Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-23
} A Woman's Enchantment
By WILLIAM lie QUEUX.
tcsprixh. by e
(Csp1right, 1909. BY William LIE Queux.)

with dishonesty or with a mean action
toward a FRIEND" I added. looking him
straight in the face. Remember, Mr..
Garshore, that I am Granville Coughs
friend, and as he is absent and cannot
refute your abominable calumnies, I take
1t upon myself to do So
Rubbish. Why talk so wildly? / don't
make any allegations against yourself.
You are. of course. an entirely different
stamp of man. You're comfortably off
and have no need to exercise your wits
in order to obtain the wherewithal to
pay your hotel bills"
IF you dared to tell lies about me as
you are doing concerning Granny I'd
knock you down-so I tell you that" l
cried, angrily.
The man laughed in open defiance.
placing his stick behind his back and
linking his arms over it.
You come here" l said, land en-
deavor to poison that poor girls mind
against her lover-against the man who
adores her. You're an Internal black
guard-that's my opinion of you"
He regarded me with fierce resentment.
but next moment his face relaxed into a
Sickly smile as he answered.:
Surely it is scarcely worth while for
us to quarrel? I have acted as I judged
right for the protection of my friends"
And for the furtherance of your own
schemes"
Il don't follow you," he said, glanc-
ing at me quickly.
| smiled at his pretended ignorance, and
said:
Come, Mr. Garshore, two of us can
play at the old-fashioned game of bluff.
We are enemies-you and 1. I have taken
the side Of the defenseless man whom
you are seeking to ruin in the eyes Of
Stapleton and his daughter. Good. You
have already had your innings. Mine are
yet to come"
What do you mean?" he asked in sur
prise.
Il mean that you must at once with
draw all your slanderous imputations-at
once-today-you understands
Il shall do nothing of the Sort was his
firm reply.
Very well. 1 am glad to have your
assurance on that point, as it leaves me
with perfectly free hand-and tongue"
l said.
Ny GOODNESS apparently caused him con-
siderable apprehension. He detected that
beneath my determination lay some Sc
cret knowledge in which lay my power
l saw that he had become puzzled by my
yet l myself was mystified as to the real
motive of his visit there. and his attempt
to ruin Granny in the eyes of Stapleton
and Myra.
Il give you one chance to retract what
you said l exclaimed firmly. as l took
my watch from my pocket. Its now H.
BY o'clock this evening you will con-
vince both father and daughter that your
allegations were based upon insufficient
grounds and were merely the outcome of
hearsay."
Il shall do not such thing"
Then you will take the consequences,
Mr.. Garshore." ! said. The Stapletons
are friends of mine. they are friends
misled by any lies uttered by you, SO
please understand that. Moreover. you
will leave the Grange within the next
twelve hours"
Il thank you, Mr.. Ralston. for your
COMPOUNDED impudence.' he cried in an
ger. Il shall certainly not leave the
Grange until it suits me-"
But it will suit you to go-and that
quickly-when / have spoken
His eyes flashed quickly as he raised
them to mine. l saw d'stinctly evil
light in them. but I did not fear him,
for by what I already knew / had be-
come forearmed.
You may speak what you like. so long
as ii is within the bounds of TRUTH he
replied in defiance.
Never fear l said. 1.-THE truth con-
corning you is more condemnatory than
even fiction could be. Mr.. Garshore.
Therefore | would urge you to reconsider
your decision regarding the retraction OF
your ISLANDERS. otherwise
Otherwise you intend to SANDER me in
return?" he interrupted.
II shall act as l think proper I said.
1t was upon the tip of my tongue to re-
Roumanan woman for the purpose of
stealing the valuable concession from
Granny. But, for one reason. | hesitated.
I hoped to get from him the distinct
charge of murder against Granny.
You are endeavoring to shield an as
sassin." he cried. Cough is guilty of
murder. and has fled. Surely it is but
right that these people should know. We
are their guests
Il have no proof of the truth of such
an allegation Whom pray has GRANNY
been guilty of killirg?''
"A woman-a woman who was an
enemy" was the mans quick response.
Who was she?" I asked eagerly.
"A foreigner. She had threatened HIM
with exposure. and he killed her in order
to close her mouth.
You allege that he killed her HowE'
How can I tel? All know is that
she died-suddenly. Have you not seen
the case in the papers--the mystery in
Radcliffe Gardens?"
! bit my lip.
Yes. 1 have seen some case, but
haven't taken much notice of it, I re-
piled with affected carelessness. DO you