ally. therefore. Trafford had told him
nothing. and Yet had succeeded in inn
pressing him with the conviction that
lie knew much. and much too that it re-
quired skill TO discover. 1t WIS. OF
course. trick of the trade common
enough in use. without doubt but that
only changed the viewpoint to that of the
question Why had Trafford deemed i,
necessary TO use il on him? He wasn't
certain that that might not be the more
disturbing phase of the affair
However that might be, Trafford had
certainly succeeded in making him nerv-
a glass of whisky. and only discovered
that he had neglected the modicum OF
water when ii stung his throat
Il suppose he'll go and tell Judith OF
our meeting in BraXton'S woods yeSter-
day. he muttered. He didn't mention
il TO me. therefore lie must have known
He had been saying Judith for the
last twenty-four hours for the mere
pleas of hearing the sound and now
he said it involuntarily.
He had probably heard the name OF
Judith Calden forty times. on an easy
estimate. since he came to Lanceboro
but II had carried no meaning with il
until it was spoken by the man in the
doorway. when 1t put him into fever
of expectancy. Under what circum-
stances would they meet he continually
asked himself: for clearly they must
meet under some circumstances, in view
of his relations to the murder and hers
to the murdered man. Forthwith he Sc,
himself TO taking precautions against the
meeting. Then. just as contrary things
turn out i'll this contrary world. they had
come face to face in BraXtons woods
she on horseback and he on foot. 1t was
devllish awkward for her no less thar
for him. though he was bound to admi,
that she had carried it through with thai
mask of Indifference which is possible
only in small things to the feminine ca
pacity for duplicity. This reminded him
that 1t might be of interest. when he was
out of this scrape. as. of course. he woul6
some time be out of it, to take up the
question whether the detective mind was
essentially of the feminine cast.
Under the conditions of the meeting his
only avenue of escape leading UP a beech
n q fyya rt mn ho 4 h.
encounter and expressed the hope that
the sorrow and shock of her uncle's
death had not affected her seriously
Somehow their acquaintance of two win
ters before. mere half dozen chance
meetings at the houses of mutual friends
in New York seemed to develop into
something of real substance under the
atmosphere of this sudden disaster. The
artificialities of intercourse. invented foi
the policing of the social world, became
meaningless in the fashlight that re.
vealed actual relationship. even rela
tionship of repuisiOn.
It's shock of course. she said
Our affairs have so been dragged t6
light in the las: forty-eight hours as tc
suggest that the public doesn't care mucl
for our sorrow.
She was a tall. dark girl. and he re-
membered that he bad thought her al.
most pretty save for an expression oi
repressment that made her face a trifit
a little short of claim to beauty. He haC
thought her cold and distant. and ha(
found her almost appealingly friendly
Now the face was older. graver and more
deeply stamped with character The
pretttiness, or possibility of prettiness
gone but one would have said tha
il was as yet undetermined whether
beauty or character was TO become dom
nantly characteristic There was repres
sion. too, but repression so controlling
that one felt Ii an atmosphere rather
than saw II as expression. 1t was a!
if she had gone so far in fighting sorrow
that she herself had almost ceased Il
understand it as sorrow.
"Of course" he said such an affair
arouSes much greater interest in plac,
like Lanceboro than in big city.
Scandal has interest everywhere" sh'
answered. rejecting the proffered mere,
of his speech.
Aren't you too harsh in your expires
SION? he ventured.
Its your business as physician I,
apply palliatives,'' she suggested Thel
she suddenly leaned forward. unde
an impulse too strong to be resisted. ant
almost whispered. intense seemed he
feeling. Il hope you saw nothing tina
night that YOU have not already told
I've told everything | have to tell.
be felt IL ungracious not to give her tn
full denial she asked, yet upon reflection
decided to leave it at that. None the les
lie had won her gratitude.
You have right TO an eXplana ion.
she began. but he interrupted her almos
brusquely.
Il know nothing that requires an ex
plantation
An explanation is my right then sh
burst forth. ITS crueler than the cruel
est that ! can't make it, and she wa
gone among the trees and the shadow
their bare branches wove under the after
noon sunlight
Did Trafford know of this meeting ant
if not. how soon would he know of il
That was the question Grimbleshav
asked himself now. dimIy wondering il
what tangled network ne was caught
He had never fel. fear of a man before
not even the man vino held his colleg
debts, and the Lord knew they were
pressing enough and inconvenient enough
Would this affair and the death of OF.
John Altenburg precipitate them. or 70
a time hold them off? 1t was idle to asl
that. but 1t wasn't idle to admit that ii,
was afraid of this man. and afraid o
afraid for himself Whatever ha ppenet
he had always faced life bravely with
strong belief in his ability to fight I,
success. and this belief was no whit les
strong TO-DAY. only, and lie had asSet
himself The question dozen times sine,
yesterday, what was success worth any
way if such as Judith Calden could b.
placed in Il position where she recognize,
Tor EerSeif that explanation was at one
necessary ard Impossible
Was he prepared to take the position
that there was nothing 10 explain an,
stand by it? The very fact that lie wa
asking the question was its own answer
he told himself. as he flung aside angril,
the cigar he had long since allowed I.
so out. He looked after il and laughed
.'lt'H need bigger practice thar
Lanceboro has shown any disposition t,
give me if I'm to set rid of cigars tn