Evening star., 1921-05-08

| lrinE-"something which was extorted
| from you by the fellow, Meyer"
! Without touching her recovered
| property. Lady Ireton stood beside the
| chair from which she had arisen, her
| gaze fixed as il hypnoticslly upon the
| speaker.
My friend. Mr.. Knox. is aware OF
all the circumstances" continued the
| latter. but he is as anxious as am to
| terminate this painful interview.
surmise that what occurred on Wed
| nesday night was this--correct me il I
am wrong: While dining with Mr.. De
| Lana you heard sounds OF a quarrel in
| the street below. May I suggest that
you recognized one OF the roices:'
| T ADY 1RETON. still staring straight
before her at Harley. inclined her
! head in assent. 81 heard my fathers
voice" she said hoarsely
! quite So nc continued u am
aware that Maj. RagStaf is your IA
ther." He turned to nc: DO you rec
ognize the touch of genius at LAST"
Then, again. addressing Lady Ireton:
You naturally suggested to your
companion that he should look out of
! the window in order to learn what
| was taking place. The next thing YOU
knew was that he had fallen into the
! street,"
| Lady IreAon shuddered and raised
I her hands 60 her face. 1T is rctribu-
ton" she whispered. II have brought
| this on myself But he does nct de-
| serve Her voice faded into ST.
! ience
You refer to your husband. Lord
! 1reton"" said Harley.
Lady lreton nodded and. again re-
I covering power OF speech: 1T was TO
F! have been our last meeting" she said
| looking up at Harley. She shuddcred
and her eyes blazed into sudden fierce
ness. Then. clenching her hands, she
! looked aside. oh. tho shame Of this
| hour" she whispered.
And j would have given much TO
| have been spared the spectacle of this
proud womans humiliation. But Paul
! Harley was scientifically remorseless.
| could detect no pity in his glance.
| Il would give my life willingly TO
spare my husband the knowledge of
what has happened" said Lady Ireton
/ in low. monotonous voice. Three
times | sent my maid to Meyer to re-
cover my bag. but he demanded a price
/ which even | could not pay. Now il is
all discovered. and Harry will know"
! That fear. is unavoidable. Lady
Ireton," declared Harley. May ! ask
where Lord Ireton is at present."
| He is in Africa after big game"
after big game: ] can offer you one
| consolation. Lady Ireton. In his own
! interests Meyer will stick to his first
assertion that Mr.. De Lana was dining
alone"
! A strange. horribly pathetic look
/ ipto he ap'c han
! "You-you-are not acting for":' she
began.
Il am acting for no one" replied
4; Harley tersely. Upon my friends dis
I, cretien you may rely as upon my own" 3"
Then why should he ever know"
| she whispered.
WHY, indeed murmured Harley.
since he is in Africa
hall my friend paused and pointed
to lfe-size oil painting by London's
most fashionable portrait painter. 1t
was that of a man in the uniform Of a
iguards officer. dark man, slightly
gray at the temples. his face very
tanned as il by exposure to the sun.
Having had no occasion for disguise
when the portrait was painted" said
Harley. Lord Ireton appears here with
out the beard and as he is not repre-
; sented smiling one cannot see the gold
TOOTH
: but, Harley-it was murder
Not within the meaning Of the law,
Knox Lord Ireton is oficially in
Africa-and he went actually after big
game The counsel is not born who
could secure a conviction. We are some
; what late. but shall have less difficulty
in finding a table at Princes"
| ,Coryrirht 1921. Printed by special ar
rangement with Metropolitan Service and
The Washington Star.)