Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-09-01
THE, MYSTERY OF THE H7
NHAPTER XXvIn, CONTINUED
FROM LAST sunday

NHAPTER xxv1u, CONTINUED
FROM LAST Sunday
TINE district attorney stopped. "a.
3ustsd his glasses and slowly
read euts
70. q. RH
carleton Clifton Roberts," explain.
ed Mr.. 0ryce. Then slowly. 1.-THE other
two II you will be 10 good"
ID. r."
''Ermentrude Taylor" declared tho
inexorable voice. "And written by
herself. Here 10 her signature, which
1 have obtained. and here IN his.
Compare them at your leisure with
heir initials inscribed according to
he. date there. sixteen years or moro
lgo. Now where were these two
his man and this woman-at tho time
ust designated7 Alone, or together2
let us see II we can hnd out" pur.
ued the detective with q quiet ignor-
ng Of the effect no had produced,
which which revealed him az the
master Of situation probably as
.ifflcult and discouraging as the
hree onicials hanging in manifest
nxiety upon his words had ever
cen called upon to face. 'Mr. Rob-
rts was in Switzerland. as his house,
;eeper Will be, obliged to admit on
ath. she being an honest woman and
domestic in his mothers house at
ne time. And Ermentrude Taylorl I
ave witness to prove where she
as alsoi A witness should be glad
, have you interrogate. Here IL her
anne and address," And he slipped q
mali scrap Of paper into tho district
ttorney's hand. what she will say
. this-I think I have very thorough
sounded her, First that she is
IRIS. Taylor's most intimate friend.
his 10 conceded by all who know
.er. Secondly. that while her init
.irlhood days-Mrs. Taylor being an
.nglishwoman by birth ana remark
bly, retlcent as to her former life
nd experiences--bhe has one story
20 tell Of that time which answers the
question have given you. She got It
tanner, They were engaged In talk
ng one day about our western noun
aims and the grandeur OF scenery
enerally, when Mrs. Taylor let fall
ome remark about the Alps. which
cd this friend Of hers to ask II she
wered In the affirmative, but with
!, ach embarrassment and abrupt
hange Of subject that It was plain
apparent she had no wish to dis
ISIS II. Indeed, her abruptness was
marked and her show Of trouble
hat might very easily give offense.
nd being Of a kind. even loving,
isposition, took occasion when next
,ay met to explain that Il was as q
irl she had visited Switzerland. and
,at/her experiences there had been
hich. recalled those days distressed
n. This is all that ever passed be-
yeen these two on this subject, but
1t not enough when we read this
,pplet. and mark the combined ini-
zig. and recognize them as those Of
lylor7 But lest you should doubt
EN- this evidence of an old-time
iendship so intimate that It has al
ost the look Of q betrothal. must
Id ono more item OF corroborative
ct which came to me as late as last
,lousness. while the nurse hung
,er her bed. Mrs. Taylor spoke her
st coherent sentence since she fell
ITO state demanding medical as
stance. And what was that sem
,nce3 A repetition Of this couplet,
sntlemen, spoken not once but over
I'd over again, till not once but over
rev tired Of listening to 1t.
~ love but thee.
Z And thee will / love to eternity"
AZ the last word fell from Mr..
ryce's lips the district attorney
uttered 4 quick exclamation. and
" down heavily In his chair.
mo coincidence that" he cried,
18th forced vivacity. ''The couplet Is
20 little known"
Exactly" came from Mr.. Gryce In
ry confirmation. MRS. Taylor. as
ell az her friends can Judge. IL a
oman OF thirty-iive or thirty-eight.
she went to Switzerland as a girl,
his would make her visit coincident.
far a. wlJ can calculate from our
resent knowledge. with that OF
arleton Roberts. For the surer ad-
ancement OF our argument. let ue
sy that It was. What follows7 Let
no inscription Of this label speak for
s. They met; they loved-as Was
md good looks Of both-and they
ow could the experience have been
cart break? They parted. and he re-
urned home, to marry within the
ear. while she-I do not think she
,arried-though have no doubt she
,oks upon herself as wife and for.
var hnund 20 thA man who deserted