Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-14
CHAPTER XXXI.-Continued.
Copyright, 1908. 1909.
BY the Mcclure Company.


Leblun ceased with little sigh. Han
naway produced his cigarette case.
"You smoke, see" he remarked. Per-
init me- He lit cigarette and leaned
back in his chair.
Circumstances as you know, Leblun
continued, induced one to take once
more an interest in that somewhat re-
markable trio. One comes to London.
One follows fugitive, who should surely
be as eager as I myself to discover these
mysterious persons. The hunchback.
| well. that is easy. He reveals himself
without the slightest trouble. One learns
that from the moment he turned the cor
ner of that square until today he has
been to all appearances no better off for
his little adventure. He has tramped
the streets, he has thumped out his
miserable attempt at music. he has lived
and drunk and starved, being cold or
warm according to the vagaries of that
section of the public who are in the
habit of dispensing copper coins to timer
ant musicians. To conclude with the
hunchback, it is only, curiously enough,
this very day that sudden change
comes over him. This morning, at an
early hour, he presents himself at various
those who need their clothes quickly and
are not scrupulously particular as to fit.
In other words, early this morning our
friend Ambrose Drake. with money in
both pockets. throws aside his rags. pur-
chaSeS for himself the outfit of a gentle
man at large. saumters through the
streets respectfully attired, a new hat on
his head new gloves in his hand, new
boots on his feet, new clothing to the last
stitch on his body. Attired in such a
he ia ga
a young lady,
Gilbert Hannaway turned his head
slowly. 1t was not long since he had left
Christine. This man was indeed wonder
full.
$50 much for the hunchback," Leblun
continued. "Of the mysterious stranger.
| alas! one learns nothing. Indeed, he
seems to have vanished into space. TIE
| monkey. / rejoice to say, flourishes, and
from the fact that he ate a hearty meal
after his masters assumption of the garb
of responsibility we will conclude that his
future is assured. We come to the girl. !"
Once more Hannaway. who had re-
| solved not to open his lips until his COM
panion had finished, stole a glance at
him. There was no increase of animation
in Leblun's manner. He still leaned back
in his chair. watching the blue smoke of
his somewhat odoriferous cigarette
Here" Leblun continued, I'VE must
permit to ourselves the license of little
imagination. We learn that for years
the girl and the hunchback tramped side
by side along the highways and the by
ways of the continent. They tramped
| through France, they tramped through
that home of all mendicants-the north of
Italy. Then at last. not SO long ago.
they came to England. One hears of
them in London. Things. apparently.
is in rags. The girl walks as one whose
interest i'm life is finished, in soiled
clothes in gaping boots. broken-spirted,
brcken-hearted. And then, one day.
presto, the magician's wand. One looks
again. One sees the girl in a handsome
apartment. with carriages and motors,
with her own French maid, clad in furs
and silks and laces, customer at the
best shops, pe-son with apparently a
linit1ess purse. The hunchback's days
of prosperity have not yet come. Still
he tramps the cutters. The mud from
the wheels of his quondam companion 8
motor splashes him as he makes sad
music in the forlorn streets. One asks
oneself. whence her prosoerity?"
Leblun looked down from the ceiling.
He seemed to have fixed his attention
upon one particular scrap OF smoldering
paper.
went on. lone hears of the visits at her
anartment of a mysterious gentleman.
She is seen with him at luncheons and
dinners. There is even talk of a trip to
Paris. Inc truth is very soon apparent.
How she first attracted him one cannot
tell. She has her share of good looks.
1t may even have been pity which first
attracted his notice. But we are able to
assure ourselves with every certainty
that the singing girl Christine has be-
come the mistress of the Marquis of FL
lingham.'
1T is a ID lie,'' Hannaway thunder
ed out.
Leblun turned his head, turned it as
xt,oh 4Nl IS ,t,of, tool nv
His hand flashed out. He was suddenly
alert. Then why" he asked, lis she
living upon the Marquis of dillingham; S
money? Tell me that You say that she
is not his mistress and you say it with
conviction. Then what remains? p