Evening star., 1917-08-19
fospyrfeht, 1917, by the Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate)

- NE morei Just one more we'll
m N paying affair. and 1 promise
w to stop.
You have earned the amount you set
for yourself-or very nearly-and
though my help is not great, in three
months I can add enough
mo. you cannot, Arthur. You are
doing well: I appreciate it; in fact, l
am Just delighted to have you work for
me in the way you do. but have never
got over the Zabriskie tragedy 1t
haunts me continually. Something new
may help to put it out of my head ]
feel guilty. / was responsible
mo, Puss will not have it that you
were responsible. Some such end was was
bound to follow complication like
that Sooner or later he would have
been driven to shoot himself
But not her."
mo, not her. But do you think she
would have given those few minutes
of perfect understanding with her
blind husband for a few years more of
miserable life?"
-
Forget It. Violet; ;>oniy don't let any
ono or anything lead you to interest
II you do 1 shall have to consult a
certain friend OF yours as TO the best
way of stopping this folly. ] mention
no names. oh, you need not look SO
frightened. Only behave; that's all
The scene invited alarm-that is for
SO young a girl as Violet. surveying il
from an automobile some time after
the stroke of midnight. An unknown
house at the end of a heavily shaded
walk in the open doorway of which
could be seen the silhouette of a wo-
mans form leaning eagerly forward
with arms outstretched in an appeal
for help,
But this soon passed. With the set
ting of her foot to ground conditions
changed, and her emotions took on a
more normal character. The figure of
a man now stood in the place held
by the vanished woman. and it was not
only that of one
Mr.. Cornell has our utmost conf
dence," trusted friend whose very
presence gave her courage. With this
recognition came better understand
ing of the situation. and 1t was with a
beaming eye and unclouded features
that she tripped up the walq 70 meet
the expectant figure and outstretched
hand of Roger Upjohn.
You here," she exclaimed. amid
smiles and bushes. as he drew her into
the hall.
He at once launched forth into ex-
plantations mingled with apologies for
the presumption he had shown In put
ting her to this Inconvenience There
was trouble in the house-great trou-
BILE. Something had occurred for which
an explanation must be found before
morning, or the happiness and honor of
more than one person now under this
unhappy roof would be wrecked But
you are in ball Dress" he cried in
amusement Did you think
Il came from a ball Word reached
me between the dances. I did not go
home. 1 had been hidden to hurry"
He looked his appreciation. but when
he spoke 1t was to say:
This is the situation. Miss Digby-"
The lady who is to be married to-
morrow
who will be married tomorrow If a
certain article lost In this house tonight
who have been dining here leave for
their homes"
Violet uttered an exclamation.
Then, Mr.. Cornell" she began
dence." Roger fastened to interpose.
But the article missing is one which
he might reasonably desire to possess
and which he alone of all present had
the opportunty of occurring"
But the article lost-what is it?''
Miss Digby will give you the par
ticulars."
do you know that you have not told
me in whose house 1 am? Not hers L
know. She lives in the city.
Miss Strange. you are in the Van
Broecklyn mansion. famous enough, you
will acknowledge Have You never
been here beforer'
Il have been by here, but I recog-
nized nothing in the dark. What an
exciting place for an Investigation
The meeting between herself and Miss
Digby was sympathetic one. In
stantIy she was all attention and lis
lady's disclosures
They were brief and to the following
effect:
The dinner which had brought some
half dozen people together in this house
had been given in celebration of her
impending marriage But II was also
in way meant as a compliment to one
of the other guests. Mr. Speilhagen.
who. during the week, had succeeded in
demonstrating to few experts the
value of discovery he had made which
would transform a great industry. but
IN stating its value she openly ac-
knowledged that it was in the line of
Mr.. Cornelrs own work. and one which
involved calculations and a formula
which, If prematurely disclosed. would
invalidate the contract Mr.. Spielhagen
hoped to make. and thus destroy his
present hopes
OF this formula but two copies ex-
listed One was locked up in safe de-
posit vault in Boston, the other he had
brought into the house on his person.
and II was the latter which was now
missing, 1t having been abstracted dur
ing the evening from n manuscript of
sixteen or more sheets. under circum-
stances which she would now endeavor
to relate
Mr.. Van Broecklyn, their host. had in
his melancholy life but one interest
which could be- called a all absorbing.
This was for explosives AS a conse-
auence. much of the talk at the dinner
table had been on Mr.. Spielhagen's s
discovery and the possible changes it
dustry. AS these. worked out from a
formula kept secret from the trade.
could not but affect greatly Mr.. Cor
nelrs interests, she found herself lis
tening intently, when Mr.. Van Brock
lyn. with an apology for his interfer-
ence, ventured to remark that II Mr..
Spielhagen had made valuable dts
covery in this line. had he and one
which he had substantiated by many
experiments 1t was not ularketa BILE
one. such as Mr.. Spieihagen's was but
in his work upon the same, and in the
tests which he had been led to make.
he had discovered certain instances he
would gladly name. which demanded
exceptional procedure to be successful.
II Mr.. Spielhagens methods did not al
low for these exceptions, nor make
suitable provision for them. then Mr..