Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-26
CHAPTER XIV.
GENERAL D1scoNTBNT.


nhe remarked, "dlabolically clever. why
has he told you all this, 1 wonder7 He
must have known that you would prob
ably repeat It to me. Why does he want
10 show me his hand7"
~ have no idea" Tavernake replied.
serhese matters are all beyond me. They
do not concern me In any way. ] am
not keeping you from your friends
please send me away when you like"
"Don't go Just yet" she begged. "St
with me for q moment. Can't you see"
ehe added, whispering, that have had
4 shock? SIT with me. can't go back
10 those others Just yet"
Tavernake did as he was hidden. The
woman at his side was still caressing the
little animal she carried. Watching her,
however Tavernake could see that her
bosom was rising and falling quickly.
There was an unnatural pallor in her
cheeks, a terrified gleam in her eyes.
Nevertheless, these things passed. In a
very few seconds she was herself again.
"Come," she said, 'it is not often that
give way. The only time / am ever
afraid is when there is something which
] do not understand. 1 do not understand
MIR. Prltchard tonight. 1 know that he
Is my enemy I cannot imagine why he
ehould talk to YOU He must have
known that you would repeat all he
said 1t is not like him. Tell me,
MIR. Tavernake, you have heard all sorts
of things about me. Do you believe
them? DO you believe--it's rather a
horrible thing to ask, isn't it?" she went
on hurriedly-"do you believe that 1
made away with my husband?"
''You surely do not need to ask me that
question" Tavernake answered, fervent-
iy. 81 should believe your word. what
aver you told me. l should not believe
that you could do anything wrong"
Her hand touched his for moment
and he was repaid.
"Don't think too well of me-" she
begged. II don't want to disappoint YOU"
Some one pushed open the swing doors
and she started nervously. 1t was only
q waiter who passed through into the bar.
''What think of you," Tavernake said
slowly, nothing could alter. not because
am stupid, l suppose. there is quite a
good deal that cannot understand. L
cannot understand, for instance, why they
should suspect you of having anything to
do with your husbands disappearance.
You can prove where you were when he
left your
"Quite easily" she answered. "only,
unfortunately no one seems to have seen
him go. He timed his departure so cum
ningly that he apparently vanished into
thin air. Even then" she continued, "but
for one thing [ don't suppose that any
say Mr.. Pritchard told you that before
VIC left New York my husband sold out
some OF his property and brought 1t
over to Europe with MIN in cash. We
had both determined that we would live
abroad and have nothing more to do
with America. 1t was not I who per-
suaded him TO do this. 1t made no diff
ference to me. If he had run away and
left me, the courts would have given me
money. If he had died and had been
a widow he would have left me his prop
erty. But simply because there was all
this money in our hands, and because 1t
disappeared his people and this man
Pritchard suspect me-"
1T is wicked" he muttered.
She turned slowly toward him.
Mr.. Tavernake," she said. do you
know that you can help me very much
indeed?"
I only wish could" he replied. "Try
me-"
"cant you see," she went on, "that the
great thing against me is that Beatrice
left me suddenly when we were on that
wretched expedition, and came back
alone? She is in London, 1 know, quite
close to me, and still she hides. Pritch-
ard asks himself why. Mr. Tavernake.
80 and tell her what people are saying,
go and tell her everything that has hap
pened, let her understand that her keep
Ing AWAY is doing me a terrible injury
beg her to come and let people see that
we are reconciled, and warn her, too,
heainst Pritchard, viii you do this for
me-"
OF course | WILL" Tavernake answered.
\ viii see her tomorrow"
Elizabeth drew a little sigh of relief.
And you'll let me know what she
rays?" she asked rising.
shall be only too glad to-" Tavernake
assured her
nGood-night!"
She looked up into his face with
smile which had turned the heads of
hardened stagers in New York. No Won
oer that Tavernake felt his heart beat
against mis- ribs! He took her hands and
held them for a moment. Then he turned
abruptIy away,
'Good-nightp' he said
ne disappeared through the swing
DOORS, She strolled across the room to
where her friends We're sitting in a circle,
iaughing and talking. Her father who
nad Just come in and Joined them, gripped
nei by the arm as she sat down.
What does IL mean?" he demanded,
Win shaking voice. did you see that
ne was there with Pritehard-your young
maa-that wretched estate agents clerk2
sel you that Pritchard was pumping
Aiin for all he was worth"
" don't be melodramatic. You give
yourself away the whole time Go to
Dsa II you can't behave like a man."
me lights had been turned low, there
rss no one else in the room. The little
ea gentleman with the eyeglass leaned
forward
nave you any notion my dear Eliza
pesn. he asked, why our friend Pritch-
.la is SO much in evidence Just at pres
Aot on account Of you. Jimmy" she
,tsefeo, nor OF any one else here, In
sr The truth is he has conceived
Nent admiration for mean admiration
pronounced, indeed, that he hates TO
=, re out OF his sight"
rtsS all laughed uproariously. Then
".l.er Crease. the journalist. leaned for
,a-a man with a long. narrow face,
s-ps-stained fingers and hollow cheek
he glanced around the room be-
ne spoke and his voice sounded like
aeefse whisper
zee here" he said, Seems 10 me
snard IS setting mighty awkward. He
sot his posse around him In this
en1ry, anyway"
nzle was a dead silence for several
aaa Then the little old gentleman
e9eesd solemhly.
an a trihe tired OF Pritehard my
q admitted. "and he certainly
goo much. He carries too much
nsao % 50 around safely"