Evening star., 1927-04-27

~ v y HAT do you mean LII
HA A Latin said harshiy.
N "You didn't know
v then, that the Caren;
were not the parents
Of the girl who calls herself Elizabeth
Carewo That she was the daughter
of Left stone, who left his wife in
the care OF the Carens when he re-
turned to America
In the silence that followed Bill
could hear fhe mans quick breath
ing, but not muscle of the yellow
face twitched, the eyes did not waver.
1T seems almost like an extract
from some popular work of fiction,
said DR. Latin at last. When did
you learn this?'
FIolbroox told him, in few words,
without, however, revealing Toby
Marsh as the source Of the intorma'
ton.
II confess that I did not trouble to
search the register" said Latin after
q pause. s'You say that Mr.. Lambert
stone is perfectly satisfied that the
girl IS his niece and that Mr.. Leln
Stone was her father?'
"'Was?' repeated Bill sharply. us
he dead?"
Laffin's face was a mask.
"How am / to know if | do not
number the gentleman among my ac-
uuaintances?' he said smoothly.
"'Was' or Is'-does it matter? All
things are, for the spirit essence is
indestructible.
I'VE will keep away from the occult
If YOU don't mind, DOCTOR" begged
Holbrook. "I am little out of my
depth when / lift my mind from the
Camden road and the is.ness of
things
The doctor rose.
Thank you for coming, Mr.-er-
Holbrack, / think your name IS? l
must write to my little Elizabeth and
congratulate her. She will, ] have
no doubt, remember with gratitude
the care that j lavished upon her.
Il guess she won't have much
chance of forgetting" said Bill coolly.
"But that wasn't all / came to see you
about, doctor. Your twenty-third de-
gree has got me guessing
Latin raised his hand in protest
and i'm so doing made the almost i'm
perceptible sign of the Ragousans.
THAT doesn't mean anything TO
me-" said the calm Bill, "and il you're
going to pull any of that stuff about
the oath of the Proud Sons and the
responsibilities of brotherhood l shall
say things to you which l may regret.
What is this twenty-third degree?
How do you come to be the head of
it? I'm asking you"-he spoke slowly,
leaning over the table. his palms on
its edge, his face within a few inches
of the tor's-"because there's
something behind the RagouSans,
something you know, something that
is sinister and outside the law. The
Ragousans are decent men, with de-
cent mems childish delight in pass
words and signs and grips and the
fool play that is part of the joy of
secret societies. But the twenty-third
degree doesn't belong to the plumbers
and bakers and icemen who get thrill
ed every time they mask their faces
and think they're being conspirators.
How came you there, right on top?"
THE twenty-third degree" began
the doctor, 'ias you ought to know as
q. .Ragousan--I dislike most intensely
discussing the mysteries of that noble
order-has ever been a degree Of
honor"
Forget it, said Bill. "The twenty
third degree was moribund till you
went into it. 1t consisted of about so
ancients, who dabbed in occultism,
acting as a buffer between the lower
degrees and the swell fellows on top,
the priors. But those old guys are
out of the rWenty-thirds they've been
returned, one by one, to their various
lodges, and other men have taken
their places-men you've selected
yourself. What's the idea, Laffin?"