The Washington times., 1918-05-25
The Wolves of New York
A STORY OF LOVE AND MYSTERY
Esther Surprises Lillian and Guy at
Auction Sale and Carries Them
Off to Lunch

i learned you nad gone abroad, and
that my letter could not reach
you"
sympathIEe With LIHian.
at never did" said Esther. Z
was I'll. you know. and the strictest
instructions had been given that no
letters were to be forwarded to
me on any pretense whateverl
Mrs. Meredith will tell you what q
trouble was to her IN those days"
She laughed merTily, her appear.
ancs that day belying the sugges-
tion Of illness. when Harold came
out to Join me he told me OF what
he called an attempt TO bIackmaii
him, and that he had treated the
rascal-it must have been Pietro-
very summarily, but he did not
mention your name In connection
with It. I suppose he was afraid
Of unsettling me- When did you
write again2"
when I found myself IN great
difficulties owing to" she hesi-
tated and the blood mounted 70
her cheeks: then she continued i'm
pulsively, "owing sto my husband
having robbed me Of all possess.
You know-AIrs. Meredith knows
all New York knows-of my unfor-
tunate matrimonial entanglements,
20 why should dread to speak of
it7 have stood my trial"
"And the country pronounced IL
opinion" interrupted Mrs. Meredith
"If had been in New York I should
have clamored loudly in your favor,
Mrs. Willoughby. 50 you need not
be afraid OF speaking before me"
II Thought You Were Dead, EstherP
But I have never seen that let
ter-any more than the first" said
Esther. Il expect II has been for
warded and has been following ne
about all over the world. ] know
that happened to another letter that
was written to me in the summer.
am sorry did not get it'-sho
showed her trouble in her face
for II I had known OF your diii-
culties I might have saved you 80
much. But many things are vague
TO me STILL" she added Il have
been moving so quickly from place
to place during the last few months
and my sources OF information have
been so tardy-letters from home
newspapers seen weeks and months
after date. general scraps OF news
picked up here and there-would
you believe II, II was only on the
voyage back that / learned you
were not dead? ! had. OF course,
believed you murdered, and I need
not tell you what q shock that was
to me- could not communicate
with you at any time. for I knew
no address nor anyone who could
give II to me-except Guy, and
she laughed again-"he never
deigned to answer my letters"
They were taking coffee. II was
the same spot where Esther had
first met Guy, and the scene was
visibly recalled to her mind. What
changes OF fortune there had been
for all Of them since then!
Esther Il q Mystery to Then
"It'S been very much the samS
for me as for you, Esther" said Guy,
with something approaching .
blush 1--WE been moving about, too
though not out OF New York. So
any letters you write me have all
miscarried. I wish I had known
that you had written he added
ruefully.
The next quarter Of an hour was
taken up by an examination into
Guys affairs, an examination which
taxed the unhappy young mans in
vntive faculties to the full He
couldn't tell Esther that he was
filling the position OF clerk TO .
shady betting man
81 don't QSjte understand what ie
Is you are doing. Guy" she said.
at last, but you seem to be work.
ing your own way up, and that's
something. You must tell me more
about II another day. At present
I'm very anxious to have a talk
with Lillian, so I'm going to carry
her off to my room" She turned
to Lillian Tomorrow. dear. you
must arrange to come here"
II was a curious position, for
Esther was fully aware OF Lillian'B
curious relationship to Guy. The
matter had been too public for hsa
to attempt to ignore It, even had
she wished to do so. Esther knew,
too, that Lillian had been intimate
y associated with the affairs a.
Adderley, and that Harold Bora
dale-her prospective husband
looked upon these agents, who, a.
he supposed. had been employed By
his mother. with suspicion. I'll
have the whole matter cleared" he
had told her more than once. as
soon as we get back to New York.
I'm not afraid OF the Borradals
Curse-Tl put an end to II, and
Adderdlsy shall be cleared from
cellars to attlcs. Then, Esther, you
and I can be married without fur
thor question"
Esther FOrEets Warning.
Esther. though apparently happy,
was still filled with vague appre-
tensions. She could not forget
the warnings she had received from
Lillian and from others The man
to whom she had been mystic
riously married was dead-she was
assured OF that-yst there was
something beneath the surface
which had yet 10 be explained.
After all. Harold knew no more
OF the family curse than she did
herself; and what she Tnew--ths
outcome OF her own bitter ex-
perience-wa5 vague and ineNpll-
cable. She was ready 70 face any
thing with Harold. but II It was
possible IL learn moIo than tls
vague threatening hints with
which she had been forced to sat-
isfy hersslf she was, anxious to
get the information. 1t was to
Lillian she had been referred by
Mrs. Zorro dale. so II was - I.,l'au
she turned She had decided that
Mrs. BOrradale must not be ques-
fHa r.naavvauraa haH