Evening star., 1927-10-24
THE BLACK JOKER
BY ISABEL OSTRANDER.

arrangement was far from her liking,
and withdrew at once after Janet had
! politely acquiesced. She thoroughly
appreciated the delcacy of Philip
Mariott's suggestion, but she giggled.
nevertheless. If he could know the
details of her unconventional journey
from Daneholm to Lions Head Island
his sense of the proprieties would re-
ceive death blow,
This thought returned to her mind
when late in the afternoon, after long
hours spent in wandering about as
though restless, but in reality to fa-
miiiarize herself with the house. she
came upon Marriott himself lying in
long chair in the library.
Don't get up, please" she cried
hastily as he strove to rise. Mrs.
Goodwin SAYS you are not so we'll to-
day and if I'm disturbing you Ill go
back to my rooms"
If YOU will return good for evil
you will stay" he urged adding:
Have you everything you wish for
your comfort?'
Yes. even n chaporon" Janet
laughed as she seated herself. quite
Il luxury for nightrider".
Don't. please" He lifted his hand
in protest. circumstances alter
cases, ana II Is my WISH 10 Sttu" Sou
every consideration"
is it," Janet's face grew sudden
ly serious and she leaned forward
Mr.. Marriott, what did you mean last
night when YOU said that if YOU knew
where my father was YOU would take
ME to him? You know he reaches
New York today on a liner from
Liverpool
Miss Dane. do YOU want the
TRUTH" Marriott drew himself up in
his chair. What | have done has
been necessary and | fought YOU WITH
the cnly weapons | could, but please
believe that | have never lied to you
do not know that Your father will
reach New York today, and neither
does any one else whom we have been
able TO discover"
What do you mean?" Janet stared
at him in surprise. why. Mrs,-an
old lady | know man. too, have
been in constant communication with
him by cable and wireless"'
She paused, biting her lip III fear
that she had said too much, but
Marriott appeared not to have heard
You have not had any direct COM
munication with him yourself. have
you?" His face was very grave. Il
am not asking YOU with any ulterior
motive. but purely in your own inter
ests Alone you are at the mercy of
the gang of ruffians from whom you
escaped just before IL piloted YOU in
that plane, or else you will he with
other associates with whom you should
never have been brought in contact. |
cannot bring myself to believe that
YOU are a knowing party to this affair.
knowing, that is, the enormity of it,
and of what the results may he. In
any event you are a very young girl,
not too experienced and at present
alone in country that is strange to
you, and you are in danger of your
life. | don't want to worry you. but
I think it is only right for you to
know about your father"
"What-about my father?" Janet
rose with one hand to her throat.
"Onlv this-that he has disappeared,
The people with whom you have been
have you not had constant eVasions
when you asked about him? Were
they not themselves anxious. un-
certain?'
Then you mean that my father
has not been abroad at all?' she fal-
tered. "That-that those who pre-
tended to have heard from him lied
to me? You mean?
She paused as a score of incidents
unnoticed before came rushing back
to her mind in an overwhelming flood,
and Philip Marriott replied:
II mean that since week ago last
Saturday Richard Dane has vanished
hfrom the face of the earth"
1ror+ipuod in FTon7orrow's Star)