Evening star., 1924-03-18

yet possible"
He turned on Darrell and shook
him by the shoulder, almost roughly.
Come" he said. That's natural
Tress, but we've got to think. Tell
Il paid him to hold it," answered
Darrell.
'.At his requestT' exclaimed Hex
tall. '.Black nAail?'
.'No-not that. He didn't ask for
Anyway I gave him something hand
some and told him to say nothing"
pity! HelfAexpect more. But
anyway. you think he's not said a
word to any one yet?"
I'm sure he won't have done that.
He's a decent fellow-very."
You must let me see him in the
NOR ming, Tress. In the meantime, try
to sleep and to think no more about
this. Let me try to explain to you"
terly impossible 1t is for what you
seem to fear to have happened. You
! He sat down and talked earnestly
for while, arguing as much to con-
vince himrelf as to reassure Darrell
/ Tress. And at last he went away,
leaving Darrell more composed, and
going straight to Nurse Pallisers
room he knocked gently at tho door.
Nurse Palliser almost Immediately
came out into the corridor to him.
f, In the light of the candle which she
closely than he had ever done be-
fore. She was Il tall, we'll made
woman, evidently possessed of great
/, physical strength. Apparently now
approaching, early middle age. she
still showed traces of considerable
| beauty. But HeXtall was not looking
at her for these chara cteristicS, he
was wondering il she was really the
| capable and warchful nur:e that John
Smith ha.i made her out to be.
! Tres dressing room?" he asked.
"One of you two nurses always sleeps
! there, Of coursc?''
| Nurse Palliser showed some sur
prise.
"Of courser she replied "One or
! other of US has always been there
since we came. NurSe Hicks tonight"
Then Nurse Hicks is rather too
sound a sleeper" remarked Hextall.
Miss Tress has been walking in
her sleep.
Nurse Palliscr showed more sur
prise and some alarm. She immedi-
ately turned in the direction of
Paquita's door, but Hextall stopped
! Wait he said. Miss Tress has
gone back to bed, l am sure. but
you can go in and see for yourself
| in a minute. / wanted to ask you
who was on duty the night you came
down here-the first night"
Nurse Hicks, doctor" she an
swered. I'VE are taking it in turns. >
| For the whole night at stretch ?"
! "Yes. Nurse Hicks said that Miss
Tress slept quite through the night
that first night, and she certainly dio
| last night. when ! was on duty, be-
cause ] was awake a great deal
i am a poor sleeper"
! Very WELL" said Hextall. Go in
! through the dressing room and see
for yourself that Miss Tress is all
right, II they are both asleep, don't
| disturb them. And you neednS say
anything to Nurse Hicks-I'll speak
! to her myself.
| Then he went to his own room. not
to sleep but to think. If ever there
ever had been a time in his life, he
said to himself as he stood at his
| window, looking out on the moon
beams that flecked the lawns below,
| a time in which it was necessary to
think hard and clearly. it was this
1t was no use indulging in vague
sreculations. What the footInan.
Walters. had told Darrell Tress was
as good as a direct charge against
Paquita-that she had shot Kesteven.
His testimony, reduced to a plain
statement of fact, was that he had
seen Miss Tress coming from the di-