The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1915-11-16
HerHusband'S Widow
CHAPTER LII.

CHAPTER Ill. F,
He had certainly q greater capacity
for hatred than most men-especially
most Englishmen-possess: but the
insults which fate had twice enabled
Leslie to put upon him were of the
kind every man resents L ost deeply.
At Hastings long ago she had flung
back his courtesies in his face and
outraged his vanity by that simple but
emphatic, Il don't like you;" by call
ing on Steele to turn him away she
had humiliated a man as deeply as
woman can by preferring another man
before him, by exposing his weak
ness and inability to resist the others
strength. A man can never forgive
the woman who has shown him to an
other man as a coward. Now lately at
Interlaken her tongue had lashed him
like whip; she had revealed him to
himself In all his meanness, his cow
ardice. his venality: worst of all. she
had subjected him to intolerable bod
lily indignity, had souse him in the
water and fished him out again at the
end of hook, a laughable, pitiable
bundle of wet :ags. Memories like
these smart for years and might stir
a man less indicative by nature to
the most cruel reprisals.
AS he turned from Coventry street
into Haymarket he became aware of
two familiar 70 ms walking in front of
him. His start of surpris, was in
stantly succeeded by a queer, trem-
bling sensation somewhere in the re-
gion of the spine Gaveston was hold
ing the arm of Victor Steele, and the
two men were engaged in earnest
converse. Luckily both had had their
backs turned towards him.
What on earth had that old fox to
say to that clumsy, bullying soldier?
Erdsley followed at discreet distance
and saw them both 60 to Sir Ralph's
lodgings. He promptly took up posi-
tion in public-house bar near at
hand, whence he could see who en-
tered and who left the house. No doubt,
he concluded. Gaveston was endeavor-
ing to intimdiate Steele to disavow the
Egyptian marriage as he had succeed
ed in intimidating Mrs. Melas
"Sit down. Steele" said the Baro-
net, drawing out the best armchair his
dingy apartments could boast. It's a
most fortunate thing l met you-most
fortunate. sent telegram to Brook
| lands and another one to Amesbury."
II flew to Hendon yesterday" ex-
planned Victor, settling himself in tho
| chair: your telegram must be wait
ing for me-" He looked at the baronet
Il consented to come here" he went
on, "on the understanding that you
| have something very important to say
l may tell you at once that did so
with reluctance. There can be no
friendship between you and me, Sir
Ralph.
I have talked over the circum-
stances of poor Varneys death with
Rhedan and l am convinced that you
put that pistol In your brothers pock-
ct on the off chance of it's going off.
No." he raised his hand, Il don't want
to hear any living explanation or ex-
cuse. 1t doesn't matter to you what
I think, and it's not the kind of crime
! that could be brought home to
man. So get on with the business you
have in hand as quickly as possible"
Sir Ralph Wants
to Talk Of Leslie.
Sir Ralph standing before the fire
place with his hands clasped under
his coat-tails, had listened in silence
to the officers terrible allegation His
gaze was fixed on the grimy ceiling,
and except that he went a shade grey
er, he betrayed no emotion.
I've not brought you here Captain
Steele, to answer your charges" he
said quietly, cor to solicit your friend
ship. I want to speak to you about
my-Mrs. Varney's affairs
Il guessed that. That is why con-
sented to accompany you.
The barOnets eyes rested for a mo-
ment on the younger mans bronzed,
earnest face. He appeared to debate
some question within himself and then
asked abruptly: You are an honest
man If l am not. Are you friend
of Leslie's?"
! YES"
The color mounted to Steele's
cheeks as the other man continued to
gaze at him.
You were in love with her, sup
pose, when you married her at Hast
ings?" asked Sir Ralph, and on seeing
the flash of anger in the soldiers eyes
he went on hurriedly. We'll, there's
no occasion to beat about the bush. I
must tell you everything, l suppose.
He began to walk up and down the
little room.
"We-she and discovered some
thing the other day that has complete
ly changed the aspect OF affairs.
don't know how long you two lived
together. but imagine that she must
have told you that she was in ignor-
ance of her parentage."
She discovered that her father was
a man of title." said Steele bitterly.
That was the cause of the first
breach between us. She was ashamed
of being my wife when she found her
| self to be his daughter. Has the scoun-
| drel turned NM" .