San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-04-11

eIulHS NdS--OI 10 W uS--Si ais
ferred by a document-l think it
is called, legally, deed of gift"
81 refuse to discuss it," count
cred Mr.. Soames, angry again.
"Will you swear that there is
no deed of gift?"
81 will swear nothing"
"And that the deed was in
favor of tie man we both knew
as Monks 'Yelding's last tenant,
Brummelton?"
Fantastic nonsense! His name
has never been mentioned.
Then it's the same man with
more convincing name"
81 have told you the name of
the purchaser, said Mr.. Soames
with ominous calm, because that
cannot be anything but public
property. You are now asking me
to divulge professional condolences.
Only the belief that you are very
greatly upset prevents me from
asking you to leave my house at
once"
You're right" said Peter, ris-
ing. 81 am upset-too upset to
make you a proper apology for
hectoring you in your own house
and behaving like a first-class
bounder. Goodnight, Mr.. Soames
its perhaps an impertinence to
thank you"
Unceremo n ously, he hurried
from the house. His taxi was watt
ing and he got in. Here was trag-
edy, almost indistinguishable from
farce. The Schoolboy's
riddle-what happened when the
irresistible force met the immovable
object?
On the one hand was Stacey, on
the other the fantastic story of
Charles vamp. No possible con-
ncction. A hundred simple coin
Cidences would explain the juxta-
position of the two ideas. There
were two women concerned, one of
whom was Stacey. Stacey's was
a quite independent deal, having
nothing whatever to do with the
other. Charles woman was an
independent diamond thief who
had simply 'swanked' herself as the
owner of Monks Yielding. She
might have discovered that the OPP
ton on it was held by woman.
There were dozens of ways of
explaining it.
Very well, then! Stacey tells
him that old Soames is at Brighton
whereas in reality I'D SOames is in
his office. Stacey does not want
him to see old Soames. Nothing in
itself, There might be a dozen ex-
plantations of that too--not quite
such simple explanations, but still
explanations.
But by what conceivable ingen-
uity could one invent an eXplana-
ton for Stacey having said just
nothing when he had mentioned his
intention of returning to Monks
Yielding? Stacey! He was
diving backwards into the past,
searching through childhood, girl
hood. maturity, for any little Incl
dent that could seem to suggest a
mental oddity. There was no
mental oddity in Stacey She had
not played a practical joke since
she was eight. Assume, then, that
she had a reasonable motive. Put
il beside the lie about Brighton.
His whole moral being rccoiled
from the conclusion to which his
reason was thrusting him.
"If I've come back from Africa
to believe that Stacey has fallen
for that fellow BrummeltOn and
become a crook wish to Heaven
a niger had cut my throat. .
| wish I'd got one at Maubeuge."
There was an odd Tightening in
his throat. He pulled himself to-
gether.
81 cant see her tonight, >" ran
his thoughts, "but III see her first
thing in the morning. She'll have
some perfectly simple explanation
and we shall both realize that !
am a goat"
Against that there was the
mental picture of Charlie CON-
stock, sitting at that moment in
police cell.
Mustn't let the little Robin
thing see how bad things are" was
Peters last thought as he got out
at the BeaUdon.
Mr.. SOames was not as angry as
he had appeared 10 be. The anger
had been Largely a mask that COW
cred a very deep anxiety.
"Somnthing has gone tragically
wrong somewhere he told him
self. 81 wish I had not posted that
deed Of gift 10 Miss Stacey this
afternoon. wOnder-I wonder
whether, after all, It's a mere
comedy Of errors"
The anxiety was not dispelled by
the letter that reached him at his
Office by The first post on the fol-
lowing morning.
Dear Nh Soames," he read.
Regarding the arrangement we
discussed the other afternoon, !
must ask you 70 take no further
step in the matter Of the deed Of
gift.
Further if Mr.. Yelling should
wish 10 buy Monks Yielding, will
YOU please sell it 20 him - the
price not 70 exceed ten thousand
pounds? But please act COM
pieteIy as my representative-that
is. il is essential 70 me that my
name should not be mentioned