Evening star., 1917-10-21

Il didn't dare telephone. I didn't
dare say anything definite. I could
write nothing. 1 was followed. I was
watched. / ran across clamdigger.
He was in terror of prosecution for
trespassing. I had a piece of paper on
which I had once got Mr.. Conybear to
write his name. He had thought that
he was signing document, but he
wasn't"
IF you weren't what you are, but
were what thought you were. you'd
be fine one at it." grunted Conybear,
not so graphically but that he was un-
Chesley laughed He resumed IT
initiated Mr.. Conybear's handwriting in
the lines above his own signature and
told the man to take 1t to the commits
sioner of police Of New York"
But why didn't you say something
definite in it?" demanded Herkomer.
Suppose one of the other members
OF the plot had seen me give the note
TO Perkins? No. not that, for then the
tat would have been in the fire. But
suppose that some other person had
stopped the man before he left the
grounds and had seen the note. II
there'd been anything definite in 1t. the
reader would have known who wrote
IT. despite the false handwriting. All
could do was this: give the police a tip
on which they would act so as to pre-
vent panic In the stock market"
But when you reached New York
L
to you asking about Mr.. Conybear?" de-
manded Herkomer
The telephone at Portsmouth has
other receivers. How did 1 know who
was istenine-in? And as for when I
reached New York; punctured the
gasoline tank myself so that 1t drained
dry. But I feared that the chauffeur
might telephone New York on what
traln ! was coming You see. Berg
son had grown jealous of me. He
I tn
than himself. Further. he thought me
honest. and that interfered with his
own plans-or might. The slightest
eXcuse"-
But when telephoned you," cried
Waring." Why lead me into their
clutches?"
And who are your" aswed Chesley.
An idle. rich young man. aren't you?
when I was risking the life Of the big
gest fnancier in the world? Further.
I feared that premature disclosure to
the police Of Conybear's whereabouts
would result-as I told you at the time
over the telephone-with personal risk
to him.
Cant you see?" he asked them all.
II was after big game. l did not realize
that personal greed had made Bergson
drop the society's aims, that the cap
ture OF Conybear and a few of his
closest intimates was all that was
wanted. And when I did realize it
we'll. was prisoner. as you found me,
last night locked in room in that pri-
vate hospital Bergson's jealousy has
been too much for fim-and us."
The man from Washington nodded.
Chesley did everything for the best II
a whole world were menaced-and he
thought 1t was, and he can't be blamed
for thinking so-beyond doing what he
could to prevent Immediate panic. he
could not look out for other people
not even Mr. Conybear. He wanted evil
dence. Thanks to Bergson's treachery
to his own associates, no evidence is
needed. Not on this side of the Atlantic
for the plot had failed here Abroad
Well, this mornings cables say that
Randall Is o. K, and the French police
inform me that what Chesley thought
was planned here was really planned
there. The others, most of them, were
honest. though fanatics. Bergson
wasn't"
He was as honest as your big fnan-
cters. like Mr.. Conybear," cried the
woman who had tried to bar Herk D.
mer's entrance to Bersson's stronghold
last night. He took by force what Mr.
Conybear takes by trickery."
The man from Washington eyed her
with your permission, Herkomer, I've
promised this young woman her free
dom IL she'll talk. She had nothing to
do with the three murders; we have all
the rest of Bergsons gang locked up.
We have plenty Of evidence. This wom-
nlzant of Bergson's plans. 1t would
clear the atmosphere"
Herkomer nodded. Prosecution of a
woman never appealed to him. He
was glad of some excuse to let her go
1T matters not to me" exclaimed
the woman. MY Simon Is dead: yorI
beasts have killed him"
He died of apopleSy," said Chesley,
mildly.
She sneered 80, rrt.hl- -,u+-o,.
"a Wi
1t matter how he went? 1t ie the end
for me, too. As for your jafls-they
matter little. When the heart is dead,
the body cares not where it Is"
Softness had crept into her face but
now it hardened again. She looked at
Chesley.
You are right My Simon was no
milk-and- water fool. thinking to save
man to win me, for have not been un-
sought-and sought by younger men.
But they were pygmies compared TO
him. You call him a fanatic. Maybe.
SO has my Simon lost But when one
plays for stake like that-Mr Burton
Conybear did not think him fanatic
nus vestnttias Mt i'ut,pN Conn hr,4i
who went to his vaults at my Simon's
command and took therefrom over s50,-
00o, ,0e0. He took $50 00o.a that only
accident"-and she glared at Mrs. Willy
Sinsabaush-"onlS the accident of a
SHY doll S Delng curious TOOK away
from him.
ooh. we'll you would know about
him. It matters not who he really was
or how l met him. Suffice it that.
garbled by prejudice. the story you
have just listened to is true Simon
trusted this Randall you mention-but
not too far. not enough to tell him his
real plans. Only l knew those. And
they were to gain the foremost finan-
cial place in the world. He did not in
tend to skuk into hiding after his
indeed. He meant to defy Mr.. Cony-
have done so. He would have bought
judges. juries-and / was to reign with
him by his side in his place of power.
1t was for that that I cultivated you,
Mrs Sinsabaueh. But IL had no name
So I took the name of this doll here
Sn. s...e-ed at Claire Sorel, who drew
slightly nearer Waring, on whose face
was written alteration.
social "osition. too, my Simon
he said, and would grace his house.
And SO / went to Mrs. Sinsabaugh's 8
and there l left my Simon's name
and telephone number And so l killed
him-because | was careless, because l
loved him so that / loved to look at his
name, even. and kiss it, and He
was man. And that is ALL
Doubtless there was more. but she
would not tell it. Herkomer felt that
she had bought her liberty cheaply. but.
after all. what did 1t matter who Berg
son had been, now that he was noto
He let her go and the Office seemed
sweeter for her absence. Still. she had
loved Bergson, and that was some
thing in her favor To be able to love