Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-23
CHAPTER XIV.
Garshore Is Outspoken.

Garshore Is Outspoken.
One course alone was open-to meet
the fellows challenge.
Therefore. In as calm voice as l
could muster, I requested him to return
to the steps at the lawn, and at once
rowed thither.
Il shall leave you alone. Mr.. Ralston,
whispered the pale-faced girl when we
were out in mid-stream. The suddenness
Of the mans appearance had startled her.
l saw that her white hands were trem-
bling and in her fine eyes was an ex-
preston of terrified anxiety.
Yes, Myra," l answered firmly. Leave
him to me. Trust in Granny Cough. who
is my friend and your lover"
II will she promised and then, at
the steps, she sprang lightly ashore.
"Will you not stay and hear me, Miss
Myra?' asked the visitor, who, having
hurried along the bank, was awaiting us.
mo. thank you was her naughty re-
Spouse. Il will not remain to hear I'M
founded allegations against my friends"
And she started away toward the
Grange.
who was Granny's bitterest enemy. And
now tell me what it is you say regarding
the man who is not here to defend him
self"
Il was speaking to Miss Stapleton-
not to YOU" he replied, with sheer:
Il am Coughs friend / declared
quickly. "You know that. Therefore. I.
Philip Ralston. demand an explanation :
Which l refuse to give. my dear sir.
he laughed. so please calm yourself. l
have merely warned the dear old gentle
You also called him an assassin just
nowv'
II repeat my words. If you desire
proof ask at New Scotland Yard" and
he smiled grimly at my confusion.
What could l say? Had not Granny s
flight been in itself proof of his guilt ?
And yet, why was this man also living
in secrecy in Yorkshire, when believed
by all to be on the continent?
Where could be the woman who was
his tool, the handsome adventures
Lydia Popescu? The dead woman was
certainly not her.
"A sanderer should furnish proof him
self" l remarked at last. This you are
accept Mr.. Stapleton's hospitality and
malign one of his best friends-the man
who is to marry his daughter. Do you
think l. Coughs friend will allow these
statements to pass unchallenged?"
Your attitude. my dear sir, does not
concern me in the least. Until a few
hours ago 1 had no knowledge of your
existence"
Then of that I'm most gratified," l
said. thrusting my hands into my trouser
much more regarding you than you
imagine!
His brows knit and for a moment he
regarded me with hard sinister look,
an expression of fear and uncertainty.
AS he stood there in his gray f1annels and
straw hat he had the manner and bearing
of fop, assuming that superiority which
must be denounced as "caddlSh'' by any
gentleman. His perfectly kept hands,
with their three diamond rings: his vest
tod 1x-r ri hr,ff NIT, Il;
mond centers, and his patent leather
boots in lieu of seryiceab'e brown shoes,
were all out of place in the country.
Yes; he was a cad of the first water.
How Granny could ever have taken to
him in the first place was a mystery. 1t
was. of course, owing to the generosity
of the dear old boys kind heart. All his
mistakes indeed. had been caused by his
openness of manner. his overlooking gen.
crosby and his religion of Friedrich
Nietzsche.
This fellow had taken advantage of 1t
to fitch from his friend valuable con-
cession. and so ruin him. BY a single
coup he had secured a comfortable for
tune, and had now come to visit the Sta
pletons with one fixed purpose-the ex-
posture of the man whom he had so mis-
led and so shamefully swindled.
Whatever you may know regarding me
is quite immaterial," he exclaimed, insO-
lently. 1.-The stapletons are my friends.
and It is therefore my duty to warn
them that they are being imposed upon
by a man whose whole career has been
one long series of adventures. He has
never done a single honest days work
in his life. and is a chevalier d'industrie
who is known In almost every town of
note from Lisbon to Odessa"
| laughed in the fellows face.
This is really amusing, Mr.. Garshore.'
I declared. so you have the Internal
audacity to set yourself up as censor
of business morality. eh?'
Il tell you that Stapleton believes your
friend to be a wealthy man, whereas
he doesn't know where the next fiyer IS
coming FROM he exclaimed angrily
And pray is he the only man whom
the world believes to be well off and
who in reality is hard up? If he were"
declared. then this world of ours
would be very different place."
II am speaking of Granville Cough
the man whose ingenuity as an adven-
turer is unparalleled"
1.-THE man, you should rather say,
whose bitterest enemy has never charged