Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-17

the same as those which relate to this
Internal business Of last night
Are they really?
self least of all-why she was unwilling
to speak on that subject. She had never
told her father or any one. FOR matter
of that, except--that she had been 50 near
to the actual scene of that mysterious
crime in Brussels. and that she had
known it's every detail.
"And I must say" reiterated Col. Har-
ris. emphatically. that agree with the
leading article In the Times. One crime
begets another. II that hooligan-or
whatever he was-in Brussels had not In
vented this new and dastardly way Of
numbering q man in a cab. and then maxi
ing himself scarce and sending the cab
spinning on its way, no doubt Philip de
MountfOrd would be alive now. Not that
that would be q matter for great rejoic-
ings. Still, crime is a crime, and II we
were going to allow blackguards to be
murdered all over the place by other
blackguards, where would law and order
be?'
He was talking more loudly and volubly
than was his wont, and he took almost
SYSTEMATICALLY quantities of food on his
plate, which it was quite obvious he never
meant to eat. He also steadily avoided
meeting his daughters eyes. But at this
juncture she put both elbows on the ia
BILE. rested her chin in her hands and
ITS no use. DEAR" she said. simply.
mo use what?" he queried, with un-
grammatical directness.
mo use your pretending to talk at
random and to be eating a hearty break
fast when your thoughts are just as
much absorbed as mine are
"Hn!" he grunted, evasively. but was
glad enough to push aside the plateful
of eggs and bacon, which, indeed, he had
no desire to eat.
You have" she continued, gently.
'read all the papers. just as have. and
you know as we'll as I do what to read
between the lines when they talk OF
clues and Of certain sensational develop
ments.'"
''of course do" he retorted, grufly,
'but it's all nonsense"
''Of course it is. But worrying never
theless."
II don't see how such rubbish can worry
YOU
Mot she said, for myself. But for
Luke. He must have got an inkling by
now of what is going on
"Of course he has. And II he has a
grain of sense he'll treat it with the con-
tempt it deserves"
IT'S all very well. father. But just
think for a moment. Place yourself In
Luke's position. The very idea that you
might be suspected must in itself be ter
rible.''
mot when you are innocent" he re-
Joined, with the absolute certitude Of a
man who has never been called upon to
face any really serious problem in life.
II shouldn't care what the rabble said
about me. IL had a clear conscience"
Louisa was silent for a moment or two,
then she said:
Luke is different, somehow. He has
been different lately"
HE has a lot to put up with. with old
Radcliffe going off his head in that
ridiculous WAy.'
But Louisa did not reply to that sug-
gestion. She knew we'll enough that 1t
was neither Lord Radclyffe's unkindness
nor the arrogance Of the new cousin that
nature.
The day that he had sat beside her on
the stairs at Lady Ducies' ball the COM
pleteness of the change had been fully
borne in on her. When Luke said to her:
II would give all have in the world to
lie on the ground before you and to kiss
the soles Of your feet" she knew that
love had wrought its usual exquisite mir
acle, the absorption of self by another.
the utter sinking Of the ego before the
high altar OF the loved one. She knew
all that, but dear old Col Harris had for
gotten-perhaps he had never known.
That knowledge comes to SO few nova
days. Life. psychology and sexual prob
lesson which has glorified the world since
the birth Of Idlith.
All that Louisa now remarked to her
kind and sensible father was:
you know. dear. suspicion has killed
a man before now. 1t was but a very
little while ago that a noble-hearted gem
tleman preferred death to such dishonor."
you've got your head he .retorted.
full Of nonsense. Lou. Try and De q
sensible woman now and think OF it all
quietly. Is there anything you would
like me to do. for instance?
Eyes, IL you WIZ
What Is it?''
Couldn't you see Uncle Ryder?
"At Scotland Yard, you mean?"
HE is the head OF the criminal investi-
cation department, isn't hep
I've always understood So" i.
would he see you, do you think, 1t
his Officer
CTo he continued tomorrow