The Washington herald., 1914-12-06

.
movement indicative of surprise that
was perfectly natural under the circum-
| stances. when her future happiness
even her life-is threatened? That is sin
! gular, TO say the least" Then his eyes
travelled across the table and met Miss
Arbuthnot's as she glanced up. She
coIored family, looked down in some en-
| barrassment, and began removing imag-
mary tea leaves from her cup with the
point Of her spoon.
Pardon me, but / don't believe my
life is in danger" she said nervously. 81
don't believe that I-that the horrible
thing will attack me at all. That is
simply Lord ST. Just's fancy Mr.. Cleek,
nothing more!"
Let us hope and pray So" commented
Cleek audibly; but what he added to that
comment inaudibly ran like this: 81
wonder-I really do wondcr-what objec-
tion the lady has to the matter being
inquired into, and the police put on the
case? Does she know the guilty party,
or is she the guilty party herseIf?" Then
with the idea of getting a clear state
ment of the work in hand, he turned
again to Lord st. Just. Il am rather
good at riddles sometimes, your lordship -
he said. But as il happens that a man
can't possibly answer one until he has
heard what il T., suppose you give me
q ihll ClGdl anu ulSllnNl dCtOuill OI lnlS
case, that ! may know what is expected
of me and what ! am TO attempt to solve.
When. where and how did it begin?"
1t was Miss Arbuthnot who replied.
Before his lOrdship could make any an
swer TO this direct question she. with
evident nervousness, threw in a remark
OF her own account.
''It is about nothing moro nor less than
mere coincidence, Mr.. Cleek," she said
agitatedly. Lord st. Just is making a
mountain out of a molehill. have told
him frequently it is nothing more than
that. That two out Of the four people
who were to share with me this unex-
pected fortune should have died since
the year began does not. believe me,
prove that there is crime at the bottom
of it all. 1t is a Coincidence-a horrible
coincidence-after ALL"
Don't be silly, Kate" struck in his
lordship with some slight irritation. rs
it a coincidence that nothing should have
happened during all the years you and
yours were without this money, and that
it should begin almost Immediately after
Miss Raynor's will was proved and you
and your brother-like the set OF STILES
that you are-took that Brand chap into
your home and let him rule the roost,
so to speak,"
Philip" she reproved. with a little
shuddering cry and a look OF keen re-
proach. Phillip. you mustn't suggest
such things-you mustn't harbor such
horrible ideas. Eugene Brand Is not that
kind of man. He is just what he ap-
pears-a dear, kind, lovable cousin who
has our welfare at heart
"Oh, is he?'' flung back st. Just, with
a short. sarcastic laugh. Well, don't lose
sight of the fact. please, that If you and
yours die without issue the fortune will
revert to him."
What nonsense, He doesn't need it.
You know very we'll. Philip, that he
doesn't need it. doesn't care for it-that
he is rich in his own right and Miss Ray
nor's fortune is nothing to him.
IT know very well that he says so. II
that's what you mean. But there's a
good deal Of difference between saying
that you are rich and being rich-Lord
yes! Oh. no. That johnnie hasn't any
thing to do with it-oh, not he, It's just
coincidence that Geoff should die in that
strange, unaccountable way a week af-
ter you took that fellow into your hearts
It's just coincidence that three months
later Harold should be seized and swept
out Of existence in the same manner and
with the same abominablc. uncanny. in
explicable disease. And it's only 'coinci-
dence.' isn't it, that the same diabolicaI
symptoms have now begun to manifest
themselves in little Eric, and that if
something doesn't happen-some miracle
to stave of the full development of the
appalling thing he. like the others, will
go on rollicking and laughing until he
laughs himself into the grave?''
"Hulloi' swung in Cleek, screwing
round in his chair. all alert on the in
slant. like a watchdog that has heard
a sound in the blackncss of the night.
WHAT'S that? Laugh himself to death?
Who laughed himself to death? / know
about that thing. and Never
mind. let's hear the case. please. What's
it all about
Il think had better answer that
question, Cleek-his lordship and Miss
Arbuthnot will give you the fuller details
interposed Narkom. seeing
that matters were being delayed con-
by this blind beating about in
the dark with hints and innuendoes and
nothing absolutely definite. ITO make
it as brief as possible. my dear chap, !
Miss Arbuthnot and her four brothers |
whose father was a Scottish Nonconform- !!
ist clergyman up to the time of his |
death-had been by no means too well
blessed with this worlds goods until a !
matter of thirteen months ago. At that
period their rich maiden aunt. Miss |
Raynor, died, and left them a
and estates. Miss Raynor was something
Of a character in her way-a rigid mem |
ber Of the Established Church and as
narrow as the grave itself. Her only
niece-the Rev. Mr.. Arbuthnot's wife
was never forgiven to the day OF her
death for marrying Dissenter: and why
Miss Elizabeth should suddenly elect
after having utterly refused to see or
know that niece's orphaned children-to
leave her money to them is one Of the
things that will never be answered in
this world. But she did leave ii to them,
and, as If that were not extraordinary
enough in itself, made her will still more
amazing by adding a codicil which fairly
look away peoples breath when it was
-ead. In her youth Miss Elizabeth, al
housh deformed. had had her romance
IN other words, she had been engaged
% a young naval lieutenant named Brand,
4 handsome young chap who was as
ooopI in purse as he was rich in good
ooks, so It is just possible that the
ady's wealth was the thing that gilded
he pill. for she was not only deformed,
'ut was several years his senior and had
| tongue and temper like a bundle of
lies.
possible. my dear fellow, young Brand
llted his elderly fiancee, met and fell in
owe with a Yankee girl who hadn't a
iiX-pence to bless herself with, but who,
Ike himself, was a very millionaire in
5ood looks. Upshot: He married the girl,
Who was niece, by the way. of the Rev.
hr. Arbuthnot. threw up his commits
lion in the navy because he could no
onger afford to keep 1t up now that he
lad a wife on his hands. migrated to
America with that wife, went into the