Evening star., 1921-07-03
THE AVENCER
BY E. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM.
A Tale of Political Intrigue and Private
Revenge.
Htne. 4 oaJ
Copyright, b. Little. Brown 4 O..


yellow stained fingers. A little
| buEch of crushed vioIets slipped to the
floor unheeded. Ghoul-like he bent
over the pages of delicate writing,
| the intimate, passionate cry of soul
seeking for its mate. They were no
| ordinary love letters. Mostly they
were beyond the comprehension OF
the creature who spelt them out WORD
for word, seeking all the time to APP
praise their exact monetary value to
| himself Eut for what he had heard
| he would have found them disappoint-
! ing. AS it was, he gloated over them.
Two thousand pounds year his
clever brother had earned by merely
possessing them. He looked at them
almost reverently. Then he suddenly
remembered what else his brother
! had earned by their possession, and
| he shivered. A moment later the cleo
| trio bell outside pealed. and there
came a soft knocking at the door.
A little cry-half sttied-broke
from his lips. With numbed and
| the letters. The perspiraticr had .
| broken out upon his forehead Some
i one to see him. Who could it be? He
was quite determined not to go to the
| door. He would let no one in. Again =
| the bell. Soon they would get tired
! quite safe SO long as he remained I
quiet. Quite safe. he told himself
! feverishly. Then his pulses seemed
to stop beating. There was rush Of
blood to his head. He clutched at the
! sides of his chair but to rise was a
| sheer impossibility.
| The thing which was terrifying
| him was A small thing in itself-the
turning of latchkey in the door. Be
| fore him on the table was his own
| he knew of no other Yet some one
was opening. had opened his front
door. He sprang to his feet at last
with something which was almost
| shrek. The door of the room in
which he was was slowly being
pushed open. BY the dim candle
light he could distinguish the figure
of his visitor standing upon the thres-
hold and peering into the room
His impulse was. without doubt.
one Of relief. The figure was the fig
ure of complete stranger. Nor was
there anything the least threatening
about his appearance. He saw tall.
! white haired gentleman. carefully
dressed with military exactitude. re.
garding him with a benevolent and
apologetic smile
IT really must apologize" he said
for such an unceremonious en-
trance felt sure that you were in.
but I am trif1e deaf and ] could not
be sure whether or not the bell was
ringing. So / ventured to use my
own latchkey. with. as you are
doubtless opserHihe, cothPiete SUI
cess"
who are you. and what do you
WANT" Barnes asked, finding his
voice at last.
MY name is Colonel Fitzmaurice.
was the courteous reply. You VIII al
low me to sit down? have the pleas
ure Of conversing. I believe. with Mr.
Sydney Barnes?'
That's my name." Barnes an
swered What do you want with
me-"
| was still a little nervous The Colo
mel had somewhat purposeful air.
and he had seated himself directly in
front of the door
Il want" the Colonel said calmly.
that packer which you have just
stolen from Mrs Morris Barnes. and
which you have in your pocket there!"
i Barnes rose at once. trembling. To
his feet His bead-like eyes were
bright and venomous. He was terri
fed but he had the courage Of de-
: spair.
II have stolen nothing he de-
) clared
~ don't know what you're talking
about. won't listen to you. You have
no right to force Your way into my fiat.
Colonel or no colonel won't have IT.
I'll send for the police.
The colonel smiled.
NO" he said. don't do that. Re
sides. I know what I'm talking about.
mean the packet which ] think I can
You have just stolen that from Mrs.
Barnes tin trunk you know"
81 have stolen nothing" the young
man declared. nothing at all am not
. a thief. ! am not afraid of the police.
; The colonel smiled 'olerantly.
That's good he said. II hate COW
ards But am going to make YOU very
much afraid Of me-unless you are wise
and give me that racket"
Barnes breathed thickly for a moment.
Coward he knew that he was to the
marrow of his bones. hut other Of the
evil passions were stirring in him then.
His narrow eyes were alight with greed.
He had the animal courage OF verm,n
hard pressed.
1.-The packet is mine" he said fercely.
ITS nothing to do with you. Get out
Of my ROOM
He rose to his feet The colonel
awaited him with eduable countenance.
He made. however. no advance.
"Yotng man. the colonel said quietly.
i do You know what happened to your
brother?"
sydney Barnes stood still and shiv-
cred He could say nothing. His
tongue seemed to cleave to the roof OF
his mouth.
Your brother was another of your
breed the colonel continued "A
blackmailer. A low-living. evil-minded
brute. Do you know how he came by.
those letters?'' q,
"I don't know and don't care"
Barnes answered with weak attempt
at buster. They're mine now. and
I'm going to stick to them"
The colonel shook his head
HE broke his trust TO dying man.
he said softly.-"to a man who lay on
the veldt at Colenso with three great
wounds in his body. and his life's blood
staining the ground. He had carried
those letters into action with him, be-
cause they were precious to him. His
last thought was that they should be
destroyed. Your brother swore to do
this He broke his word. He turned
blackmailer.'
you're very fond of that word"
: Barnes muttered s"How do you know
so much?'
'"The soldier was my son." the colonel
answered. land he did not die. You
see / have a right to those letters. VIII
iyou give them to me?"
Give them up Give up all his homes
Of affluence. his dreams Of an easy life.
of the cheap luXuries and riches which
formed the heaven of his desire, No,
He was not coward enough for that.
He did not believe that this mild
looking old gentleman would use force.
Besides he could not he very strong
He ought to be able TO push him over
and escape,
NO" he answered bIuntly. 81
WON'T"
The colonel looked thoughtful,
at is a pity he said quietly. IT
am sorry to hear you say that. Your
brother. when I asked him. made the
same reply"
Barnes felt himself suddenly grow hot
and then cold The perspiration stood
i out upon his forehead.
"T called upon your brother few days
before his death" the colonel continued