The Monmouth inquirer., 1923-03-22


should get married at once and go
abroad
Monk nodded again.
'But she answered that she read
doubt at the bottom of your heart, and
that it was better that you should both
part; isn't that so?"
Eyes" answered Monk, turning round
to us-he was dreadfully pale-"I tried
hard to get her to tell me why she had
attempted that day to get money at the
pawnbroker's. If it could clear the mat
ter and prove my innocence, she said,
then she would do it; but as the affair
stands, it would not serve any purpose,
and only bring disgrace upon another.
ct was to get your brother out of
some difficulty urged
eft is of no use talking about it, she
said. 1t will not take away the doubt
from vour heart. Even if you fancy it
gone, it will come again and again; and
do you think we can get away from peo-
pies talk and malice? No, the world is
too small for that And if we got mar
ried, and had children, could we be sure
that they would never get to know of
their mothers past? have also duty
to fulfil to my brother; and in that you
could not take part. To you he would
always be the one who had poisoned our
life
"Such were her words, as near as
possible. | felt had only empty and
meaningless words to say ia reply to
them, and so we parted"
There, didn't l tell you sol" ex-
claimed Clara. 1T is your own doubt
which is the cause of your weakness
That is the reason you have not been
able to penetrate the darkness"
Il think you are wrong there, Mrs.
Viller," answered Monk, gently, but
the work has been too much for my
strength. / fancy it would have been
too much for any man. Mention any
thing ought to have done, and ! think
I can answer you that it has already
been tried"
Don't be angry" were Clara's next
words, and this time they were as gentle
as Monks own. 81 know you have as
mich feeling as you have common sense,
and perhaps more feeling than most
people; but with you men, reason al
ways comes off victorious in the end.
You cannot alter your natures, ] sup
pose. Now we must see how we can
help Monk, Frederick, as he can't help
himself; isn't that SOP"
Eyes," | answered as cheerfully as /
possibly could; st would be strange if
we three, when we have put our heads
together, should not be able to clear up
the mystery You have here what you
hitherto have lacked, Monk-tire expe-
rience of an expert in many branches,
as represented by me, and woman's in
tuition and instinct, as represented by
Clara. But as preliminary, Monk will
have to be examined. Have you any
thing to ask Monk, Clara? You shall
be the first, then my turn comes"
"Yes, must begin" answered Clara.
looking in very friendly manner at
Monk, as if to appease him if she had
wounded him with her remarks Tell
me, was not the Englishman, Howell, as
he was called, in love with Sigrid?
Didn't he pay his attentions to her, and
wasn't he rejected"
Monk began to smile. 4 fancy he
did try little at first, but he soon saw
that I had forestalled him, and so, with
good grace I'll admit, he left the field
clear. If he had made any definite ad-
yances, think Sigrid would have told
me-"
"Are you quite sure about that?" an
swered Clara, with an air of superior
ity. "One is not of course father con-
fessor to ones fiancee. But can you tell
me any other reason why he should hate
both Of your"
Are you sure he hates us?"
Eyes, | am quite sure about it; he
J is the cause of the whole mischief The
I photograph was of course nothing but
humbug."
Monk smiled resignedly- "The pho
tograph was only too genuine"
And then there was that wretched
actor" continued Clara; he left, | I'M
derstand, just before Evelina committed
suicide. Have you heard anything of
him since? 1t was of course on his ac-
count that the young girl killed herself.
believe he first of all got her to steal
the diamond, and then left her That
was the reason of the poor girl COM
hitting suicide"
Il also thought of that" was Monks
answer, and ! had him watched after
he left Christiania. He went first to
Gothenburg and later to Copenhagen.
But it is not probable that the money
which Jurgens paid for the diamond has
at any time been in his hands. He lived
the whole time from hand to mouth,
and often in the greatest misery"
Are you quite certain of this?" |
asked IF the actor didn't get the