Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-05

Lord Gloucester, urged q retrial.
definitely refused. In view Of that re.
fusal, I ask you to allow me to tear
up this document"
The last words were mere shallow
i courtesy, and Lady Gloucester knew 1t.
Jarroman intended to destroy the con.
fession, Whatever she might say. She
terfulness-old enough to have taken
good care not to let him frustrate her
20 easily.
"Tear II up BY all means II that will
relieve your feelings," she said. ITS
In my handwriting, you know; ! copied
IT,, The original 10 in that SAFE" She
Indicated small safe Get in the wall
By the side Of. the writing table.
"You shall have that original, Mr..
Theed-when you bring me these set.
Elements and title deeds, or whatever
they are. There's q car waiting In the
drive with chauffeur and another man.
The other man 10 detective: He win
accompany you to your once. You
will not be gone more than half an
hour" "
Theed did not move. .,...
Jarroman rose from his chair and
came heavily forward.
Pardon me, Lady Doucester. I can
not no. !. be J. z z party to what amounts to
"Blackmail! Blackmail!" exclaimed
Theed. He looked 40 profoundly shocked
that lord Gloucester with dimculty
supprs sssed q chuckle. my dear Lady
Doucester. I beg you to realise that
great nervous strain"
snapped Jarroman. Lady Doucester is
we'll aware that I have no desire to
offer a personal insult"
Precisely" said Thced. II asso.
ciate myself, Jarroman, absolutely. The
fact Is, you and understand this mat
ter, and Lady Doucester-well. how
could she? Let us face the facts. That
document--that pitiful outburst-and
how 1t came into her possession / can
II found It in my letter box arst
Gloucester. 'It's q we'll. written out
burst; as you have no doubt noticed. It
bristles with times and dates"
this last pathetic illusion. which
Lady Doucester wrongly believes to be
Q confession" Theed went on. unheed.
ing, "would, ] admit, cause a consid +.
cradle scandal IL 1t were produced
against me. l should have little difa-
Guilty in disproving it-a few minutes
In the witness box. But you know
what 1t is. my dear Jarroman--Lord
Gloucester. you arc familiar with the
old adage-'if mud Is thrown. some Of
dead body Of this poor woman-ah-
hooves us-"
"Mr. Jarroman." Lady Doucester',
voice was sharp and cool. "You SAY
. . you will be no party to blackmail. Yel
I seem to remember that, upon one oc.
casion. you had no hesitation In black.
mailing me-" -
Jarroman began to speak and checked
. Whatever may be your present at.
. titude,' she went on in that SAM
level yet breathless tone, ut Is not 9.
long. ago since you yourself worket
, blindly, unscrupulously to an end. Now
while you stand aside, 1t is I who can
not afford to lay down a single weapon
You were fighting for yourself my hus
i whose future rests upon your fortune
You may despise us, you may avoid us
but ! cannot for the life of me see how
you dare criticize u.s."
Jarrroman remained staring ut her
. Lord Gloucester stared at the hearth
I rug. Theed stared at the afternoon SKY
{ az though hts thoughts were far away
. and at peace.
.. The silence held and held. And then
> at last, Jarroman nodded a grim con
, sent and turned away.
: Lady Doucester waited until Theed'
!. gaze had descended to her level. Then
, I'm half an hour, Mr.. Theed," she
said sweetly, I'VE shall see you bach
!. again."
! "Do you realize, dear lady," said
+ Theed, as sweetly, that II you sin
cerely believe me to have been an &C
E cessory to the murder Of Charles Eddi.
you ;Sns are eGmpSuna!nE IN cSnaa! felony in moi
, Perfectly" smiled Lady Douces'
: ter. "l'm going to compound IT,"
Theed looked from her to her hus'
q band: from him to Jarroman's re.
Inorseless back, and when his gaze en-.
countered hers again, Lady Gloucester
could have sworn 1t was swimming IL
9 tears.
II wash my hands Of the whole mat
!. ter" he said brokenly. "In spite O.
d my financial danger consider mysel
justified in resigning my trusteeshil
Of the property. Nothing you couli
e say, Lord Gloucester, could persuade mi
e to alter by decision. Further, I Civ
p | you lOrHhl nOtlcc, JHrTOUdn, tn0C
;, must decline to handle your Interest,"
o In the future. Lady Gloucester, I biz
d you au revoir."
=. He drew himself as erect as was com
y. patible with comfort, closed his eyes
bowed, and withdrew.
II The three left In the high. dim ibrnr!
stood motionless. Jarroman's face wa
,. still invisible. Lord Gloucester nigh
n have been neditating a little speech
= Lady Gloucester looked suddenly al
:; old woman, painted, powdered, an
groomed into semblance of youth bu
In her eyes endurance burned with tn
clear fire Of eternal youth.
}. Into that long silence there came til
ls sound Of car moving down the drive
and then, above the purring of Its en-
'e gines, a contralto shrek that SCENE
y to como from the hall outside.
..S "Chi-ik! Soap-ey! Oi, Soap
% cyl"
= The spell was broken. Jarroma
!. wheeled around Lord Gloucester smile
s. 81 deprecatingly Lady Gloucester wei
.. to the door and opened it. A scan
= dalized Rawson could be heard urgin
=. the fact that her ladyship was engages
\: "Is that you, Nell?"
Nell swung in with her goddess wal
n, and comb. .strewn locks. As she at
\. vanced, she jerked q thumb at the wir
dow from which Theed's car could
or seen turning into the road.
- / Ia Ia.