The Indianapolis times., 1922-08-26
Continued

NANiithiuFuI
81 could not stop Mark drinking"
Cayley's letter went on, but l kept
him within certain bounds. Yes, I
kept him outwerdly decent. and per
haps now I was becoming like the
cannibal who keeps his victim in
good condition for his own ends
used TO gloat over Mark. thinking
how utterly he was mine TO ruin as
I pleased. financially. morally. what.
ever way would give me most salts
faction. had but to take my hand
away from him and he sank. But
again I was in no hurry.
Then he killed himself. That fu-
tile little drunkard. eaten up with his
own selhshness and vanity, offered
his beastliness to the trueSt and pur-
est woman on this earth. You have
seen her. Mr.. Dillingham; but you
never knew Mark Albeit Even il he
had not been a drunkard. there was
no chance for her Of happiness with
him.
Il had known him FOR many years,
but never once had I seen him moved
by any generous emotion. To have
lived with that shriveled little soul
would have been he'll for her. and a
thousand times worse hell when he
began to drink.
so he had to be killed. ! was tho
only one left to protect her, for her
mother was IN league with Mark to
bring about her ruin. ! would have
shot him openly for her sake. and
with what gladness. but I had no
mind TO sacrifice myself needlessly.
He was in my power; I could per
suade him to almost anything by
fiattery; surely Il would not be diff
cult to give his death the appearance
Of an accident.
Il need not take UN your time by
telling you of the may plans l made
and rejected. For some days I in
clined toward an unfortunate boat
ing accident in the pond-Mark, a
very indifferent swimmer, myself al
most exhausted in a gallant attempt
to hold him UP.
And then he himself gave me the
idea, he and Miss Norris between
them, and so put himself in my
hands; without risk Of discovery, l
should have said. had you not dis
covered me.
1--WE were talking about ghosts.
Mark had been even more vain, POM
pous and absurd than usual, and I
could see that Miss Norris was irri-
tated by IT, After dinner she sug
gested dressing up as a ghost and
frightening him. I thought it my
duty to warn her that Mark took any
Joke against himself badly, but she
was determined to do 1t. 1 gave way
reluctantly Reluctantly, also l told
her the secret of the passage.
There is an underground passage
from the library to the bowling green.
You should exercise your ingenuity.
Mr.. Gillingham. in trying to discover
it. Mark came upon it by accident Il
year ago. It was a Godsend to him;
he could drink there in greater sec
recy. But he had to tell NE about
It. He wanted an audience, even for
his vices.
IT told Miss Norris, then. because
It was necessary for my plan that
Mark should be thoroughly fright
ened. Without the passage she could
never have got close enough to the
bowling green to alarm him properly,
but as I arranged it with her she made
the most effective appearance. and
Mark was in just the state of rage and
vindictiveness which ] required. Miss
Norris, you understand, is a profes-
sional actress. [ need not say that to
her l appeared to be animated by no
other feeling than a boyish desire to
bring off a good joke--a joke directed
as much against the others as against
Mark.
HE came to me that night. as
expected. still quivering with indig-
nation. Miss Norris must never be
asked to the house again; was to
make a special note of it; never again.
1t was outrageous. Had he not
reputation as a host to keep up, he
would pack her off next morning.
"I comforted him. sInoothed down
his ruffied feathers. She had be-
haved very badly, but he was quite
right; he must try not to show how
much he disapproved of her. And
OF course she would never come
again-that was obvious And then
suddenly I began to laugh. He looked
at me Indignantly.
"Is there a joker" he said coldly.
l laughed gently again.
y --r~ INST thinSin@' 7 said thu