The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-10-05

land"; the hidden pers the study; the wall in the
lAne-an after incidents OF dernm than OF sane
reality. So -faced butler made us known
o nervous old proved 10 be the house.
keeper of the nextdoor residence Was not surprised
Smiths SAYING:
Lounge and down outside, Petre Every one mas
cleared getting Keep your eyes open
your guard / thought had the start hNt no
before and, what worse. he propAplS KNOWS
by a here,
With which he entered and left me out IN
the square, with leisure to think to Try understand.
Tho crowd which usually haunts the scene of a SEN
been cleared away and it had been
Crichtou had died from natural causes
The having driven most Of the residents out
OF practically had the square to myself ana
gave myself UP brief consideration Of the mystery
In / suddenly had found myself involved
BY what agency Sir crtchton met his death? Iid
Maryland Smith know? rather suspected that ne o1d
What was hidden significance of the perfumed en-
velope? Who that mysterious parsonage "lloin
Smith evidently dreaded who had attempted mas are
who presumably had murdered Sir Crchton? Sir Crch
ton Davey. during that he had held othee IN
during his long term of service at nome hao
good will of ali, British and native alike VINO
was his enemy?
Something touched lightly the shoulder
l turned. with my nuttering like ehlds This
nigats had imposed severe strain even Hpon my
calloRs nerves.
girl wrapped in a hooded cloak stood at my
elbow and as she glanced at me- thought that
had face SO scduetiNeiy lovely nor o. 50
type VITA the skin Of perfect hoiue' s'e
had eyes ana iashes as back Creoes which. TO-
ecthe her fan red lips told me that this oeanni
Stranger. whose touch had so startled me- was not
child If northern shores
Forgive me" She said speaking with an odd, pretty
accent and laying slim hand with eweed fingers con
Gdinw!y upon my ARM III startled Butts it true
that Sir Crchton Davey has been mufderedT
looked into big. questioning eyes a harsh sus-
nlcion laborng In mind. but could read nothing IN
their mysterious depths only wondered anew az my
ouestoners beauty. The grotesque idea momehtarily
possessed that the bloom of her red ips que 10
art and not nature their kiss would leaVethoagh NOT
fnaelby-3ust a mark had seen upon the oeao
mans hand But the fantastic notion as bred
Of tho nights horrors and worthy only of medieval
legend No doubt she friend acquaintance
% Sir Criehtons who lived close by
II cannot say he been murder ed replied
acting upon upposton and seeking to tell her
what she asked as gently possible But ne is
''DeadI'
nodded -,
She closed eyes uttered low, moaning SOUND
swayng dlzzly thinking she about to swoon |
threw my shoulders TO support her. bot
she smiled sadly and pushed me gently away.
Il quite well. thank YOU she SAID 1919, -
certain? Let walk Win you uhui you
of yourself. 49,
She shook her rapid glance at me with
and looked away in sort OF sorrow
embarrassment for which was entirely at ioss
II cannot let my be mentioned in this dreadful
matter but-l think have some informaton--for the
police VIII give this to-whomever you think proper?
She handed sealed envelope. again met my eyes
with her da2 zi'ng gances and hurried away she
lonet more than twelve yards and stil
standing bewildered watching her graceful retreat
Ing figure when she turned abruptly and came back
Without looking directly AZ but alternately siancns
toward distant of the and toward the
house of Major General PaI4ouston she made the fol-