The evening world., 1920-07-21
THE SECRET OF SAREEN
- BY MAURICE LEBLANC -


spoken thoughts:
You. name is truly Veronique
d'IIergemont?"
YES"
who was your father?"
Antoine Enlargement"
You married man named NOr-
ski, who said he was u Pole?"
Yes, Alexis Vorski."
You married him after there was
scandal about his running off with
you and after quarrel between you
and your father"
yes"
You had a child by him?"
Yes, son, Francois"
"A son chat you never knew, in a
manner of speaking, because he was
kidnapped by your father?"
YES"
And you lost sight Of the two after
a shpwreck?"
yes, they are both dead"
How do you know"
It did not occur to Veronique to be
astonished at this question, and shs
replied:
MY personal inquiries and the police
/ inquiries were both based upon the
same indisputable evidence. that Of the
four sailors"
who's to say they weren't telllns
lies? ?"
why should they tell lies?" asked
Neronique, in surprise.
Their evidence may have been
bought; they may have been told what
to say"
by whom"
by your father"
| NBut what an idea! Besides. my
father WAS dead"
Il say once more: how do you know
that"
This time Veronique appeared stupe-
fled.
what are you hinting?" she WINS
pered.
"One minute. DO you know the
names OF those four sailors"
81 did know them, but ! don't re-
member them"
You don't remember that they wer
Breton names?"
Yes, do. But don't sec that -
III you never came to Brittany your
father often did. because Of the books
he used to write. He used to stay ir
Brittany during your mothers life
time. That being so, he must have hGt
relations with the men Of the country.
Suppose that he had known the four
sailors long time, that these meu
were devoted to him or bribed by him
and that he engaged them specially
began by landing your father and your
son at some little Italian port. and
that then, being four good swimmers,
they scuttled and sank their yacht IN
view OF the coast. Just suppose it.
But the men are living" cried
INeronque, in growing excitement
Then can be questioned"
1.-TWO of them are dead; they died
a natural death a few years ago. The
! I'D Ca n old - He'd a n
noe, you Will And him at SaTck A.
for the fourth, you may have seen
him Just now. He used the money
which he made out of that business
to buy a grocer's shop at Beg Neil"
"Ah. we can speak TO him AT
once!" cried Neronique, eagerly.
Let's go and fetch him"
"Why should we? / know more
than he does"
you know? You know"
"a know everything that you don't
can answer all your questions. ASK
me what you like
But Veronique dared not put the
great question to her. the one which
was beginning to culver in the dark
ness Of her consciousness. She was
afraid Of a truth which was perhaps
not inconceivable a truth OF which
she seemed to catch a faint glimpse;
and she stammered, in mourntul ac-
cents:
81 don't understand. l don't un-
derstnnd. Why should my
father nave behaved like that? why
should he wish himself and my poor
child to be thought dead?"
Your father hed sworn to have
his revenge"
= ION Vorski. yes; but surely no.-on
me, his daughter? Ano such
u revenge!'
you loved your. husband. Once
1 you were IN his power. instead az
= running away from him, you con-
scented to marry him Besides. the
10 insult was a public one And you
{ know what your father was, with his
| violent, Nindictive temperament and
his rather his rather I'M
e balanced nature, 10 use his own ex-
preston"
4 since thenl Since thenl He felt
lremorseful as ne grew older, what
with his affection for the child
and he tried everywhere N
find YOU The journeys l have taken,
beginning with my journey TO the
. Carmelites at Chartres! But you had
- left ,ong ago and where for
Where were you 10 be found?"
You could have advertised IN this
/
= He did try advertising, once. very
. cautiously, because Of the scandal
"a There was a reply Some one made
u an appointment and he kept IT, Do
u YOU know who came TO meet him
IL Vorski Vorski. who was looking fol
"a YOU. too, who still loved you
n and hated you. Your father became
s frightened and did not dare act
openly
Is Veronique did not speak. She fell
very faint and sat down on the stone
j. with her head bowed
n Then she murmured:
you speak OF my father as though
e he we're still alive to-day"
y "He is"
and as though you saw him often
Is DAILY"
&c And on the other hand"-Vcron,
iuue lowered her voice-"ou the other
Il hand you do not say a word OF M
~ son. And that suggests a horribl,
re thought: perhaps ne did not live
a Perhaps he is dead since? rs tina
e why YOU do not mention him%
She raised her head with an effort