Evening star., 1923-07-04

said equally. "I don't know what the
state OF your exchequer is"
II owe you forty" Lord Charles in
terrupted. Spring another tenner,
make 1t fifty. that is. and the letter
Of introduction I will write for you
will bring tears of gratitude to your
eyes"
"I'll spring the tenner," Francis
promised. but you'll write Just what
tell you-no more and no less"
Anything extra for keeping mum
at home" the young man ventured
tentatively.
You're nice sort of nephew to
have" Francis declared. Abandon
these futile attempts at blackmail
and just come this way to the writing
table"
you've got the tenner with you?"
the young man asked anxiously.
Francis produced weil-filled pock-
a writing table, lit a. cigarette which
he stuck into the corner Of his mouth.
and in painstaking fashion wrote the
few lines which Francis dictated
The ten pounds changed hands.
"Have one with me for luck?' the
young man invited brightly. No?
valedictory fashion. You'd better
keep your head clear for Dafsy"'
- CHAPTER XI.
Miss Daisy Hyslop received Francis
that afternoon, in the sitting-room of
her little suite at the Milan. Herr
welcoming smile was plaintive and a
little subdued. her manner undeniably
gracious She was dressed in black.
a wonderful background for her
really gorgeous hair, and her deport-
ment indicated a recent loss.
How nice of you to come and see
me-" she murmured, with lingering
touch OF the fingers. do take that
easy chair, please. and sit down and
talk to me. Your roses were beau
tiful. but whatever made you send
them to mer
Impulse" he answered.
She laughed softly.
"Then please yield to such impulses
as often as you feel them" she
begged. 81 adore flowers. Just now,
too" she added, with a little sigh,
anything is welcome which helps to
keep my mind off my own affairs"
1T was very good OF you to let
me come" he declared. II can quite
understand that you don't feel like
seeing many people just now"
Francis manner, although deferen-
tial and courteous. had nevertheless
some quality Of aloofness in ii to
which she was unused and which she
was quick to recognize. The smile
faded from her face. She seemed
suddenly not quite so young.
Haven't I seen you before some
where quite lately?" she asked, lit
tie sharply.
you saw me at Soto's, the night
that Victor Bidlake was murdered"
he reminded her. II stood quite close
to you both while you were waiting
for your taxi"
The animation evoked by this call
from a presumably new admirer sud
denly left her. She became nervous
and constrained. She glanced again
at his card.
you have come to ask me any ques-
tions about that night! l simply
could not bear it. The police have
been here twice, and l had nothing
! to tell them, absolutely nothing"
quite right" he assented sooth-
ingly. Police have such clumsy
| way of expecting valuable informa-
| tion for nothing. I'm always glad to
hear of their being disappointed"
She studied her visitor for mo-
the table by her side, picked up a
note and read it through.
Lord Southover tells me here she
| said, that you are just pal OF his
| who wants to make my acquaintance.
He doesn't say why"
Els that necessary Francis asked
She moved in her chair little
nervously, crossing and increasing
her legs more than once. Her white
silk stockings underneath her black
skirt were exceedingly effective,
fact of which she never lost con-
sciousness, although at that moment
she was scarcely inspired to play the
coquette.
I'D like to think it wasn't she
admitted frankly.
i've seen you repeatedly upon the
stage" he told her, "and though mu-
sical comedy is rather out of my line,
have always admired you i'm
mensely."
She studied him once more almost
"You look very nice" he acknowl-
edged, "but you don't look at all
the kind of man who admires girls
who do the sort of rubbish I do on
what do 1 look like?" he asked,
smiling.
"A man with a purpose" she an
| swered.
! that we shall get on. You are really
a very astute young lady.
"You are quite sure you're not one
of these amateur detectives one reads
about?" she demanded.
Certainly not" he assured her. Il
will confess that / am Interested In
| Victor Bidlake's death and I should
| like to discover the truth about 1t,
] but I have reason for that which
I may tell you some day. 1t has
| nothing whatever to do with the
young man himself. To the best of
my belief, I never saw or heard of
| him before in my life. My interest
lies with another person. You have
lost q great friend. I know. If you
| felt disposed to tell me the whole
story, it. might make such diff
. She sighed. Her confidence was
Ireturning-also her self-pity. The
latter at once betrayed itself.
You see," she confided," Victor and
were engaged to be married, so
I shan't be able to stay on here now.
They are bothering me about their
bill already" she added, with a side
glance at an envelope which stood on
a table by her side.
He drew a little nearer to her.
| Miss Hyslop-" he began.
Daisy" she interrupted.
| Miss Daisy Hyslop, them" he con-
tinued, smiling, IL suggested just now
that 1 did not want to come and
any return. If can be of any as
sistarSe to you in that matter" he
added, glancing toward the envelope,
II shall be very pleased"
She sighed gratefully.
Just til tn Vic vistors people ,st9 return to
mean to do something for me-
| How muchT" he asked.
1.-TWO hundred pounds would keep
me going" she told him.
He wrote out a cheque. Miss
laid it on one side with the envelope
l Then she swung round in her chair
to face him where he sat at the writ
ing-table.
Il