Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-12
CHAPTER XXIV-continued.

He handed It back to her.
1T interests me very much" he an
swered. who was this unseen person
who wrote from the clouds?'
II may not tell you all my secrets. Mr..
Laverick.' she declared. What have you
done with that twenty thousand pounds
Laverck helped himself to champagne.
He listened for a moment to the music
ard looked into the wonderful eyes which
sllone from that beautiful face a few feet
away. Her lips were slightly parted, her
forehead wrinkled. There was nothing
of the accuser in her countenance; a gen.
tie irony was its most poignant express
sion.
us this a fairy tale. Mile. Idiale:'
She shrugged her shoulders.
1T might seem So,' she answered.
Sometimes / think that all the time we
live two lives-the life of which the world
sees the outside and the life inside of
which no one save ourselves knows any
thing at all. Look. for instance. at all
these peopie-these chorus girls and young
men about town--the older ones, too-all
hungry for pleasure, all drinking at the
cup of life as though they had, indeed,
but today and tomorrow in which to hive
and enjoy. Have they no shadows, too,
no secrets? They seem so harmless, yet
If the great white truth shone down,
might one not find a murderer there. a
dying man who knew his terrible secret,
yonder Croesus on the verge of bank
ruptcy, strong man playing with dis
honor? But those are the things of the
other world which we do not see. The
men look at us tonight and they envy
you because you are with me. The WON
en- envy me more because / have emer-
aids upon my neck and shoulders Tor
which they would give their souls, and a
fame throughout Europe which would
turn their foolish heads In very few
minutes. But they do not know. There
are the shadows across my path, and l
think that there are the shadows across
yours. What do you say. Mr.. Laverick?'
He looked at her, curiously moved.
Now at last he began to believe that it
was true what they said of her, that she
was, indeed, marvellous woman She
had a fame which would have contented
nine hundred and ninety-nine women out
of a thousand. She had beauty. and,
more wonderful STILL the grace. the fas-
cination which are irresistible. She had
but to lift a finger and there were few
who would not kneel TO do her bidding.
And yet, behind it all there were other
things in her life Had she sought them
or had they come to her?
You are one of those wise people, MI.
Lave1ck," she said. who realize the dan
ger Of words. You believe in silence.
Well, silence is often good. You do not
choose to admit anything
What is there for me to admit? Do
you want to know whether am the man
who left those offices, who disappeared
into the passage. who reappeared
with a pocketbook containing twenty
thousand pounds" she murmured across
the flowers.
"At least tell me this?" he demanded.
WAS the money yourS?
Il am not like you. she replied. Il
have talked great deal and have
reached the limit of the things which l
may tell you"
But where are we?' he asked. Are
you seriously accusing me of having rob-
bed this murdered man."
BE thankful" she declared, that l
am not accusing you Of having murdered
him"
But, seriously he insisted. ''am on
nv defense-haye | to account for my
movements that night as against the writ
ten word of your mysterious informant?
Is II you who are charging ME with being
a thief? Is 1t to you l am to account
for my actions. to defend myself or to
plead guilty?'
She shook her head.
No" she answered. Il have said al
most my last word to you upon this sub
ject. All that have to ask Of you is this.
If that pocketbOok is in your possession,
empty it first of it's contents, then go
over it carefully with your fingers and
see If there is not secret pocket. If you
discover that, I think that you will find
in it sealed document. If you find that
document. you must bring it to me-"
The lights went down. The voice Of
the waiter murmured something in his
ears.
1T is after hours Mile Idiale said.
but Luigi does not wish to disturb us.
Still. perhaps. we had better go
They passed down the room. To Law
erick it was all like dream-the laugh
ing crowd. the flushed men and bright
eyed women. the lowered lights, the air
of voluptuousness which somehow
seemed to have EMBODIED the place. In
the hall her maid came up. \ small
motor-brougham. with two servants on
the box. was standing at the doorway.
Mademoiselle turned suddenly and gave
him her hand.
Our supper party. / think, Mr.. Law
erick" she said. has been quite sue
cess We shall before long, hope, meet
again"
lie handed her into the carriage. Her
maid walked with them. The footman
stood erect by his side. There We're no
further words to be spoken A little crowd
in the doorway envied him as he stood
bareheaded upon the pavement.