Evening star., 1924-03-07
By ]. S. FLETCHER

SO that Miss Paquita would calm
down, and that Mr.. kesteven prom
iscd he'd meet him at noon yesterday,
and give It back to him. It's true
you and the nurses had got Miss
Paqutfa into her room--I saw him
pocket 1t when he and I began put
ting the place straight. But this man
at the place they were to meet at.
And SO he came here for him-and
a nice temper he was in. too! AS
l say, I'd a job to get him off. And
he ntyS vent on with a threat. sir"
We'll. sir. he threatened that If Mr..
kesteven didn't hand back that
money at once. hed'd go to the police
about the revolver business. and
charge Miss Paquita with threatening
where Mr.. Kesteven is, sir. Nor
where MIR. Tress is
- thought they were At Brighton"
Il had TO tell her something to keep
her quiet. Mr. kesteven went away
At noon yesterday, and he telephon ed
70 Mr.. Tress about O'Clock last
night, and Mr.. Tress had a couple OF
car somewhere or other to meet him.
expect. But / don't know where
they are. What am to do If this man
comes again, sir?
DO you know him." asked Hextall.
set OF 'em that's come here to play,
but he's not one of them-he'd never
been here before that night neither
knew him nor the other man-he' d
never been before. either. Mr.. Kest-
even brought both Of them-the three
,, came In just after Mr.. and Miss Tress
had come back from the theater.'
You don't even know their names ?"
Don't even know that, sir. j know
lot big lot--of gentlemen about
of those two before-never.''
Was 1t any considerable amount
I'd Hextall.
Fowler smiled.
saw several hundred-pound bank
notes among II before Mr.. Kesteven
picked IT up, sir" he answered.
They've been playing high. sir-very
high. indeed never saw anything
like it. sometimes. OF course. fits not
drawn my own conclusions ana. it's
high time Mr.. Tress was protected"
From-whom!" asked Hextall. He
was hating and loathing all this
soIdld revelation. and he felt a cer-
I ain nausea in asking the question
| but not far of was Paquita. and the
| remembrance Of his promise to her
| was strong in his mind.
| The valet made grimace and'shook
| his head.
"KeSteven!"' he said. "Kesteven!
He's got hold of my young master.
| and he's plucking him-like you'd
| pluck a chicken" .
Hextall looked at the valet in ST.
| lence for a. moment. He knew that
| servants Of this class were adopts in
! knowledge of what went on among
/ the masters they served: Fowler look
ed old enough to be the depository of
! many secrets. There was a knowing
, gleam in the eye which he turned on
the young doctor as he spoke of Kest-
| even, and Hextall. much as he dis
! liked doing 1t. could not forbear from
taking the hint.
! ''Since you've said SO much" he OBJ
| Miss Tress has been complaining to
me about the influence which Mr.
Kesteven exerts on her brother. She
| seems to think it.
( Fowler laughed a little.
| "Oh. ! know. sir! I've been down
| at Lynne Court-several times. I've
| pitied Miss Paquita from the bottom
| of my heart. Oh-yes"
Re gsS asked sRsT Hsass Hsashns e, M5
! you know a lot of men about town
hrst?"
known a lot Of his sort in my time
! you know. sir. the sort of men who
fasten on to rich young fellows and
stick to them like leeches till they've
bled 'em dry-hawks. as they used to
call 'em when ! was younger. But !
didn't know him and what's still
| queerer. none of my friends know
| him. We've talked--as gentlemen's
servants do talk. sir. whether any
body knows 1t or not-and none of us
| know him. We can't recall him O.,
! place him. i've friends who know
| every man of that sort in the West
| End, and I've pointed kesteven out to
them: nobody recognizes him"
| Hextall felt that he was in for far
reaching matters by this time, and he
began to ask further questions with
| out scruple.
| "Do you know how and when Mr.
| Tress met him. he inquired.
| Not for certain. sir" replied Fowler.
| THAT is-as to how they met
know when 1t was. Mr.. Tress had
| just engaged me; he had q suite of
rooms at the Carlton Hotel at that
time, last winter. He went to the
! steeplechases at Newbury for q cou