The Washington times., 1923-01-28
(Continued from Preceding Page.

death Of Lord Lissmere and his
own succession, but he had not
yet heard from her; so that,
ignorant of her situation and plans
as he was himself, he did not in
vite any serious comment.
At first he was willing to wait.
Among the things he had learned
in Egypt was the sure knowledge
that fortune usually frowns upon
the recipient, and he conceived
that there must be many things to
do for his own distraction, even
though he had found the estate to
be so perfectly maintained as to
leave him practically nothing to
criticize or alter.
The old Lord Lissmere,
wealthy man, had jealousy per-
fected the Hampshire estate for an
<idolized son, and he had left little
room for any Improvement by the
unconsidered "poor relation" who
had inherited. 1t had been the
old peers permanent residence
and perpetual joy. There were
other places-a London house, a
place in Leicestershire, villa on
the Riviera, but these were all let
and Dick was satisfied that they
would remain let.
He discovered quickly, too, that
he would not care to stay long in
England, lacking news of Louise,
and it was not long after he set
tied at Lissmere that he found
himself studying the ,Cunard and
White Star sailings to New York.
Indeed, before he had been at
home six weeks Lord Lissmere
was intensely restless.
Neither racing, yachting, gam
bling, gluttony, excess nor any
other of the Summer diversions of
a society that lived permanently in
a feverish and. to the spectator,
intensely diverting effort to escape
a boredom created by precisely
that puerile effort, attracted him;
it was too early for the field
sports he liked best, and toward
games he had at present no incli-
nation.
He was at the point Of hasten
ing across the Atlantic pre-
cipitately when in June he re-
ceived confirmation of the warn
ing which both Hoodless and his
uncle had given hin1-and this in
spite of the fact that during the
short period he had been in
England he had RENTED to Hood
less for Sais sums running into
five figures.
To the tactfully expressed ques-
tons of the head of Bars, the
famous firm of solicitors who had
acted for old Lord Eissrnere and
continued for him, and who APP
peared to believe that the sending
Of these sums to Egypt limited at
blackmail, he explained in few
sentences.
"This money goes to Mr.. Hood
less for the benefit of woman
who saved my life during my big
game expedition. But for her !
should not be here now-to be
blunt. I should be not Lord
Lissmere, but a heap of gnawed
bones strewed round the base of
an implement stake out in the
Kordofan deserts. Some day I'll
tell you the story of that affair.
There's no question of blackmail
anything of that sort. want
you to regard the requirements of
this - lady - as contingencies
which must be provided for and
met"
The tiny, unconscious pause be-
fore the word "1ady" had not es-
capped The notice of the solicitor,
but he nodded.
81 understand, Lord Lissmere,"
he said. "Mr. Roger Marchurst
told me that you had very ex-
citing and adventurous trip. | am
very glad indeed that you came out
of it so well-and glad also to be
able to assure you that, if you de-
sire, you are in a position to make
the lady of whom you speak COM