Evening star., 1923-07-07
(Continued from Yesterday

way I stumbled upon the truth.
was dining here that night, as you
know, with Andrew Wilmore, and
while he was ordering the dinner and
!. talking to some friends, went down
Ito the American bar to have cock
tail Miss Daisy Hyslop and Fairfax
were seated there alone and talking
contidentially. Fairfax was insisting
that Miss Hyslop should do some
thing which puzzled her She con
sented reluctantly, and Fairfax then
hurried off to the theater. Later en-,
Miss Hyslop and the unfortunate
young man occupied table close 70
ours, and l happened to notice that
she made a point of leaving the res
: they were waiting in the vestibule
she grew very impatient was
standing behind them and l saw her
glance at the clock just betore sne
out himself to look for a taXicab si b.
Ergo, one inquiries at Fairfax's Thea
ter. For that exact three quarters
of an hour he is off the stage Az
that point my interest IN me Inc ihau anite q
capable of the rest. .
"Disappointing, Sir Timothy mur-
INJURED. "I thought at first that you
were over-modest. l find mat thaa n,hyeS WSs
mistaken. 1t was chance alone Which
set you on the right track.
"WeU. there is my story. at any
rate" Francis declared with how
much of your knowledge or the aHalr
are you going TO indulge me-! -,
Sir Timothy slowly revolved his
well" he said, "I will tell you this.
The two young men concerned, BIO
lake and Fairfax, were both guests
of mine recently at my country house.
They had discovered for one another
a, very fierce and reasonable antipathy.
With that recurrence to prlmltlVlsm
with which I have always been
hearty sympathizer, they agreed. IN,
stead OF going round their little world
making sneering remarks about each
other, to fight 1t out. .,
"At your suggestion, I presume:
Francis interposed.
Precisely" Sir Timothy assenteo,
SsI recommended that course. and 1
.offered them facilities for bringing
the matter to crisis. The night, IN
deed, was to have come on the day
after the unfortunate episode which
anticipated it."
knew" Francis began.
Sir Timothy checked him quietly,
but effectively
IT knew nothing" he SAID, except
this. They were neither of them
young men of much stomach. and i
knew that the one who was the
greater coward would probably. try
to anticipate the matter by attacklns
the other first if he could / knew
that Fairfax was the greater coward
not that there was much to choose
between them-and / also knew that
he was the injured person. That is
really all there is about IT. My some
what theatrical statement to you was
based upon proba ability. and not upon
any certain foreknowledge. AS you
see. it came Off o,,
"And the cause of their quarrel!
Francis asked.
reasons" Sir Timothy observed. "As
a matter Of fact, it was the eternal
one. There is no need to mention a
woman's name, so we Will let II go at
that"
strange. unforgettable moment for
Francis Ledsam, who seemed by some
curious trick of the imagination to
have been carried away into an I'M
possible and grotesque world. The
hum of eager congregation; the pop
ping of corks. the little trills of fem
mime laughter, all blended into one
sensual and not unmusical chorus
seemed TO fade from his ears. He
fancied himself in some Subterranean
place of vast dimensions through the
grim galleries of which men ana
women with evil faces crept like ami
mails. And towering above them, un-
real in size, his scornful face an epit-
ed symbolical and ghastly. driving his
motley flock with the leer of the evil
shepherd. was the man from whom
he had already learned to recofl with
horror The picture came and went In
, a fash Francis found himself accept
ing a courteously offered cigar from
his companion.
You see, the story is very much
like many Others" Sir Timothy muir
INJURED, as he lit q fresh cigar himself
and leaned back with the obvious en-
toyment of the cultivated smoker. In
every country of the world, the ami
NAL world as well as the human
world, the male resents his fema lie
being taken from him. Directly he
ceases to resent it he becomes de-
generate. Surely you must agree with
me. Mr.. Ledsam?"
TT comes to this, then" Francis
pronounced deliberately. that you
'stage-managed the whole affair"
Sir Timothy smiled.
"It Is my belief. Mr.. Ledsam," he
said. that you grow more and more
intelligent every hour"
Sir Timothy glanced presently at
his thin gold watch and put 1t back
in his pocket regretfully.
"Alasr he sighed, ~ fear that ]
must tear myself away. I particularly
want to hear the last act of Louise
The new Frenchwoman sings. and my
daughter Is alone. You will excuse
me-"
Francis nodded silently. His COM
panion's careless words had brought
a. sudden dazzling vision into his mind.
Sir Timothy scrawled his name at the
foot Of his bill.
"It is one Of my axioms in life, Mr..
Ledsam," he continued, that there is
more pleasure to be derived from the
society of ones enemies than ones
friends. II I thought you sufficiently
educated in the outside ways of the
world to appreciate this I would ask
II you cared to accompany me?"
Francis did not hesitate for mo-
fnent.
"sir Timothy" he said, 81 have the
greatest detestation for you. and
1 am firmly convinced that you repre-
sent all the things in life sbhorrent
TO me. On the other hand. should
very much like to hear the last act OF
greatest pleasure to meet your daugh-
ter. So long as there is no misunder-
standing"
sir Timothy laughed.
"Come," he said. I'VE will get our
hats I am becoming more and more
grateful to you. Mr.. Ledsam. You are
Eupplying something In my life which
have lacked. You appeal alike to my
sense of humor and my ina gination
We will visit the opera together"
CHAPTER XIV.
The two men left Soto's together
very much in the fashion of tive
ordinary acquaintances sallying out
to spend the evening together. Sill
Tinothy's Rolls Royce limousine wa.
in attendance, and in a few minutes
they were threading the purlieus oi
Covent Garden. It was here that ar
incident occurred which afforded
rroncis ron nsiderah hle food for thought