Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-07-09
ChnpteT XIV.


his w.te have separated.
Chapter XIV.
Nora returned to tho room as Miller
left
Il don't know whether you wanted
mo TO go bhs said to Dartrey. hut
I cannot sit and listen 20 that man
talk. try to keep myself FREQ from
prejudiccs. but theTo aro exceptions.
Miller IN my pot one. Tell mo exactly
what he came about? Something dis
. agreeable. am sure?"
They told her bu, sho declined TO
take tho matter seriously.
"A position like this Is necessarily
dtsasreeablc." she argued. but have
confidence in Mr.. Tallente. Rcmem
Der. th!s article WAS written nine
years sro, Stephen. and though for
twenty-four hours &, may make
things unpleasant. feel surs that &
won't do nearly tho harm you imag-
Inc. And think what confession to
make. That man. who aims at being
a Cabinet Minister. sits hero in this
room and admits that no bTibcd Nr
1nilente's sccretsry with Eve thou
san@ hounds TO steal the manuscript
out OF his Eate. How do you think
that VIII 80 down with the public?"
"a certain portion o! tho public, J
am afraid" Tallente sa,d cravely.
will LAY that l discovered IN. thct,
and killed Palliscr"
killed palliser!" Nora repeated In
crcduiously. Il never heard .uch
rubbish"
Pailiser certainly disappeared on
the evening o. the day whom he part
ed With tho manuscript 70 Miller"
rallen,e wen, on. and has never
been seen or heard OF since"
But there mus; be some e1planA-
ton of that" Dartrey observed
There pns a short silence, siEnif.
can't OF curious change in tho at.
mosphcre. TalIen,e's silence grew 10
possess queer siEn!ncsnce The
Fhos; OF rumors TO which neither had
ever listened suddenly forced It's way
back into the minds o! the other Two.
Dartrey was the nrst TO collect him
self
-Tai!rnte" he said. "as a private
person. have no deYire TO ask you a
single question concerned with your
private lie, but We have como 10
something OF crisis II is necessary
that should know tho worst i.
,here anything else Miller could bring
UP agains, your"
ITO the best OF my BELIEF, nothing"
Tanente replied calmly.
That Is not sufficient" Dartrey
persisted. Hive YOU any knowledge
Tallente, which the world does no,
share, OF the disappearance OF this
man Pa!l!ssr? 1t is Inevitable that
II you discovered his treachery there
should have been hard words DID
you have any scene with him? Do
you know more OF his disappearance
than the world knows7-
II DO" Tallente replied You shall
share that knowledge with me TO a
certain extent I had another cause
for quarrel with Pall!ser TO which
do not choose to refer. but on my ar
Tvnl homo that night I summoned
him from tho house and led him TO
an open space. / admit that chose
primitive method Of infiicting pun
ishment upon a traitor. intended to
thrash Pailiser a course OF action IN
which ask you. Dartrey. to believe.
AS man OF honor. was justified.
! struck TOO hard and Pallis.r went
over the cliff"
Neither Nora nor Dartrey seemed
capable OF speech Tallsnte's cool.
precise manner OF telling his story
seemed 70 have an almost paralyz,ng
effect upon them.
Afterwards" Tarlente continued.
Il discovered the theft OF that docu-
mont faithful servant OF mine and
searched for PalIiser's body. risking
our iiVes In vain. as II turns out. In
tho hope OF recovering tho manu-
script. Tho Lody was neither in the
bay below nor hung up anywhere on
the cliff. One or two things, then.
must have happened. Either Palli-
ser's body must have been taken out
by the tide, which flows down the
British Channel IN curious way. and
will never now he recovered. or hs
made remark able escape and de-
c!ded. under all the circumstance,
to msske n fresh start In life
Nora came suddenly over to Tai
lente's side. She too his arm and
somehow or other the strained look
seemed TO pass from his face.
Dear friend" she said. this is
very painful for you. know. but your
other cause OF quarrel with Palliser-
you will forgive me II ask--was I,
about your wife,"
1T was" Tallente replied. You
ere just the one person in the world.
Nora in whom ! am glad to confide to
that extent"
She turned to Dartrcy.
stephen" she said, either Palliscr
ID dead and his death can be brought
70 no ones door. or he is lying hid
den and there la no one to blame.
You can wipe that out of your mind.
can you not? All that we shall have
10 consider now is the real effect upon
the members of our party as whole.
if this article is published"
Have you copy OF it," Dartrey
asked.
Taliente shook his head.
I haven't, but If certain sus.
pieion l have formed is true. I might
be able to get You one. In any case.
Dartrey. don't come to any decision
Tor day or two. II II is for the