The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-04-19
CHAPTER xxxu-(cOn,inued).

the exalted position OF the lady" Dray'
brooke observed. They regard Sir
Charles and Lady Altamont as being
people utterly beyond question. Only
! Inspector Burles, of Scotland-yard,
has an idea OF the true state OF things.
and as he is privately engaged upon
the recovery OF Mrs. Wanless' jewels
he naturally does not desire 10 arouse
suspicion before he has accomplished
| that affair. Thus IL is that Lady Alta.
mont's statement that the injured wo'
man Is stranger To her passes mus.
ter for the moment. But cannot you
give guess as To the identity Of the
poor creaiure?'
Not to save my life, 20 Brien ad-
mitted candidly.
We'll, you have heard OF La Belle
Atalanta. A success on the variety
stage. Would you be surprised 10
hear that La Belle ATLANTA is Lady
Altamonts sister,"
"Of course, she is" O'Brien cried
II had forgotten that But my dear
| Bray do you really mean To
say that La Belle and that poor crea-
ture-"
/ Are one and the same person. That
| Is precisely what | do mean TO say
AS far as | can gather, the actress
she has not been long In England
found her sister out, and tried 10 get
Honey from her This did not exactly
suit Lady Altamont's book, especially
as she happens to be in desperate
need OF cash herself just at present.
All the same, she wrote note 70
her sister asking the latter to call
and see her, which note Is now In
the possession Of Inspector Burles. My
theory Is that quarrel took place,
and that Lady Altamont. in a fit OF
passion. made q murderous attack on
her sister She thus placed herself
ina desperate situation The happy
idea occurred TO her OF leaving her
sister in dying state and processing
10 know nothing about It. fhe simple
yet sublime audacity of the scheme
was very nearly successful, especially
| if we had known nothing and the wo-
man had died"
But there is not the least likelihood
| of her recovery" O'Brien suggested.
There was no chance a little while
ago" Braybrooke intimated, darkly.
But | have changed all that ! was
present tonight at Lady Altanont' !
masked ball. disguised as a tramp.
found out that Lady Altamont had a
scheme on foot TO dismiss her sister
nurse, and thus hasten the poor girl )
end. The nurse was actually dis
missed; in fact, IL was 4 put-up thing
between the woman and her employer.
But servants can be bribed and | laid
my plans accordingly. II so happens
that there is mean of communica-
ton between No. Is and No. IA, Yer
non-terrace. and upon that informa-
tion | acted. | had Miss LEROY on
my side, and | knew that could count
upon old Susan as long as her hus-
band Thomas was not la the house.
took the bold course OF carrying the
Belle ATLANTA from one house TO an
ether"
Il see" O'Brien said, thoughtfully
And If old Thomas goes back"
Precisely. He will find out exactly
what has happened, and tell every
/ thing 10 his master. And now | am
going 10 surprise you. The real rea
sen why Archibald Colville is 10 know
nothing Of this is the fact that La
Belle Atalanta is his Wife
O'Brien broke into EXPLANATIONS of
surprise. He had not expected any
thing half so dramatic as this. He
waited for Braybrooks to proceed
Now YOU see what complicated
state Of affairs Ii is" the latter said.
NO. 13 Is a big, dreary old house, and
Archibald Colville is fast losing his
sight. In ordinary circumstances, he
would know nothing about the extra
guest-that is. SO long as Thomas Is
away. spent every farthing | could
rake together to get Thomas out of
the country, so that | could play his
part and have the run of the old
house. Mainly | was after those
forged checks. | should have gone on
perfectly secure had | not come here
tonight. And now, can you show me
some way out OF the grave difficulty"
O'Brien professed himself TO be
absolutely at a loss to know what TO
do. He could see the necessity OF
getting Thomas out OF the way clearly
enough.
Let us go and listen TO those fel
lows again" he suggested. Maybe.
we can get a hint that will prove OF
use TO us. Meanwhile I'll try and wor
ry out something"
The two returned 10 the passage
again and then watched the progress
OF the cardplayers They were evil
IDENTIFY in deadly earnest, for their
faces were grim, and they scowled
over their cards. Presently old Thorn
as had played out his hand and got
up with an oath.
THAT cleans me out" he said
Did anybody ever see such cursed
luck? | got here three days ago with
fifteen pounds in my pocket, and
there's my last shilling Let's have
another rubber. Lend me a pound or
two TO go on with, Billy"
Not me-" said the man addressed
as Billy, with grin. Trust nobody,
is my motto. Besides. who are you to
come borrowing money in this lordly
way? Think we're lot of toffs play
ing at a swagger west-end club. II
you can't pay. stand out"
you've had all my money between
you" Thomas growled. DO you
mean TO say that not one of you Will
lend me few shillings?"
The silence that followed was clio.
ouent enough of the feelings OF the
listeners. Thomas rose from his seat
with q passionate outpourihg OF rage.
Very we'll" he said between his
teeth. I'm not the man to be done
like this. You Just stay here till
come back. I'll be here presently with
more money than most Of you have
ever seen. And wen play for gold,
gold, tell you