Evening star., 1914-12-27

He closed his eyes. One of the doctors
approached the bedside. He waved Jermyn
away.
"You had better leave him now,' he whis-
pered.
"He wants to tell me something!" Jermyn
exclaimed hoarsely. "I don't think that |
had better go away. He would rather tell
me than anyone. He is going to tell us who
shot him.
The doctor shook his head gravely. "There
is no question about his telling anybody
ANYTHING more" he said. "Lord Lakenham
is passing away. He will never open his lips
again"
CHAPTER XVII
DERHAPS, in its way, the final shock of
L Lakenham's death brought with it a GER
tain grim sense of relief; an end, at any rate,
of the terrible tension of the last few hours.
Jermyn made his way unsteadiy into his
own bedroom and threw himself upon the
sofa For an hour or so he dozed. At six
o'clock a servant brought him some tea.
Afterward he mechanically took bath and
changed his clothes. At seven O'Clock he
knocked at the door of the sitting room of
Lucille's little suite Her maid admitted
him at once. Lucille herself, fully dressed
in plain dark clothes, was sitting at her
table writing letters. Her eyes followed the
disappearing figure of the maid. As soon as
the door was closed she leaned toward Jer
myn.
at is all over, them" she whispered. "He
is dead?'
"He is dead!'
She drew little breath. Her tone was
unsteady. "Has he told the truth?' she
asked eagerly. as anyone implicated? Did
he say anything to you?"
H. I,
statement at all" he replied. "He spoke to
me. He was hesitating as to how much he
should tell Even as he was hesitating he
died"
"You are sure he told the doctors nothing
when you were out of the room?'
Il am quite sure.
Lucille sat for a few minutes with her eyes
half closed Her lips moved as though speak
ing to herself Then she drew long sigh
and rose to her feet. She went over to Jer-
myn and, passing her arm through his, led
him to an easy chair. A coffee tray stood
upon the table.
"Jermyn DEAR" she said, a want you to
try and pull yourself together. l know that
had two shocks,-th tragedy of poor Aynes-
worth's death under your own roof, and the
tragedy of that terrible secret. You will
have to be man and face it, Jermyn. There
is no other way. We shall need all our
courage, both you and 1, if that secret is to
be properly kept"
He lifted his eyes to hers. There were
black rims underneath them, and his cheeks
seemed to have become follower The shock
had aged him. Il shall face it." he assured
her. "There is no doubt about that The
question that concerns me most for the
present is what you are going to do
CHE busted herself for a moment making
- some coffee; then she turned and looked
at him steadfastly. "Jermyn,' she said, "all
the excitement of the last few hours seems
to have left me nerveless. l can talk quite
calmly now of things that in themselves
sound terrible. l am going to make bar
gain with you"
"Well?"
a am going to speak the naked TRUTH
she went on. @Some of the things l shall
say you may not like. Nevertheless, listen
patiently. have no love for Sybil Cluley.
You are an idealist, Jermyn, and all your
days you will be little out of touch with
world that has been fashioned by practical
people, whose main roads and byways lead
to the obvious places. Sybil Cluley is just
1;t+1a Fl ,,ron the ctaoa who has hear