The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-03-14

lection which he had learned to expect
from her. She suggested to him still
that same sense Of aloofness from the
actualities OF life. ne 40
Il prefer not to believe that It To-
ended" he protested. Have you 50
many friends that you have no room
for one who has never consciously
done you any harmf'' Tstsi
She looked at him with some faint
curiosity In her immobile features.
\ Harm? Not. On the contrary. ]
suppose / ought to thank you for your
evidence at the inquest"
4 rSome part Of 1t was the TRUTH he
replied.
K II suppose So" she admitted dryiy.
you told it very cleverly.
He looked her in the eyes.
my profession helped me to be a
good witness" he said. "As for the gist
Of my evidence, that was between my
conscience and myself"
''your conscienceY' she repeated.
Are there really men who possess
such things?'
Il hope you will discover that for
yourself some day." he answered.
Tell me your plans. Where are you.
living?"
Z "For the present with my father in
Curzon street"
with Sir Timothy Brast?'
D She assented $50
"You know him?" she asked indtfer-
emily.
Very slightly" Francis replied. I'VE:
talked together. some nights ago, at
iSotos restaurant. l am afraid that
did not make very favorable impress
sion upon him. gathered, too, that
he has somewhat eccentric tastes" 4
!. II do not see great deal Of my IA
ther." she said. 1--WE met. few months
ago, for the first time since my mar
riage, and things have been little
difficult between us-just at first. He
really scarcely ever puts in an appear
ance at Curzon street. I dare say you
have heard that he makes hobby of
an amazing country house which he
has down the river"
THE Walled HouseY' he ventured..
She nodded.
II see you have heard Of It. All Lon
don. they tell me, gosslps about the en-
tertainments there"
Are they really SO wonderfui?" he
asked. 80
II have never been to one,' she re-
piled. "As matter of fact. have
spent scarcely any time In England
since my marriage. My husband was
fond of travelling
Notwithstanding the warm spring
air he was conscious Of certain chilli
ness. Her level. Indifferent tone
seemed to him almost abnormally cal
lous. A. horrible realization flashed for
a moment in his brain. She was
speaking Of the man whom she had
killed:
"Your father overheard remark Of
mine" Francis told her. II was at
Soto's with friend-Andrew Wilmore.
the novelist-and to tell you the truth
we were speaking Of the shock / ex-
perienced when i realized that / had
been devoting every effort Of which r
was capable to saving the life of
shall we say a criminal? Your father
heard me say, in rather flamboyant
manner, perhaps. that in future | de-
clared war against all crime and all
criminals"
She smiled very family. smile
which had In 1t no single element OF
Joy or humor. +.
i II can quite understand my father
intervening" she said. "He poses as
being rather a patron of artistically-
perpetrated crime. Sue Is his favorlte
author. and believe that he has ex-
ceedingly grim ideas as to dueling and
fighting generally. He was In prison
once for six months at New Orleans
for killing man who insulted my
mother. Nothing in the world would
ever have convinced him that he had
not done perfectly legitimate thing"
Il am expecting to find him quite an
interesting study. when I know him
better" Francis pronounced. my
only fear is that he will count me an
unfriendly person and refuse to have