Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1909-05-19

knOWleQSe or the QeplOraDIe event
which had shaken our little communi-
ty to lis foundations, and not even
his sister could induce him to do any
thing more.
Hang it all!" he said roughly, one
evening when she had urged upon him
the necessity OF at least Offering to be
of any assistance IN his power, why
should l mix myself up in it? The
man is dead, and, fi1n all accounts,
it seems a good riddaaCe."
But, Wilfrid, dear, remember we
knew them before we met them here.
It does not seem kind
She paused, for he interrupted. with
a disagrseable laugh:
Eve knew tlen!-yes, SO We Cid.
Why should I forget it? I haze c me
ali ! ever mean TO do for him. Ard
don't ask me to so near that ToHs2
where lie lies dead-llis wife lock: and
locks al you with her big solemn eyes,
reading your very scul. There gre
some things even yon cannot make me
dc. and
''Wilfrid.''
He stopped abruptly, and with 3
| nluttered apology lefS the veranGa. His
| sister sighed Q little as she turned to
! Gabrielle, who Sat next her.
Poor Wilfrid." she said. Only see
| how nervous he is. Ec always had
this strange aversion to death, ard he
did not like Mr.. Graharl-lnen know
men. / fear he is not as strong as /
thought, fo2. this sad affair has com
! Diate,y unneryed him. Have you not
noticed how badly lie loolls?"
Il was indeed patent >hat be wae
| far from well. He was sullen and IL
ritable, bis complexion had assumed 4
dull, pasty hue. and his eyes were
slli1ty and troubled.
i believe" remarked Elizabeth that
night when we were alone, chat Lore
ETilfrid takes some kind Of drug
which gives him that queer gree.isIs
look
Poor Lady Edith" I said. ST be-
lieve she has troubles Of her own with
| him.
And how hraTel! she hides the.n:"
added Gabrielle, thoughtfully. We'll,
it only goes to prove what [ have
said all along: Blood will tell"
But if Lord W'tlfrid failed in the
ordinary courtesies of humanity, Ger
don Bennett did ali and more than
could have been expected of him, ard
l. soon forgot his scarf-pin with the
Sphinx's head, and also the fact that
l had seen him trying to force an en-
| trance into our boathouse, which ca
traordinary proceeding was still unex-
planned.
So the days passed, and we slowly
resumed our ordinary routine, recov'
ering from the shock with the elias
ITCHY of youth and health, and quite
| willing to put the dreadful episode
away from us.
There was a ball at the hotel one
night, and we all went, glad of the
diversion afforded by the lights and
music and pleasantly conscious that
our gowns were all that could be d.
sired. ;
Gordon Bennett and Mr.. Blake, IS
we'll as many other cottagers, sailed
| over to participate, and as the floor
was good, the music excellent, and
men plentiful, we enjoyed ourselves
very much indeed. j;
Mr.. Blake danced once with me, but,
l noticed that his eyes continually fol-
lowed Lady Edith's graceful figure,
again attired in the black gown which
| afforded such an effective background
| for her golden hair and white Shout
ders.
lis, she not lovely?" inquired, as
my glance followed his.
tShe is wonderful" he said, almost
beneath his breath-"wonderful.
After supper, as l stood for mo.
Edith touched me on the shoulder and
beckoned me to join her on the veran-
da. Her face was very grave, and l
observed that her hand was cold and
shook a little as she drew me to q
chair.
elise" she said; II am going to
pain YOU
I looked at her in silence, wonder
ing greatly, but she seemed to find IL
| difficult to continue.
Have you ever thought" she said
at last, that there is anything strange
about Mr.. Bennett"
Stranger" I repeated. stranger"
"Not quite right, mean. What
| men call straight. Have you ever
seen him do anything which seemed to
require an explanation? Have you
ever asked him a question he could
| not answer"
l stared blankly at her and she re-
sumed slowly:
You make it very hard for me, yet
/ must tell you. The man is not suit
able for you to know; warned you
once before, but was not certain, 90
dared not say too much. Wilfrid says
(men hear these things) that he is the
man the police are after-the SUNG
gler. And worse still, that he is the
thief who took Mrs. Bundy's emer-
aids"
"Are you sure?" I hardly recox.
nized my own voice.
"Quite sure. Every one win know
soon, for his arrest is matter Of but
few days. He is a dangerous char
acter, and has been trying to force IA
entrance to your boathouse vith "a
confederate. this man Blake
= ero BE coNT1NuEn.l
sgssIIss