Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-03

Is that it,"
Chester Kent smiled inscrutably "Sup-
pose YOU let me do the questioning awhile.
You can give no clue whatsoever to the iden
tity of your yesterdays visitor?"
There was the slightest possible hesitation
before the artist replied, "None at all.
If l find it difficult to believe that, what
will the villagers think of it when Elder Den
nett returns from Cadystown and tells his
story"
"Does bennett know the woman?"
NO: but it isn't his fault that he doesn't.
He did his best in the interviewing line when
he met her on her way to your place.
"She wasn't on her way to my place, OBJ
jected Sedgwick.
bennett got the notion that she was.
Accordingly with the true home-bred deli
cacy of our fine old New England stock, he
hid behind bush and watched
did he overhear our conversation"
"He was too far away. He saw the attack
on you. Now, just fit together these signif-
cant bits of fact. The body of woman.
dead by violence, is found on the beach not
far from here. The last person, so far as is
known, to have seen her alive is yourself.
She called on you, and there was a colloquy,
apparently vehement, between you, culmi-
mating in the assault upon you. She hurried
away. One might well guess that later you
followed her to her death
Il did follow her." said Sedgwick in low
tone.
"For what purpose
ITO find out who she was
(Which YOU didn't succeed in doing?"
"She was too quick for me. The blow of
the rock had made me giddy, and she got
away among the thickets.'
"That's a pity. One more point of suS
nj
The Rough Rider, and will tell everyone
about it, you may be sure
what of it?'
"The strange coincidence Of the subject,
and the apparent manner of the unknown's
death
@People will hardly suspect that l killed
her and set her adrift for model, suppose
said the artist bitterly; particularly as
bennett can tell them that the picture was
finished before her death
"Not that: but there will be plenty of
witch-hangers among the Yankee populace,
ready to believe that fiend inspired both
picture and murder in your mind. Why,
the very fact of your being an artist would
be prima facie evidence of compact with
the devil, to some people! And you must
admit a certain diabolical ghastliness in that
painting
Evidently some devil of i'll fate is mixing
up in my affairs said Sedgwick grimly.
"Whats your advice in the matter?'
"Tell me the truth, the whole truth, and
nothing but the truth suggested Chester
Kent. looking him between the eyes.
Easily done. The question is whether
you'll believe it."
"If hadn't felt pretty sure of your in
nocence, | shouldn't have opened the case
to YOU as I've done. I'll believe the truth if
YOU tell it, and tell it all.
VERY we'll l was sitting on my wall
when the woman came down the road.
l noticed her first when she stopped to look
back, and her absurd elegance of dress, eX-
pensive and i'll fitting, attracted my close
attention She was carrying bundle,
wrapped in strong paper. 1t seemed to be
heavy; for she shifted it from hand to hand.
When she came near, | spoke to her.
"You spoke to her first?'
"Well, we spoke simultaneously. She
asked what time it was, and of course told
her
@Ah. She was going to keep an appoint
ment, then. But why did you start to speak
to her, strange woman, at all?'
"Look here, Kent! You'll have to let me
tell this in my own way
l., %on Nall