Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-31

''She certainly did. ] confess that my
message doesn't seem luminous. but
have a feeling that she meant to be kind.
1t may be that she is giving you time
table HeZekiahs meshes. ! can't eluci-
date: l merely convey information. But
answer honestly if you can: has Cecilia
ever by word or act refused your
NO" he replied grimly; shes never
given me the chance:'
He asked me to luncheon. and on the
way back to the inn. after inquiring my
plans for returning to town. he proposed
that delay my departure until the
following day. What he wanted. and he
put it bluntly. was a friend at court. and
as I had seemingly satisfied him of my
| entire good faith and of my devotion to
his interests. he begged that l prolong
my stay in Miss HOLSTERS house, giving
neys of Hopefield Manor. He brushed
aside my plea of other engagements and
appealed to our old friendship. He was
taking his troubles hard. and felt that
he really needed counsel and support
! in the involved state Of his affairs.
did not see how my continued presence
| under Miss HOLSTERS roof could mate
| rally assist him. and the thought " re-
| naming there when there was no work
to be done was repugnant to my sense
| of professional honor. but he was so per-
| sistent that finally yielded.
While we ate luncheon | sought by
| every means to divert his thoughts to
other channels. After we were seated
lowed, exercising considerable care in
I placing themselves as far from one an
other as possible. A few moments later
motor hummed into the driveway. and
We heard it's owner ordering his chauf
feur to return to town and hold himself
subject to telephone call. This latest
arrival appeared shortly in the dining
| room. and. surveying the rest of us with
disdainfu1 air, sought a table in the
remotest corner of the room Others APP
peared. until eight in all had entered.
The presence of these men at this hour.
their air of aloOfness and the care they
exercised in isolating themselves inter-
ested me- They appeared to be gentle
men, they were indeed. suggestive of
the ampler metropolitan world and one
of them was Enthusiastically a foreigner.
While Virgins appeared to ignore them.
III was conscious that he reviewed the
ton of contempt. One of these glum
gentlemen seemed familiar; could not
at once recall him. but something in his
manner leased my memory for woment
upon me that he was the third man 1
had met in the field overhanging the gar
den after my eavesdropping experience
the day before. I thought it as we'll,
however. not to mention this fact. or to
speak of the man had seen SO grimly
posted in the midst of the cornfield
was an observer. loOker-on. at Hope
field, and my immediate business was
the collecting Of information.
will you kindly tell me, Wigsy, who
these strange gentlemen are and just
what has brought them here at this
hour? They seem greatly preoccupied
and the last one, in particular. surveyed
you with murderous eye II We could
be translated to some such inn as this
In the environs of Paris should con-
clude that q duel was imminent and that
these gentlemen were assembling to meet
after their coffee tomorrow morning for
an affair of honor
+, Il know them; they are guests Of the
Inn. Most of them were more or less
companions in our procession across
Europe last summer. The one in the tan
suit is Henderson,: you must have heard
or him. The short dark chap of atra-
bilious countenance is John Stewart
Dick, who pretends to be philosopher.
As for the others--'
Go be continued tomorrow