The Washington herald., 1914-11-08

fancied heard q laugh. Al the tiAe /
thought that Il must be fancy. Now
am not 50 surei went to Princess. L
got my table just inside ! waited Every
one who passed seemed to be IN such
hurry.
Bunsome, came IN, and Gilman, and
Capt. jerks. but they none Of them ap-
peared to see me- And then Stephen
He saw me. and he was alone, but he
was going to pass. ] held out my hand
and / smiled at him.
stephen" I said. won't you stop and
speak to meg' He seemed quite aWk-
ward about it. but he stopped. ! looked
at the place by my side.
Are you alone2' I asked very softly.
He muttered something about having to
join a party. I looked at him intentiy;
he used to say that he liked me to look
at him like that
'Why are yoa in such a hurry?
asked him. Cant you stay for a little
time and talkT' He shook his head.
Then / felt suddenly queer and giddy.
Something came into my heart and
held him when he wanted to get away.
I said. Stephen, tell me the truth. WHY
do you avoid me? Why do those others
hurry by? You men used to crowd
around me, not 30 very many years ago.
Why Is rtg'
He hesftated for a moment Then he
looked me straight in the face.
HSince you've asked me that question.
Maggie" he said. III tell you, as much
Tor your husbands sake as your own
It's because you are close upon sixty
years Of age and you dress up to make
yourself look like a girl and sit about
and expect men to behave as though you
were stlll attractive. And you're not.
You're an old woman, and you know
you are. Leave on painting yourself
and wearing clothes thirty years too
young for you and we'd all be glad to
see you now and then and talk to you.
But no man likes to be seen talking to
a guy. don't mean to Be
un<ind." he went on, for i suppose ]
was looking at him in a queer sort OF
way. I've just told you this from my
self and the others, for Richards sake
as well as your own Now be q sensi-
BILE woman and give it up
think that he went away then. am
not quite sure what happened to me. l
found myself in a taxicsb and here I
am-here l am! Fortunately. 1 didn't
have to buy anything. I've had the
stun with me for years. I am leaving
this In case there should be any trou-
BILE Whoever reads this. II II shouldn't
be Richard, please tell him there's a let
ter for the coroner on the next page.
don't know what it's going to
be like on my next page, but II won't be
worse than today. I'm going to-turn
over!''
He took the book from her fingers.
Constance suddenly felt cold.
q loved herr he muttered hoarsely.
Don't you understand that / shall have
to hang before could show that book?"
She gave him both her hands.
Yes" she said, Il think / under
stand"
Constance walked into her rooms al
few minutes after six. Brooke and
Inspector Simmons were on the point
of leaving. She looked at them in some
surprise.
May l ask what you are doing in
my apartments" ?" she inquired, begin
ming 20 take off her gloves.
You forget that you had an appoint
ment with me here at 3 o'clock" Sim
mons remarked.
Quite right" Constance admitted.
Il had forgotten it"
And as we had information" Brooke
continued, that at FIVE minutes TO two
this afternoon you left the Cafe Lu-
gano with a certain notorious person
that We were becoming a little un-
easy
She sank into her easy chair. The
two men looked at her. Every muscle
in BroOke'S body seemed to stiffen.
Something has happened!" he ex-
claimed.
She drew a little brown-psper parcel
from her pocket
MIR. Simmons" she said. Il started
out this afternoon to try to trap man
into a confession of his guilt. have
instead succeeded in becoming acquaint-
ed with his innocence. The proofs are
here"
Simmons moved swiftly forward, but
Constance retained possession OF the
parcel.
This" she went on quietly, "is his
wife's diary. 1t is my belief that Della
moir would have gone to the gallowS
sooner than have given it up. | have
talked to him for some time, and he
has let me have it for two hours, on
one condition.
You are to read it. and the super
intendent. Beyond that, no other per-
son. Not a word of it is to be breathed
to the press. Sooner than have had
a single line appear in any newspaper,
Delamoir would have hung.
There is no doubt" she continued,
about it being his wife's diary. You
will find inside some of her letters, in
her own handwriting, and there is also
one addressed to the coroner, which is
in itself conclusive"
Simmons accepted the parcel and his
charge
Queer" he remarked. 81 know quite
a lot of people who never believed in
Delamoir's guilt; who even declared
that he had an odd sort of affection
for his wife, weird creature though she
was"
Constance's eyes suddenly shone For
4 single moment she was beautiful.
There are many strange ways" she
said. in which man may love a wo-
man"
The Inspector took his leave. Brooke
turned to her earnestly, her last words
sounding in his ears.
But his task IS" said he. to make
the woman believe and understand"
Constance felt her cheeks burn. Her
eyes would no longer stand to their
posts, arrogant sentinels, cool defend
ers against loves assaults, They turn
ed, cowardly, in that moment, and took
refuge behind their fringed curtains,
while she answered, softly, very, very
softly indeed:
But | have known Stanley, dear boy,
all along. have known-and under
stood"
"Aud the other partnership that |