The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1909-01-22
CHAPTER xxlx-(Continued.)

Lord Richard belonged to a very
different type and moved in a differ
ent circle. A man of small means and
expensive tastes, a man who asso-
ciated with the fastest sporting set,
and whose gambling debts seriously
interfered with the pleasures Of life.
Mr.. Bice discovered all this without
any difficulty. Every mans reputa-
ton is written in conspicuous type.
When the lawyer came into the pres
ence Of Lord Richard he knew his
man.
Mr.. Bice did not beat about the
bush. No sooner had he taken his
seat than he plunged at once into the
heart of his subject.
Il am a solicitor" he said, in his
coolest professional tone, land have
the honor of representing the daught-
er of your late brother, Lord Edward
Grovely," and he waited for a reply.
Lord Richard was not wholly UMPIRE
pared for the encounter. He had
been a diligent reader of the news
papers for weeks past, and he had
passed through more mental agony
than during any period Of his life.
He was still on the tenterhooks, not
knowing what secrets might yet come
to light.
Evans was dead, he knew, but that
was no proof that he had left no in
crimininating evidence behind him.
He had read the report of the inquest
that while he lay at the bottom of
the pit waiting for death he had
actually made notes in his pocket
book. What those notes were was
not stated.
The perspiration had started out on
his forehead in bly, beads, when he
read that simple statement, and the
horror of it had haunted him nearly
ever since. When dying men made
statements they were apt to tell all
the truth. And if Evans had told the
truth-if he had written anything in
the shape of a confession - the
chances were he would find himself
in a worse hole than he had ever been
in his life before. Like many other
people, he was not squeamish about
moral questions in the abstract. What
he objected to was being found out
and he knew If he were found out in
this case it would make all the differ
ence in the world to him. Society
was quite aggressively moral on the
surface. There was scarcely a rascal
in the set in which he moved, and GER
tainly not a woman who would not
hold up his or her hands in pious hor-
ror at any public breach Of the moral
law, however trifing, and if it were
discovered that he had intrigued and
plotted to cheat his niece out of her
rights, Society-with a big"S"-would
be aghast with horror, and he would
be bounded out of every respectable
club in London.
This is what Lord Richard had been
dreading ever since the finding of
Evans. He was almost afraid some
times to open a newspaper lest he
should discover that his trick had
been exposed.
He did not reply Immediately to
Mr.. Bice's statement. He felt that he
had a difficult part to play. He want
ed to find out, II possible, how much
the lawyer knew and how much he
suspected.
Your statement is interesting" he
said at length, "but why have you
come to me?"
ITO whom else should l go?"
We'll, as to that, l don't know that
you need go to anybody. My brother,
as you are aware, left England under
q cloud. Not that he was to blame,
poor fellow, but that doesn't matter.
He went abroad and died, and we do
not talk about him."
Il see. And so 1t is a matter of
Indifference to you whether he left
issue or not?'
Quite a matter Of Indifference. 1t
does not concern me in any way"
And never has concerned you?"
Lord Richard started and turned a
shade paler, but he said, quickly, III
l fail to see there levancy of that re-
mark"
Il believe" the lawyer remarked,
uIyy, IAdl III case YOUR DTOCQCT Ql0S
without issue, certain property in En-
gland would come to you"
well, what has that to do with it,"
when a long-lost heir turns up his
claim is sometimes disputed"
And sometimes with good reason,
and with complete success"
Quite true; and II you could prove
that Miss Grovely is not what she
claims to be 1t would certainly be to
your worldly advantage"
Il don't know. When an estate
gets into the hands of the lawyers
there's usually nothing left for any
body by the time they have finished
with It,"
"Then you have no intention of dis
putting her claim"
Really. the question has not oc.
Cured to me. l presume you have
examined her credentials9"
Il have"
"And they are quite In order?"
Had you not better. as next-of-kin,