Evening star., 1925-07-18
THE WRATH TO COME
One of the Best Mystery Stories Ever Written
By E. Phillips Oppenheim.
tCopynght. Little Brown & Coz


| lert the diplomatic service. Is that
so?'
Yes"
"Why?"
mo work left" he replied. 1--WE
move on toward the millennium"
Their eyes met for moment.
There was a silent question In hers
which he ignored.
Where were you going?" she in
quired.
i've been lunching at the club" he
answered. II was Just going to stroll
across to the tennis courts for an
hour"
You can come to the Rooms with
me instead" he suggested. I'VE will
find two chairs and talk for a little
time. We can't part like this"
He hesitated
Am l likely TO meet your hus
band?"
MY husband is not In Monte Carlo
| at present. l hope you're not going
to be horrid about It, Grant-you
won't want to fight duel or any
thing Of that sort?"
IF / had felt that way about it,
he answered, 1T would have been at
an earlier stage of the proceedings.
A woman has right to change her
mind. i have harbored no grievance
against any one"
He turned with her and they made
their way to the bar. almost deserted
at that early hour. for it was barely
4 o'clock and the Rooms were only
| just opened. They found two com
Portable chairs and sat for a few mo-
ments In silence. Each was taking
| stock Of the other. He had spoken
the truth when he had declared that
she was more beautiful than ever.
She was very fair, her complexion eX-
quisitely creamy, with scarcely
tinge Of color. Her eyes were so deep
a blue that they seemed at times al
most to attain TO that rare and won
derful shade commonly termed violet.
Her hair was yellow. the color of the
faint gold in the morning sky. Her
lips were little fuller than the deli
| cacy OF her features required. but
beautifully shaped. Her figure he
thought improved. She still possessed
the grace Of long limbs and a slender
body, but she had passed from
threatened thinness TO a gracious but
still delicate shapeliness. He looked
admiringly at her beautiful fingers as
she withdrew her gloves.
You always liked my hands" she
murmured, studying them for a mo
ment.
His eyes were fixed upon a ring she
wore-a thin platinum guard with a
single beautifully set pearl. She
smiled at him.
Terribly wrong Of me to keep it. I
know" she admitted, But l have.
Do you want 1t back. Grant?'.
: NO" he answered. a little brusque-
ly. But,
But what"
Il am not going TO fiirt with you,
he declared.
: She threw her head back and
laughed.
The same familiar Grant, honest
TO the point Of pugnacity. Why, my
dear man. how do you ever expect to
shine as a diplonatist?"
Il have given up the idea" he re
minded her.
80 you are not going TO firt with
, me-" she sighed
He avoided the challenge OF her
eyes, secretly delighted that he found
1t SO easy.
Since We are here. we must order
something" he insisted, summoning
the waiter. The fellow has been
watching US reproachfully for the last
nve minutes
It's very early. but I'll have some
tea" she acquiesced resignedly
Grant gave the order and turned
back TO his companion. He was
forced u make conversation in order
10 avoid drifting too readily into the
intimacies Of the past.
You find He amusing in Berlin?"
he asked politely.
| -Nol al all Del 4LIl pOIcS me nat
is why I'm here. And I can see per
fectly well that you are going to do
your best TO bore me, too. I am dis
appointed in YOU"
That" he complained, "is little
hard. Now that I am free man I
am full of intelligent interest in Ber
lin. 7 hoped that You might crafty
my curiosity
You We're there yourself for two
years" she reminded him dryly.
But that was five years ago. The
evidences Of what l suppose must be
called the rovalist movement had only
just then begun to appear. Prince
Frederick, for instance, was still at
school-he had scarcely shown him
self in public. Now they tell me that
he is almost a popular idol
| Gertrude Won Diss gazed thought
fully into her little gold mirror and
used her powder puff with discretion.
MY husband being a member of
the government, she said, II never
. discuss politics. ! wonder If I shall
find a place at one of the baccarat
tables. 1 have lost SO much in my
small way at roulette that I think
I shall give 1t up for a time. 1t is not
amusing TO lose always"
''ITl go and see. if you like" he
offered politely
Presently. Tell me about yourself
Why did YOU give up the diplomatic
service?"
Because there are no diplomatic
activities left nowadays for the citi-
zens Of the United States" he re
piled. THE whole world has become
a gigantic mart for tradespeople TO
, buy, sell and exchange wares. Con-
suls can do our business. And then
came into the Van Roorden money
and turned lazy, I suppose"
II don't follow you at ALL she
declared. Even if commercial
achievement has become the guiding
lamp Of the world, I don't in the
, least know what you mean by saying
/ that there is no diplomacy left for
3 the United States. Commerce is one
OF the chief reasons for diplomatic
exchanges, isn't It? know my
o adopted country people think So
4 He shrugged his shoulders.
3 Very likely" he confessed. Don't
take me too seriously. I was only
!. inventing a justification for my lazi-
ness"
i, She indulged in a little grimace.
. You are dtstressingly uncommuni
J cative," she observed. 'I begin 70
:. suspect that we are both very clever
people. All the same" she went or
a rehectively, II don't see why we
4 shouldn't exchange condolences. II
v might be amusing"
''It wouldn't be a fair bargain" he
assured her. Your husband holds a
9 high official position in Berlin. He
8 must be brought into touch with