The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-09-23
The Betrayal
~ z. PHILLIPS oPpENHElM
Copyright, 1905, by Dodd, Mead q Co.
CHAPTER XVI.-Continued.

CHAPTER XVI.-Continued.
A servant entered and addressed
Blenavon.
1.-THE carriage is at the door, your
lordship," he announced.
81 shall have to ask you to ex-
cuse me, Ducaine," Blenavon said
Il was to have dined out tonight
and I must 60 and make my peace"
Blenavon hurried out. l fingered
where l was, as rigid as though
suddenly turned to stone. Before
me were the great front windows of
the castle. Beyond, eastward.
stretched the salt marshes, the salt
marshes riven with creeks . DIca
more my unwilling hands touched
that huddled up heap of EXTINCT hu-
manity. saw the dead white face,
which the sun could never warm
again. and ! felt the hands, cold,
clammy, horrible. Ray was a sol
der and life and death had become
phrases to him; but l, it was the
first dead man | had ever seen, and
the horror of it was cold in my
blood. Ray had murdered him,
fought with him, perhaps, but killed
him. What would she say IL she
knew? Would his hands be clean
to her, or would the horror rise up
like a red wall between them?
"Will you take coffee, sir?"
| | set my teeth and turned slowly
round. l even took the cup from
the tray without splitting it.
What liquor may l bring you,
sir?" the man asked.
Brandy" I answered.
l tried to leave the castle un-
noticed, but servant hurried up
to me.
Her ladyship desired me to say
that she was in the billiard room,
sir"
Twill you tell Lady Angela"
and then l stopped. The door Of the
billiard room was open, and Lady
Angela stood there, the outline Of
her figure sharply defined against
a flood of light. She had a cue
if her hand, and she looked across
at me.
"You are a long time, Mr.. Du-
caine. I am waiting for you to give
me a lesson at billiards"
l crossed the hall to her side.
Il thought that as Lord Blenavon
had gone out"
She shrugged her shoulders.
You would evade your duty,
which is clearly to stay and enter
tain your hostess"
She closed the door and glanced
at me curiously.
What has happened to your" she
asked. You look as though you had
been with ghosts"
rs it so impossible" I asked,
moving little nearer to the huge
Hog fire. what company is more
terrifying than the company of our
dead thoughts and dead hopes and
ldead memories?" 80.
Really, am afraid Blenavon
must have been a very depressing
companion! she said.
Il am afraid it must have been
Il the other way" I answered, 'for
your brother has gone out" I.
YES" she said quietly, che, has
gone to that woman at BrAster
Grange. l wish l knew what
brought her into this part Of the
country"
looked round at the billiard
table. ss
did you mean that you would
like a gamer" asked. 81 am rather
out of practice, but l used to fancy
myself little" .lI
81 have no doubt" she answered,
sinking into a low chair, that you
are an excellent player, but l am
willing to take it for granted. I do
not wish to play billiards. Draw
that chair up to the fire and talk
to me-"
1t was of all things what wished
to avoid that night. Iobeyed her.
what your brother has told me
is, l presume, no secret" said. 81
am to wish you happiness, am
not?"
She looked up at me in quick sur
prise.
did Blenavon tell YOU"
THAT you had promised to marry
Colonel Mostyn Ray? Yes"
THAT is very strange" she said
thoughtfully.' "Blenavon is not as a
rule needlessly communicative, and