Evening star., 1909-04-11

L
compromise. He came in this morning and
wanted to will OF course | shouldn't
have showed it to him if had had it but | told
him it was here. If it had been stolen, we
should have been up against it, though we
should have won in the end"
What was the date of the former will?"
January I, 1905.
And this. | see, is just six months later,
July l, 1908"
Yes it was made after Drellmont Junior
had that affair with chorus girl. The papers
were full of it. After that he went West and
got into more scrapes. | understand the police
are after him now. My client, Miss Drellmont.
has wanted to compromise, just to get rid of
him; but | wouldn't have it "
Il see Astro spoke abStractedly as he
handed back the document. He was sitting
near the secretary. and, as he listened, had
picked up a red blotter that lay on the desk.
As he rose, he kept it in his hand, and when
Van Asten put the will away Astro put the
blotter into his pocket
There strange light in his eyes how
ever, as he gazed at the young lawyer. 1t was
if he was analyzng him, deliberately, scien-
tifically, reading his character in his features.
one by one, weighing his soul in the balance.
Well. | think | can't do anything more
now he said finally. "Ill try to get home
before the drifts have got any higher If you
miss anything else, telephone me. You might
inquire of the janitor, too. He may know how
your visitor got in.
What do you think she wanted, anyway"
said Van ASten.
All | can't tell you that-yet. But there
are evil vibrations here | feel wrong. She
wanted good, you may be sure of that.
shall go into psychic trance and try the crys-
tails
Van Asten smiled. 1t did not escape Astro's
notice.
Having engaged my services" he said
calmly, II shall expect YOU to follow nv in
structions to the letter | can help you: and [
think You need more aid than you imagine.
Van Asten Immediately became serious. Il
believe you do know something he said.
well, don't care how YOU find out. | know
| can trust you. Let me know what to do, and
I'll do it,
As Astro opened the outer door of the Ell
ton. the drifts were two feet high. The
snow drove in gusts of fine icy particles, and it
was bitterly cold The flakes came in squalls.
driving clouds before them; one could scarcely
stand upright against the blast He bent his
head forward and fought his way. Before he
had gone block his hands and ears al !,
most frozen Another block, and he sought
refuge III a doorway to beat himself, rub his
ears, and stamp little warmth into his feet.
There drift filling corner of the door
way, and as his eyes fell on it. he black
patch beneath. Brushing the snow aside, he
came upon woman, unconscious with the cold.
She was dressed in black, and wore chinchilla
furs. Her heavy yellow hair was fastened with
long silver pins.
Bending over her, he tried to restore her to
consciousness: but it impossible Her
hands and feet were Individually frozen, and
she had succumbed to the exposure. The
ering of snow had, in way protected her; but
the was desperate What was there to
doa Outside in the street there were no signs
of life. Had the doorway been that of resi-
dence, he might have rung the bell and ap-
pealed to the mercy of the residents. But it
was the entrance to small office building, and
no one would be in at this hour. Astro was ten
blocks from his studio. He had reasons for
wanting to be alone with the girl A little scrap
of chinchilla fur he had found caught in the
outer doorway of the Elton fitted suspiciously
with torn place at the end of this womans
astrachan stole, and her hairpins matched the
one in his pocket.
A BLACK splotch came into view down the
avenue. 1t two-horse carriage, la
boring painfully into the teeth of the blizzard.
As it approached, Astro ran out and bribed
bullied the driver into taking him and the
woman to 34th-st 1t took half hour, and
more than once the the box stopped
and protested that he would have to give it up.
But they finally arrived at No 2s4. and, taking
the inanimate form in his arms, Astro carried
her up stairs.
His first action, after depositing her
sofa, to ring for Il doctor. His next was to
telephone to Valeska w ynne, his assistant. and
urge her to attempt to come Immediately to
the studio. Then he returned to his charge.
She still gripped leather bag in her frozen
hands AStro Separated the Sfifened finperS