The Washington herald., 1912-05-26

I party AAoA-
You are one Of those fortunate peo-
pie, see" Mr. Sarsby remarked, a
| little enyiously, who rlix n the world" !"
fDeane shrugged his shoulders: More
or less, / suppose" he admitted But
/ was asking you whether you read the
papers, / did so for an object. won
der whether you have noticed the de-
tails of very sordid murder that was
committed in London hotel short
time ago?"
Il never read of such things. sirP
Mr. Sarsby declared. They do not
interest me. / read the political news
and the foreign intelligence Anything
that pertains to India, also, naturally
claims my attention. / have always
oontended." he continued, "that a golf
column in the Times, say twice week,
would be much appreciated. We who
study the game from the scientific point
of view would like 10 see the attitude
the Times would take on certain mat
tiers. For instance, myself
Pardon my inteJrupting you, Mr..
Sarsby," Deane said, with his eyes upon
the returning figure of the girl, but
] was speaking about this murder.
Curiously enough, the unfortunate man
was named Sinclair, and he had just
returned from abroad"
Mr. Sarsby slowly opened his mouth
Looking up at his companion blankly.
you don't for moment imagine" he
began, that there could be any connee-
ton between this person and Rubys
uncle?"
Il haven't. any idea" Deane an
swered, but when she mentioned his
name, and told me that he had just
come back from Africa, and that she
had been waiting for letter which did
not come, it certainly occurred to. me
to be rather ia the nature of coinci-
dence
Have you a paper?" Mr.. sarsby
asked hurriedly.
Deane shook his head. mol" he
said. "But there must be village IL
brary, or some place where the London
papers are preserved"
There is" Mr.. Sarsby declared. Il
will hurry back. ! will go and read
about it at once. Does It say whether
the unfortunate mar" he continued,
was possessed of any means
Il do not remember" Deane said
THE object of the murder was sup
posed to be robbery, but the hotel he
was staying at scarcely seemed to be
one likely to attract man of wealth.
Il shall hurry back at once" Mr..
Sarsby declared. "If there is anything
in this, / must come and ask your ad-
vice"
''If the thing seems in any way pos
sible," Deane remarked, you will have
to run up to town and make inquiries.
Mr.. Sarsby opened his mouth. MY
dear sirl" he exclaimed. Go to Lon
don? But there, thereT he added. Il
forgot! If there is anything in it, the
estate would, of course, pay my railway
fare. Such busy week, too, as l have
next week." he added, taking out his
memorandum book and glancing at il
for moment 81 have seven golf
matches-three foursomes and four sin
giles. / scarcely see how l could get
away. RUBY" he called, come along,
my dear. We must be getting back
The girl stifed yswn. She was be-
ginning to be bit curious as to why
their host had devoted all his attention
to her uncle. "Verv well,' she an
swered laconically. Il am quite ready.
Good-by, Mr.. DeaneP
"If l may" he said, Il will walk a
little way with you"
They crossed the strip of shingly
beach together. Afterward, by neces-
sity. the party became detached. Mr..
Sarsby walked on Ahead. Deane and
the girl followed him, few yards be-
hind
"You seem to have found plenty to
say to my uncle she remarked curl
ously.
'If you will spoil an interesting tea
party" he murmured, by bringing in
an elderly male relative"
at wasn't my fault" she interrupted.
"He would come-insisted upon it
as soon as he knew that l had spoken
to YOU. Your man has been making
purchases and sending kilograms in the
village, which has made every one curl
Gus. People who live in small places
are always such snobs."
lie laughed. We'll, I had to talk to
your uncle. anyhow" he said.
She nodded. You know now what
I have to put up with" she said. He
is a dull. ignorant, pOmpous little bore.
You have probably found that out for
yourself by nov"
you dismiss your relatives a little
sunmarily," he remarked.
Il try to speak the truth" she an
swered. 81 believe in being just to peo-
pie. If l knew of any good quality
that he possessed, / would tell il to you
but / don'tp
She believed in being justl He look
ed at her as she walked by his side,
stepping along with the delightful free
dom of healthy youth. her limbs clear
lv defined beneath her thin skirt-for
they were facing a land breeze which
PLAYED havoc, also. with her hair She
walked well. her head little thrown
back. Deane recognized the graceful
lines of her neck and throat, the car
riage of her chin There was some
thing particularly rhythmic about her
movements. She was a believer in jus
ticel Well, she looked like that. The
mouth, in repose, was little hard
the jaw determined. He found him
self wondering, with a nervous sort of
morbid curiosity. exactly what she
would say and do If she had known
with whom she was walking, and If
Dick Sinclair had indeed been her un-
Gle! Supposing she knew the whole
truth-knew of that heated interview,
knew of Rowan's enterprise, knew of
the paper which was still sewn into
the dead mans coatl She would scarce
ly be an easy person to deal with, he
thought
r1er uncle had turned round. They
had reached the end Of the dyke. A
little grass-grown footpath led them
now to the side of the harbor, beyond
r-bfrh Law the v1iiaOe