Evening star., 1921-06-23
THE AVENCER
BY E. PHILLIPS OPPENHE1M.
A Tale of Political Intrigue and Private
Revenge.
By
tcepyrisht, By Little. Brown & oo.)

having an unknown friend"
An unknown friend! duncan re-
peated.
The baron nodded.
I'VE paid that man two thousana
a year" he said, but he was not
satisfied. He communicated secretly
with the other side, and they agreed
to buy the letters for 10000. We
knew the very night when he had
arranged to hand them over to a
man named Bentham in London. But
we We're powerless. We could not
have found the half of 10000. One
thing only was tried. and that very
nearly ended in disaster. An attempt
was made to steal the letters. Mr..
Wrayson will tell you about that
presently"
A maitre d'hotel paused at their
table to hope that messieurs were
well served. In a season SO busy
it was not possible to give the atten-
tion to every one they would like:
Was there anything he could do?
the best wine in the cellars! He
trusted that they approved Of it.
The young lady there with the dia-
mond collar and the wonderful eyes?
He bent a little lower over the table.
That was Mile. Diane of the Folies
Bergeres! And the gentleman? He
had registered under another name,
but he was well known as the Baron
X. a great capitalist in Paris.
The maitre d'hotel passed on, well
satisfied that he had interested the
three distinguished looking gentle
men who dined alone. Wrayson. as
soon as he was out of hearing. leaned
over the table.
ut is on that night" he said to
Duncan. that l come into touch with
the affairs of which our friend has
spoken. The man Barnes had fiat
corresponding to mine on the floor
above. I returned home about mid
night and found young lady. who
was complete stranger to me. en-
gagged in searching my desk. 1 turned
up the lights and demanded an ex-
planation. She was apparently quite
as much surprised to see me as
was to see her. 1t appeared that she
had imagined herself in Barnes fiat
Whilst I was talking to her the tel
ephone bell rang. Some unknown
person asked me to convey a mes
sage to Barnes. When I had finished
she was gone: 1 sat down and tried
to make head or tail of the affair.
I couldn't. Barnes was a disreputa-
BILE little bounder! This girl was a
lady. What connection could there
be between the two? I fancied what
might happen if she were surprised
by Barnes. and ! determined not to so
to bed until I heard her come down.
I fell asleep over my fire. and I woke
with start to find her once more
upon the threshold of my room. She
was fainting-almost on the point of
COLLAPSED! I gave her some brandy
and helped her downstairs At the
door of the fiat was cab, and in it
was the man Barnes. dead-mur-
deredw
The breath came through Duncan's
teeth with a little hiss. One could
fancy that he was wishing that his
had been the hand to strike the blow.
The baron glanced round casually.
He called a waiter and complained
of the slow service. sent for another
bottle of wine and lit cigarette.
II think" he said. that we will
pause for moment or so. Mr. Wray-
All! Mademoiselle la danseuse goes!
What a toilet.
Mademoiselle favored their table
with her particular regard as she
passed out. and accepted with de-
iightful smile the fan. which she
baron as speedily restored. He re-
sumed his seat, stroking his gray
"a very handsome young lady" he
remarked. q think that now we
may continue"
"The girl?" Duncan asked quickly.
"Was your sister," Wrayson an
There was moments intense si-
lence. Duncan was doing his best to
look unconcerned. but the hand
which played with his wineglass
"How-was he murdered?"
"Strangled with a fine cord" Wray-
son answered.
"In the cab"
"There or inside the building! 1t is
impossible to say.
"And no one was ever tried for the
murder"
Duncan swallowed a glassful Of wine.
"Rut my sister," he said, twas in his
rooms-she might have seen him!"
..Your sisters name was never men
toned in the matter" Wrayson said. Il
was the only witness who knew any
thing about her-and-l said nothing"
Duncan drew little breath.
ssWhy?" he asked.
IAN impulse" Wrayson answered.
"r felt that she could not have been con-
cerned in such a deed. and l felt that
If + told all that knew she would have
been suspected. So said nothing. !
saved her a good deal Of trouble and
anxiety, dare say, and do not believe
that I interfered in any way with the
course Of Justice"
Continued in Tomorrow's star.)