The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-11-03
The House of Il-Luck
By BLANCHE EARDLEY.

me out you viii see that It was all to
our interests TO have the girl quickly
identified and forgotten before a mystery
could be made Of II by ths papers" Philip
/ Craven said patiently When that little
fool, Rosemary Fenchester ran away
| like that she did the most dangerous
I thing Ia the world So far as We were
| concerned. We did mt kr"o how much
she had heard, nor Wh' might do,
even TO the length OF ne police
with a story. Well, 1 let 4. pass be-
, fore going to see the body, and when
saw the bag produced, recognized IL at
once, but saw Immediately thai though
the body belonged to young girl. it was
not that Of Rosemary Fenchester."
/ Laura knitted her level broWs in per-
| picked frown.
Does Stephen know thls?" she said at
| length.
mo; why worry him with the idea that
his bride OF convenience may betray him
at any moment?' he said easily. HE has
/ a big deal TO pull of, and such a thing
would probably unnerve him at the be-
ginning. How this dead girl came 10 be
! possessed OF Rosemary Fenchester's bag"
| he went on, rs a mystery that IS beyond
me: but I took the only steps possible.
ana played the part OF a sorrowing
brother to perfection"
Laura Craven leaned her chin in the
| hollow or her hand, and for a few mo-
msnts was deep In thought She wss
! disappointed to find that the man she
''fancied" was still tied up 20 that mythic-
al wife WHO had flown from the house
like a startled fawn, and whose face she
had dimly seen from the landing a mo-
ment before the door had closed upon
| her. She did not love the impersonator
OF Stephen Usher" but the man attract
ed her. Besides. she was beginning TO
tire OF nursing, and. as she was nearly
thirty-four. she had began TO think that
| life could be very decent upon the income
that was to belong 10 Stephen Usher.
1T will be awkward II he wants to
marry again." she said suddenly.
Il don't think he is the sort TO hamper
himself with a wife," was her brothers
careless reply. He is an ambitious chap.
| and means 10 try fer big things"
Laura smiled c-aically. I'm which a
wife would be an incumbrance?" Then
she added In a different voice, Il suppose
we are going 90 have a good haul out OF
the fortune? / don't see why we should
not have a handsome annual income"
MY dear girl, with all his faults, our
| friend Stephen is not mean" her brother
retorted Besides, he cannot afford TO
quarrel with US; we are all in the same
boat, and sink or swim together"
HAS it occurred 70 you" Laura went on,
that that girl he went through the form
OF marriage with may still be intending
to do some mischief? It IS odd that she
did not come forward and claim her bag.
She must have missed Il"
My dear girl" her brother replied.
you have hit the nail on the head. The
/
only. 20 come forward proves one of two
things"
And they are?" Laura said slowly.
That she never saw the papers and
had no idea where she lost her bag. or
that she let the dead girl DO claimed in
her name 20 throw us on the scent-and
Il is this last possibility taat secretly
puzzles me-" he added. II don't know
whether the girl is a silly. frightened lit
tie fool or a clever. Cool-headed WOmani
Mind" he went on hurFiedly. mot a word
70 Stephen. Remember. he thinks the
girl is desd-and must go on thinking II.
Hush. here he isl'
The door opened. and a man came into
the room. He was tall and well built,
and had a reckless, rather attractive face.
that might have belonged 10 a high
wayman OF old. for II contained all the
devil-may-care irresponsi bIeness that
characterized those gentlemen OF the
road. For the rest he was fairish. and
beneath his laughing exterior concealed
an utter lack Of principle and an iron
will
We'll. my good friends" he laughed
gsyly. you look as though you had been
conspiring against the laws Of your com
try. I hope not for 1 am a good sub
ject and should deem il my duty TO in
form the police Of your desperate plans"
"On the contrary Laura flashed, I'VE
have been discussing a most pFosaic sub
JeCt. my dear Stephen-that OF the motor
trip Philip says you suggest. 7 am aw-
fully fed up with this village place" she
went on, and shall hail our departure
with Joy"
Yes; I'm afraid il has been dull for
you. Laura he said. commiserating.
Never mind, IL IS over now. Nv ONLY
reason for coming here" he went on,
was because I wanted 10 be near enough
TO town TO be able to go there II neces-
sary. But It has not been necessary I
am glad 10 say. I have managed, with
the assistance OF my dear pal. Philip TO
completely satisfy the solicitor for the
late Ralph Savage without the trouble
and risk of a personal interview. | had
letter this morning. he went on.
saying that my dear cousin Sir Doug
las Mallaby, acting on behalf of his
mother, my good aunt Lady MaIlaby.