Evening star., 1926-09-05

Shall we walk doWn 10 tHe nay
field?" she suggested. "Crask says
that we shall have quite crop"
He strolled along by her side,
smoking the cigarette which he usu-
ally lit after tea-the one ciga-
rette which was to last him. until
dinner time Again they spoke of
Indifferent matters, pleasantly and
with no apparent lack of interest
No one could have guessed at the
wall between them, the wall which
he had seen growing day by day In
ever deepening despair. Now and
then. as they paraded their little do
main-the domain, he reflected,
where they were to spend the rest
of their lives together-he looked
down the drive and along the road
The postman came and went with
out news. a baker delivered bread. a
motor cyclist friend waved a casual
greeting After all it was lonely
spot where the man lay dead,
He dressed for dinner with slow
deliberation. studying himself the
while in the mirror. lie had long,
lean face. not unpleasing, although
his cheeks were a little sunken-
not the face of a murderer. he
thought as he arranged his tie. That
WAS IL lllHR ilO one "Ouid ever Dc-
heve of him. Well, no one would
ever know it. He smiled grimly
to himself as he thought of the flu
ture---thought of himself fulfilling
with dignity all the various offices of
the law, n well respected man in his
world trifie austere and parch-
ment like perhaps in his dealings
with human beings, certainly not a
person to be suspected of temper. of
passion, of the courage which arms
a mans will to Kill.
There was scarcely a soul in the
country who would not have laughed
az the idea of numbering him among
that ghostly little company who had
qualified for the scaffold, some of
whom had walked those few fatal
steps and some who had escaped. He
belonged there all right, but nobody
would ever know
a 7 dinner time and after "a fiend
entered into George Cnwin. lie
ordered champagne and he talked to
months past. not since he had
guessed not since he had known. He
watched her growing uneasiness--
realized. too. that il made her more
beautiful. Afterward they walked in
the garden together.
His arm went around her waist. He
took her hand in his and. notwith-
standing the warmth of the June
evening. her fingers seemed icy cold.
A nightingale sang, and they paused
to listen. He could feel her trembling
in his grasp. A torturer's sense
seemed born in him in those few
months. lie found no pleasure in
holding her to him. in the kiss he
forced from her shrinking lips. yet
rible joy In her sufferings. In the
house she escaped. but he followed
her To her little drawing room.
Her respite came by terrific means.
He knew what it meant, the ringing
of the bell at that unexpected hour.
Did she guess. he wondered, that
something might have happened, for
her eyes shone strangely as she
listened to the heavy footsteps in the
hallr Rose hustled in with an air of
Importance.
THE police sergeant would like to
speak to you, sir she announced.
Even then he would not spare her
Malice was ablaze in him that night
ASK the SefSean nt To step IN. ne
directed careleSSly.
The sergeant presented himself--a
large man. excited and perspiring. dle
saluted t'nWin with the deep respect
due to the arch-rcprescnta of the
law. He looked toward Mrs. Irwin
and made mysterious signs.
"What is it, Sergeant" tnwin
asked. Speak up"
Its Il fair nasty business" the
man answered. turning his cap over
Il was thinking maybe the lady
mightnt like to hear"
She leaned forward in her chair.
"Go ON. Sergeant" she insisted.
There's been Il bad accident
real bad 'un."
ANY one hurt TnWin asked
"Who is it," his wife demanded in
a whisper which seemed to crackle
through the twilight Of the room.