The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-10-07
mo. Washington Square,


head. and behind them could be
seen tho pale. curious faces OF VIII
liam. Miss Gardner. and NJ. Dubois.
whats up7' demanded the
keen-faeed Mayfair
Before I answer that" said Mr..
Pyecroft, permit me 10 preface
what have 10 say by touching
upon two necessary personal do
tails. First. believe at least you,
Mr.. Mayfair, have known me az
Mr.. Simpson. brother OF Mrs. DE
PeyBter'A houBekeeper. am not
her brother. This harmless decep-
ton was undertaken. for reasons
not necessary 10 give. al the re.
quest OF Judge Harvey; he wished
mo 20 remain In the house To ar.
range, and make abstracts OF. GER.
tain private papers. The second
detail Is, that ! am speaking nj the
request OF Judge Harvey. AZ his
associate and as the representa-
tive OF the De Peyster family"
Judge Harvey felt his collar: Jack
"Yea--ycs," said the impatient
Mayfair. But out with the story
What's doing7"
Something that | think will sur
prise you said Mr. Pyeerofl
Something that has completely
astounded all OF us--particularly
this lady who IL Mrs. DE Peyster's
housekeepsr. and Miss Harmon.
here. who has just returned from a
quiet summer in Maine TO attend
her cousins funeral. The fact 10,
gentlemen. 10 como night 10 the
point. there In 20 be no funeral"
mo funeral" ran thru the crowd.
mo funeral" repeated Mr. Pye-
croft. The reason. gentlemen, II
that great mistake has been made.
Mrs Peyster 10 not dead"
mot dead" exclaimed the re-
poriera.
III you desire proof. here II is"
Mr. Pyecroft. stepping aside. reveal
ed the figure OF Mrs. De Peyster. lie
put his right hand upon her shoul.
der. gripping Il lightly and holding
her IN the chair, and With bis left
he lifted the thick veil above her
face. Il believe that most OF you
know Mrs. De Peyster. al least from
her pictures"
Mrs. De Peys,erl" cried the
staggered crowd. Mrs. DE Peys,er
herself"
But that other Mrs. DE peyster--
the one the funeral ~ for" asked
Mr.. Mayfair. who 10 shef"
THAT. gentlemen. Ia az great .
mystery 20 US ss TO any OF you"
said Mr. Pyecroit
but bow the--but how did II all
happen" calculated Mr.. Mayfair
"Tha; IA what I am going to tell
you" Mr.. Pyecroft answered.
-ohl" moaned Mrs. De Peyster.
oliyetta and Matilda Eazed at Mr..
Pyecroft with CHASTITY faeea. Judge
Harvey and Jack and Mary stared
a, him with amazed suspense. and
Mas Gardner, with whom he had
not yet made his peace. breathiessly
awaited the merit move Of this In.
comprehensive husband OF hers.
"Wha, Mrs DE Peysier has said
In really very simple. "A you know.
she left Paris on a long motor trip.
During her brief stay In Paris one
Of her trunks was either lost or
stolen. abe II not certain which. As
she pays no personal attention TO
her baggage. she vas not aware OF
her loss for several days. So much
Is fact. Now we come 10 mere con-
lecture. A plausible conjecture
seems 10 be that tho gowns
In the trunk were sold TO a
second hand dealer. and these
gowns, being attractive, the dealer
must have Immediately resold TO
various purchasers. and one OF these
purchasers must have"
"ycs. vest Plain as day" ex.
claimed Mr.. Mayfair.
"The face was unacceptable"
continued Mr.. Pyecrof,, but since
the gown had sewn into II Mira. De
Peysicrs name, Of course
"Of courae'" The most natural
mistake In the world" cried Mr..
Mayfair, exoltedly. Go on, Go on"
Mrs. De Peystor did not learn of
what had happened till the day the
supposed Mira. DE Peyster was start
ed homeward The most sensible
thing for her 10 have done would
have been TO declare the mistake
and save her family and friends
a great deal OF grief. But the shock
completely unbalanced her. she
was 80 completely unnervcd-but q
mere look al Mrs. De Peyster will
show you how the shock unneryed
her"
The group cared NJ Mrs. De Pey.
ster's face. A murmur OF sympathy
and understanding ran among them.
"In her hysterical condition." con.
tinued Mr.. Pyecroft. "she had but
one thought. and that was to get
home as quickly as she could. She
crossed TO England. sailed on the
Mauretania, kept 10 her stateroom.
and arrived here at the house heav.
lily yelled about an hour ago. I
may add the details that she sailed
under the name OF Miss Hartman,
and that her trunks are now ut the
CunHrd pier. There yen have the
entire story. gentlemen. And since
Mrs. DE Peyster is in a state Dor
dering on collapse, We would take II
as n favor f."
mo need TO dismiss u.s." put In
Mr.. Mayfair. We're In a bigger
hurry TO leave than you are to have
us go. Gee. boys" he calculated to
his fellows, what peach Of
story"
In twinkllng Mr.. Mayfair and
his fellows OF the press had van.
ished
Within the room all eyes. fixed
themselves upon Mrs. De Peyster.
Mother" Jack breathed at
length
"Caroline!" breathed Judge Har.