The Washington herald., 1915-10-03
Copyright. 1851

senger, and as it is-to judge by the
notes on the. envelope-apparently a
matter OF some moment, I hasten to
send it on to you by Lennard. In
the event of the letter having to do
with some affair that will not brook
delay, both Lennard and the Limousine
are at your service. Yours cordially,
MAVERICK NARKOM."
Cleek laid the note aside and took
up the letter which had been enclosed
with it.
"Hurnphn he mused as he turned
the envelope over before opening it.
From lady, that's certain-elderly,
we'll educated. used to being obeyed
and in considerable Of a hurry and
much excited when she penned this.
Well, let's see what she has to say
for herself" the letter open
and what has induced her to write
to me-"
She had very little to say, but that
little was OF the utmost importance.
Lady Rivington will be obliged if
Mr.. Cleek will make it convenient to
call upon her at the Langham Hotel
not later than o'clock this after
noon upon a matter of life and death.
She also requests Mr.. Cleek to say
nothing regarding this appointment
to anybody, and will be obliged if
he will not come in uniform"
THE good lady's first dealing with
the police" commented Cleek with a
smile. She evidently fancies that
detectives go about in the garb OF
Observation-Disclosures and numbered
with the badge OF their calling. What's
the time? A quarter to one, eh? l
can take the kit bag and change in
the limousine, and give her ladyship
something in the nature of a shock
mot later than this afternoon
He did, and so it fell out that it
- still lacked some minutes of being
1:5o when following the announce
ment, "Mr. Johnston, your ladyship,
there walked into the private draw
ing-room of Lady Rivington's suite
a straight-backed, fair-haired, fair
mustached man of soldierly bearing.
Lady Rivington, seated upon sofa
and interestedly studying a railway
timetable, turned round as she heard
the name. saw him and rose in some
perturbation.
"Pardon," she said in confusion. 81
fancy there must be some mistake"
Not unless Lady Rivington has
changed her mind since the letter was
written" replied Cleek, just the sus-
picion OF an amused smile fickering
about the corners of his lips. "Your
ladyship said not later than o'clock
and not in uniform. l have endeavor-
ed to comply with both requests"
"Oh. but this is incomprehensible.
That police officer began her
ladyship; then discreetly stopped and
had the good taste and the breeding
to say no more upon the subject.
"Pray SIT down, Mr. Cleek, and l will
send at once for my nephew, Mr..
Charlock. Ii is most good OF you to
answer my letter so promptly. No
doubt you-er-marveled at its ab-
ruptness; its-er-peremptory charac-
ter, and must have been at loss to
account for i"
Not in the slightest" replied
Geek. taking in the timetable "I
imagined that your ladyship was
:. compelled to catch certain train in
order to get back to-Emdon Court,
is it not? l hope my memory is TO
your letter that this was something
in the nature of a secret visit to
town; secret, perhaps, even from Sir
Maurice. and that the preservation of
that secret depended upon your catch
ing that particular train in order to
keep your son from learning that you
hadI been 70 London"
How wonderful you arep ex-
claimed her ladyship. with the amaze
ment those who are utterly devoid
OF imagination ITO deduce all that
from a mere letter! Yes. you are
-ight-you are right in all particu-
lars. Mr.. Cleek. The visit is secret
one. No one but my nephew knows.
No one but he must ever know-my
son least OF all He would put down
his foot instantly if he suspected that
| ever dream OF doing such a thing
he is so hopelessly under the woman's
spell"
Cleek's eyebrows lifted and fell; the
= curious one-sided smile looped up
the left corner OF his mouth, dropped,
and was gone before her ladyship
could remark il.
81 hope | shall not be considered
rude. Lady Rivington," he said, but
unless | have been misinformed, to
be 'hopeless,y under the spell of a
woman is no new experience with
Sir Maurice. fear. Especially the
spell of-shall we say foreign wom-
en-"
by all means say foreign wom-
en- replied Lady Rivington, with
touch OF asperity. My only satisfac-
tion in the whole unhappy business of
his two marriages is that neither
woman was English-neither could
be English; have one drop OF Eng
lish blood in one single vein and do
such utterly un-English things. I
wished Sir Maurice to marry his
cousin; to keep the title and the es-
tate in the family. And two women
two Russian women--disregarded that
wish and spoiled that hope for me.
But" she added, glancing round upon
him suddenly, you appear to know
great deal about Sir Maurice, Mr..
Cleek."
mo. no; not more than was set
- forth in the daily papers at the time
of his second romantic marriage,
Lady Rivington. It was stated then,
; II my memory serves me correctly,
: that, in his early youth, he gave
great promise of becoming a prem
: inent statesman and was eventually
entrusted, despite his youth, with an
important diplomatic mission sec