Evening star., 1922-05-14

-Eastbourne, where among the, Wis
itors was q we'll dressed, young
doctor named Vaughan Fisher. Good
looking and refined. his age was about
thirty. and he was essentially q Ia
dies man anu extremely popular with
the summer idlers of the opposite sex.
In the concert room of the Devon
shire Park, on the pier, or strolling
on the front in hts well pressed
cream fiannels and straw hat. he was
always accompanied by female COM
rpanion. Indeed. he was the Don Juan
Of the hotel.
In my long experience Of hotel life
up and down Europe I have met many
people Of note and many adventurers
and adventuressess Some acquaint-s
anceships have made have been very
pleasant, ,others quite reverse. -This
young DOCTOR however. seemed n
very nice fellow, SO one wet afternoon
I played him a game Of billiards, and
found him widely travelled ana dis
tfnctly entertaining. =, -. = j..
I'm here for, q rest" he told me.
"1 had a bad breakdown At the front
a year ago. and have not been doing
anything since, except trying to get
we'll" ~
-'.I see that you Know how to enjoy
yourself with the ladies'" 1 remarked.
He. laughed and declared. with
truth, that the seaside would be no
fun without the summer girls.
~ y .....
ONE Sunday morning. among the
many cars which drew up before
the hotel. bringing people from Lon
don--for the day. came q cream-coi-
ored Rolls Royce. driven by q mid
dle.ased, prosperous-looking. clean
shaven man. Vaughan Fisher was
on. the steps to geet him, saying:
"Hullo, Ronny, old chap! Got here
all right. eh?'
Yes said the other, preparing to
back his car into hne;-"bue the roads
are horribly dusty, and I'm horribly
thirsty" -g" -..-s-. -.
Come in at once and have a drink"
the young doctor replied, and the
pair went into. the crowded lounge
and sat at one Of the small tables,
prior to going in to luncheon.
That afternoon as stood outside again
saw the pair drive OF in the diree-
tion of Brighton for a run.
That evening they. were back In
time for. dinner. and as my table was
close to theirs I overheard something
which aroused my suspicious:
Look over there In tho corner,
murmursds Vaughan Fisher to his
friend Ronny. That's him."
The elder Of the pair took q covert
glance at the man indicated-a.' dark
man Of about his own age, who was
sitting with his unusually pretty wife.
enjoying his dinner and chatting with
her. / had seen them. about the, hotel
for: several. days, apd had learned
that hia name was Richard Eve. and
that he. was a shipowner OF Newcas.
tle-on-Tyne.
Tho doctor and his friend seemed
peculiarly interested in the pair--or
In the man moro than In his wife.
They whispered something that did
not catch. Then the stranger from
London rose. though he was IN the
middle of his meal. and loft the table.
The doctor remained aAd finished his
dinner alone. for.- oddly enough. his
friend never returned. - -
NV curiosity was aroused. went
outside after dinnler was over, but
the big Rolls: Royce had gone. 1t was
on the tip of my tongue to remark to
Vaughan Fisher how suddenly his
friend had left him, but on reflection
I saw that some queer game was In
progress. -,
= Mrs. Eve was taking coffee in the
lounge with her husband as passed.
She wore no jewels. Therefore. the
pair were certainly not after her val
uables. Indeed, r had never seen
her wear anything more than small
diamond brooch. She wAs about ten
years her, husbands junior. fair
haired and slim. with = charming, al
most childlike, countenance. ...-.
Come, Joan" heard him say as
he rose, lets 90 out for stroll. It's
a lovely night" -
And I watched them ascend in the
lift to get their coats
MEANWHILE, Vaughan Fisher had
1Hl gone to the billiard room,- and.
looking through the glass panel.
saw him engaging in q game with =
bald headed old colonel who very
often played with him. -. -. '.-
Three days later-I missed the young
doctor, when, on inquiring Of the hall
porter, learned that. very late one
evening a gentleman had called in .
Rolls Royce and had taken him Of.
."The same gentleman was down
here on Sunday big cream-colored
car" the porter added. -
did the gentleman come .insider-I L
asked. - ....-..~... -. r-..-.--.. e.
NO I'm on night duty this week,
and he called me over and told me to
tell DR.. Fisher that he had arrived;
The doctor expected him, for he had
paid his bill, and his bags were al
ready down. So 1 put them into the
car. and OF they drove. I'm rather
sorry. the doctors gone. sir" added
the porter. "He was a very nice genr
tleman." -. 80. -.
I,agreed. But his sudden :disap-
pearance gave me food for reflection.
At the once the lady reception cleri<
told mo the doctor. had received q
telegram in tho afternoon which he
Was there anything In the wind. or
was I scentinE mystery whore mono
existed?
Tho days passed-happy summer
days beside the SEA- Chance threw
me In the way Of Mr.. Eve and bis
wife. I met them in the hotel and