Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-05

saw that | was not surprised, but as
stood ever him in the gray dawn, looking
down upon him lying so quietly on ms
back with the handsome silver-mounted.
ivory-handled dueling pistol, which had
done the damage, still clasped in his right
hand. l was fascinated with horror. Tor L
was younger then and not so accustomed
to it. And this was in measure per
sonal loss. At least l felt it SO for Mis-
treSS Iucy'S sake.
Sir Godfrey had been my ideal OF
fine gentleman of his time. and he mad
often noticed me and generally spoke me
fair and pleasantly. Some men would
have blown out their brains-there would
have been singular appositeness in the
action-but Sir Godfrey had carefully
put his bullet through his heart. 1t was
less disfguring and brutal. less hard on
those left behind. less troublesome. more
gentlemanly. ! OWNED that was his
thought. He was ever considerate In
small matters. The red stain that had
welled over the fine ruffled linen, other
wise spotless. of his shirt, and the pow
der stains and burns still visible in spite
of the dried blood, all indicated clearly
What had happened. The pistol was a
snort one, heavy in build. made for close
work. else he could never have used it SO
| effectively. For the rest. he was clad in
his richest and best apparel. His sword
| lay underneath him, the diamond hilt
protrudng He must have fallen light
| ~. gently, 1 thought because his body
| lay easily on its back aud his dress was
| not disturbed.
| I guessed that he was glad enough.
| after all, that the end had come, for there
was not that look of pain or horror OF
fear which / have so often seen on the
| faces of the dead. but his features were
| calm and composed. He had not been
| dead long. l remember the first thing
| did was to reach down and close his
| eyes They were dreadfully staring. AS
| 7 han IN /
| ticed that he had something in his left
| hand. That hand was resting lightly by
| the hilt of his sword, as II he had stood
| with his left hand on his sword in that
| gallant position which had often enough
| seen him assume when he pressed the
| trigger with his right hand. AS he had
| fallen his hand had been lifted little
| away from the sword and in his fingers
was paper nearer look showed II &c
| be an envelope. / drew it away and saw
! that it was addressed to Mistress Lucy
| Thrusting ii in the pocket of my coat
/ rose to my feet.
| At that instant heard steps and
| voices. Now ] had nothing on earth to
| fear from anybody, the death of Sir GeOf-
| frey was too obviously a suicide for any
| one to accuse me even II there had been
| any reason on earth for bringing me
under suspicion. The letter which 1 car
| ried in my pocket addressed to Mistress
Lucy would undoubtedly explain every
| thing there was to explain. Something
| however, moved me to seek concealment
! l am a sailor. as you will find out, and
can act quickly in an emergency by a
sort of instinct On the sea men have
| little time for reflection. The crisis is in
| variably upon one without warning. and
| 1t must be met on the instant without de-
| liberation.
| Sir Godfrey lay on the side of the path
| through the spinney. and beyond him the
! coppice thickened. The path twisted and
| turned. From the sound of the foot
| steps / judged that men We're coming
along 1t. / instantly stepped across the
body and concealed myself behind a tire,
| trunk in the leafy foliage of the under
| growth. / could see without being seer
| and hear as well.
| The approaching footsteps might be
| long TO some of the gamekeepers. to q
| stray poacher. to some of the servant:
| of the castle, or to. some one, who, like
| myself had been abroad in the gray
| dawn and had been attracted by thu