Nebraska Newspapers

    THE NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE.
11
SYNOPSIS.
GeorRn Anderson nntl wife Heo a ro
tnnrlcnblo looking man come out of the
Clermont Intel, look around furtively,
wash Ills hands In the snow and iibsh on.
Commotion aitrurts them to tho Clermont,
where It 1h found thut the beautiful MIhm
Kdltl) Challoner has fallen dead. Ander
non describes tho man ho saw wash IiIb
liandt In tho snow. The hotel nmniiKer
declares him to be Orlando Hrotherson.
1'hyHlclans find that Miss Challoner was
Blabbed and not shot, which seems to
clear Ilrotherson of suspicion, Qryce, an
need, detective, and Sweetwater, Ills as
sistant, take up tho rase. Mr. Chnllonor
tolls of n hatch of letters found In his
daughter's desk, nlnned "O. II." All are
love letters except one. which sIiowb that
tho writer was displeased. This letter
wfut signed by Orlando IJrotherson. And
cmon koph with Sweotwnter to Identify
Urothorjon. who Is found In a tenement
under the name of Dunn. He Is an In
ventor. IlrothorBon tells tho coroner Miss
Chnllonor repulsod him with Hc-orn when
lie offered her Ills love. Hwootwntcr ro
calls tho mystery of tho murder of a
washerwoman In which bohio details were
flmllar lo the Challoner affair. Chal
lonor admits his dauKhtcr wan deeply ln
terontrd, If not In lovo with Brotherson.
flwentwntor Bets lodKlncs In the same
milling with IJrotherson. Ho watches
the Inventor nt work nt ltlKlit and Is de
tected by the latler. Tho detective moves
to a room adjoining Brotherson's Ho
lores a bole In the wall to spy on Ilroth
rrson. He visits him and assists tho In
ventor In IiIb work. A Klrl sent by Hweot
wntcr with Kdlth Cliallonor'B letters Is
ordered out by Brotherson. Ho declaros
tho letters were not written bv him.
Sweetwater Is unmasked by Urothorson,
who declnres ho recognized him at once.
The discovery Is tnado that tho totters
plcned "O. It." weto written by two
different men. Swootwnter kocs to Derby
In search of tho second "O. II.," whom ho
expects to locato throuuh one Doris Bcbtt
nentloned In tho letters. Hho Is found
octitiK ns nurse for Oswald IJrotherson,
who Is crltlcallv sick and calls the namo
of Kdltb fit his delirium. Hwoetwuter
romes across n peculiar but In the woods.
Ho sees a load of boxes marked "O.
Brotherson," (aHen Into tho hut under
tho supervision of Doris Scott.
CHAPTER XXVIII. Continued.
"I ennnot toll; I do not know," snld
olio. "Nobody knows, not ovon tho
doctor, what effect tho nowa wo dread
lo glvo him will hnvo upon Mr. Broth
trsoii. You will havo to wait wo nil
hall havo to wait tho rosultB of that
ovolatlon. It cannot bo kopt from
him much longor."
"You havo had much to carry for
ono no young," was Mr. Challonor's
sympathetic remark. '"You must lot
mo help you whon that awful moment
comos, I am at tho hotel and shnll
Atay thoro till Mr. Brotherson Is
pronounced qulto woll. I havo no
othor duty now In llfo but to sustain
him through his trouhlo und then,
with what aid ho can glvo, search out
nd find tho cnuso of my daughters
death which I will novor admit with
out tho fulloat proof, to havo boon
ono of sulcldo."
Doris trembled.
"It was not Biticldo," sho doclnrod,
cohomontly. "I hnvo always folt suro
that It waB not; but today I know,"
Her hand foil clonched on hor breast
And hor oyos glonmod strangely. Mr.
Challoner was hitnBolf greatly startled.
"I'vo not told any ono," sho wont
an, da ho stopped short in tho road.
In his anxloty to understand hor. "Dut
I will toll you. Only, not horo, not
with nil Uicbo peoplo driving past;
most of whom know mo. Como to tho
house later this ovenlng, nftor Mr.
rrotherBon'8 room lo closed for tho
night. I havo n Uttlo sitting-room on
tho othor Bldo of tho hall whoro wo
ean'Uilk without bolng hoard. Would
you object to doing thnt?"
"No, not at nil," ho assured hor.
'Expect mo at eight. 'Will that bo too
early ?"
"No, no. Oh, how Hiobo peoplo
! tared! Lot us hasten bnck or thoy
may connect your nnmo with what wo
want kopt socrot."
Ho smiled nt her fears, but gave in
fo hor humor; ho would boo her sqon
again and possibly loam something
which would amply repay him. both
for his trouble and his pntlonco.
Dut whon ovenlng enmo and sho
turned to faco him in that Uttlo Blt-tlng-room
whoro ho had quietly fol
lowed hor, ho was conscious of a
ohnngo in hor manner which forbudo
theso high hopes.
"I don't kwn what you will think
jf me," sho ventured at last, motion
ing to n chnlr but not sitting horsolf
"You Have hud tlmo to think ovor
what I said and probably ox poet aomo
thing real something yon could toll
roplo. Dut it isn't llko that. It's u
deling a bellof. I'm bo, suro"
V'uro of what, Miss Scott?"
Sho gavo a glanco at tho door bo
foro stopping up nearor. Ho hud not
taken tho chair nho proffurod.
"Suro thnt I have seen tho fnco of
die man who murdered hor. It was In
ft dream," sho whlsperlngly complet
ed, hor groat fcyaa mlBty with awo.
"A dream, Aflsd Scott?" Ho tried to
Aide his disappointment.
"Yea; 1 know thnt it would sound
oollah to you; It eoundB foolish to mo.
Hut Uaton, air. Listen to whnt I have
lo toll and then you can judgo. I was
very much ngltated yesterday. I had
lo wrlto a lottor at Mr. llrothorson'B
(Notation a lottor to hor. You can
understand my horror nnd tho ofTort
I itnadu to hldo my emotion. I was
qulto unnerved. I could not Bleep till
morning, and thon and then I biiw
I hope I can doscrlbu It."
OraBpIng at a noaJby choir, she
loaned on it for support, closing hor
cyea to nil but tha Inuor vision. A
breathless moment followed, tha- sho
murmured in strained monotonous
oiioa;
'1 sco it again Just ns I Baw It in
the onrly morning but oven more
plainly, If that 1b possible. A hall
(I should cnll It n hall, though 1 don't
romomber seeing any plnco llko It be
fore), with a Uttlo staircase at the
side, up which thoro comes a man,
who stops JUBt at tho top und looks
Intently my way. Thero Is fierceness
In his face a look which means no
good to anybody and as his hand
goes to his overcoat pocket, drawing
out somothlng which I cannot de
scribe, but which ho handles as if It
woro a pistol, I feel a horriblo foar,
and and " Tho child wan stnggor
Ing, and tho hnnd which was free had
sought hor heart whoro It lay
clenched, tho knucklos showing white
in tho dim light.
Mr. Chnllonor watched hor with di
lated oyes, tho spell under which she
upoko falling in some degrco upon
him. Had she finished? Was this all?
No; sho is speaking again, but very
low, ulmoBt In a whisper.
"Thoro is music a crash but V
plainly aeo his other hnnd nppronch
tho object ho Is holding. Ho takes
homothlng from tho end the object Is
pointed my way I nm looking into
jnto what? I do not know. I can
not ovon see him now. The apnea
Avhoro ho stood is empty. Everything
fndes, and I wako with a loud cry In
my cars and a sense of denth horo."
Sho had lifted hor hnnd nnd struck nt
her heart, opening her oyes as sho did
bo. "Yot It was not I who had been
shot," sho added softly.
Mr. Chnlloner shuddered. This was
llko tho reopening of his daughter's
grave. Dut ho had entered upon tho
scene with n full appreciation of tho
ordeal awaiting him and ho did not
loso his fcalmness, or tho control of
his Judgment. '
"Ilo seated, Miss Scott," hs entreat
ed, taking n chair himsolf. tou hnvo
described tho spot and sonio of tho
circumstances of my daughter's death
as, accurately as It you had been thoro.
But you havo doubtless road a full ac
count of thoso details In tho papers;
possibly Been pictures which would
mnko tho place quite real to you, Tho
mind Is a strange storehouse. Wo do
not always know what lies hidden
within It."
"That's truo," sho ndmltted. "Dut
tho man! I hnd novor Been tho man,
or any picture of him, and his faco
was clearest of all. I should know It
If 1 Baw It anywhero. It is Imprinted
on my memory ns plainly ns yours.
Oh, I hopo nover to soo that man I"
Leaning townrd hor that ho might
got hor full nttontlon, ho waited till
hor oyes mot his, thon quietly nskod:
"Hnvo you Over named this man to
yourBolf?"
Sho started and dropped her oyes.
"I do not dnro to," said sho.
"Why?"
"Docauso I'vo road In the papora
3
"It lo He! It Is He!"
that tho man who stood thoro hud tho
snmo namo us "
"Tell mo, MIsb Scott."
"As Mr. Urothoraon'H brother."
"Dut you do not think it was IiIb
brother?"
"I do not know."
"Ycu'vo novor sodh his brother?"
"Novor."
"Nor hla picture?"
"No, Mr. Drothorson has none."
"Aron't thoy friends? Doob ho nov
or mention Orlnndo?"
"Very, very rarely. Dut I'vo no
reason to think thoy nro not on good
terms. I know they correspond."
"Miss Scott?"
"Yob, Mr, Challoner."
"You muBt not rely too much upon
your dronm."
Her oyos flushed to his and then foil
again.
"Dreams aro not revelations; thoy
nro tho reproduction of what already
Ilea hidden In the mind. 1 can prove
that your dreutn is such."
"How?" Sho looked stnrtlod.
"You apoak of soolng' something be
ing leveled at you which mado you
think of a pistol,"
"Yus, I was looking directly Into it "
fS ANNA KATHARINE GREEN
Author op "the leaveistworth case
THE FILIGREE BALL" THEH0U5E OFTlIEWfflSPERING PINES 1
ILLUSTRATIONS fty
CHARLES .W. R05SER
COPYRIGHT 19JI toy 5TBEET & .SMITH
cupYWiam xoa. xjy podp, zmEAJD co
"Dut my daughter was not shot. Sho
died from n Btnb."
Doris' lovely face, with Its tender
lines and girlish curves, took on a
strango look of conviction which deep
ened, rather than melted undor his In
dulgent, but penetrating gazo.
"I know that you think so but my
dream says no. I saw this object. It
was pointed directly towards mo
nbovo all, I caw IiIb faco. It was tho
faco of ono whoso linger Is on tho trig
ger and who means death; and I bo
llevo my dream."
Woll, It waB useless to reason furth
er. Qentlo in all else, sho was Im
movable so far as this idea was con
cerned nnd, 'seeing this, ho lot the
mnttor go nnd propared to take his
loavo.
Sho seemed to bo qulto ready for
this. Anxiety about hor patient had
regalnod Its place In hor mind, nnd
hor glanco sped constantly toward tho
door. Taking hor hand In his, ho said
somo kind words, then crossed to tho
door and opened It. Instantly her fin
gor flow to hor lips and, obedient to
Its silent injunction, ho took up his
hat in silence, nnd was proceeding
down tho hall, when tho boll rang,
startling thorn both and causing him
to stop quickly back.
"Who Is It?" sho asked. "Fnthor'a
In and visitors seldom como so Into."
"Shall I see?" x
Sho nodded, looking strangely trou
bled as tho door swung open, roveal
lng tho tall, strong flguro of a man
facing them from the porch.
"A stranger," formed itself upon hor
lips, and sho wns moving forward,
whon tho mnn Buddenly stopped Into
tho glare of tho light, and Bho stopped,
with a murmur of dismay which
plorced Mr. Challonor's heart and
prepared him for tho words which
now fell shuddorlngly from her lips.
"It Is he! It Id he! I said that 1
should know him wherever I saw
him." Then with a quiet turn towards
tho Intruder, "Oh, why, why, did you
como here!"
CHAPTER XXIX.
Do You Know My Brother?
Her hnnds woro thrust out to repol,
her features woro fixed; hor beauty
somothlng wonderful. Orlando Droth
orson, thus mot, Btnred for a moment
nt tho vision before him, thon slowly
and with offort withdrawing his gazo,
ho sought the faco of Mr. Challoner
with tho first sign of open disturb
ance that gontloman hnd ovor Boon in
him. ,
"Am I In Oswald Brotherson's
Iioubo?" ho BBkcd. "I waB directed
horo. But possibly thoro may be
somo mlstako?"
'"It Is horo ho lives," Bald she, mov
ing hack automatically till sho Btood
again by tho threshold of tho small
room In which Bho had received Mr.
Challonor. "Do you wish to seo him
tonight? If bo, I fear It is impossible.
Ho has boon very 111 and 1b not al
lowed to recelvo visits from
Btrangors."
"I am not a stranger," anriounced
tho nowcomer, with a Bmllo fov could
boo unmoved, It offered such a con
trast to his stern und dominating fig
uro. "I thought I heard somo words
of recognition which would prove your
knowledgo of thnt fact."
Sho did not answon Hor lips hnd
parted, but hor thought or at lenst tho
expression of her thought hung sus
pended In the terror of this meotlng
for which sho was not nt all propared.
Ho seemed to note this torror, whoth
or or not ho understood Its cause, and
smiled again, as ho added:
"Mr. Drothorson must hnvo spoken
of hlu brdthor Orlando. 1 nm ho, Miss
Scott. Will you lot mo como In now?"
Hor oyes sought thoso of Mr. Chnl
lonor, who qulotly tioddod. Immedi
ately she stopped from before tho door
which her figure had guarded and,
motioning him to enter, alio bogged
Mr. Challonor, with nn Imploring look,
to austnln hor In tho Intorvlow sho
snw boforo hor. Ho hnd no doslro for
this encounter, especially ns Mr.
Drothorson'a glanco In hla direction
hnd been anything but conciliatory.
Ho was qulto convinced that nothing
wna to bo gained by It, but ho could
not roslst her appeal, anil followed
them into tho Uttlo ropm whosoi lim
ited dimensions mado tho tall Orlando
look blggor nnd stronger nnd more
lordly In Ills aolf-confldonco than ovor.
"I nm sorry It Is so Into," sho began,
contemplating his Intruslvo figure
with forced compoBuro. "Wo have to
bo very quiet in tho evenings so aB
not to disturb your brother's first
sloop which la of groat Importance to
him."
"Thon I'm not to soo him tonight?"
"I pray you to wait. Ho's Iio'b boon
a vory sick man."
"DangorouBly so?"
"Yes."
Orlando continued to regard hor
with a pecullnr awakening gaze show
ing, Mr. Challonor thought, more In
terest In hor than In his brother, and
whon ho spoko It was mochanlcally
and as If In solo obodlenco to tho pro
prieties of ths occasion.
"I did not know ho was HI till vory
lately. His last lottor was a cheerful
one, and I supposed that all wns right
till chanco reveulod the truth. I came
on nt once. I wns Intending to como
nnywny. I have business hero, ub you
probably know, Miss Scott."
Sho shpok hor head. "I know very
little nbout buBlnoss," said she.
"My brother has not told you why
he expected mo?"
"He hns not ovon told me that ho
expected you."
"No?" Tho word was highly ex
presslvo; thoro vub surprise In it and
a touch of wonder, but more than all,
satisfaction. "Oswald was always,
closo-mouthed," ho declared. "It's a
good fault; I'm obliged to tho boy."
Theso Inst wordB woro uttered with
a lightness which imposed upon his
two highly agitated hearers, causing
Mr. Challonor to frown nnd Doris to
shrink back In Indignation at tho roan
who could" Indulge In a sportive sug
gestion In presence of such fears, If
not of such memories, as tho situation
ovoked.
"Tho hour Is Into for further con
versation. I havo a room at the hotel
and will roturirto It at once. In tho
morning I hope to soo my brother"
Ho was going, Doris not knowing
what to say, Mr. Challoner not desir
ous of dotainlng him, when thero
came tho sound of a Uttlo tlnklo from
the othor side of the hall blanching
the young girl's cheeks nnd causing
Orlando Drotherson's brows to rise
in pecullnr satisfaction.
"My brother?" ho asked.
"Yes," camo In faltering reply. "Ho
has heard our volcos; I muBt go to
him."
"Say that Orlando wishes him a
good night," smiled her heart's enemy,
with a bow of Infinite grace.
Sho shuddered, and was hastening
from the room when hor glanco fell
on Mr. Challoner. Ho was pale and
looked greatly disturbed. The pros
poet of bolng left alone with a man
whom she hnd herself denounced to
him as his daughter's murderer, might
provo a tax to his strength to which
sho had no right to subject him. Paus
ing with an appealing air, she made
him a slight gesture which ho at once
understood. ,
"I will nccompany you Into the
hull," said he. "Thon If anything is
wrong, you have but to speak my
name."
But Orlando Brotherson, displeased
by this move, took a step which
brought him between the two.
"You can hear her from here If she
chances to Bpcak. There's a point to
bo Bottled botween us before either of
us leave this house, and this oppor
tunity Is as good as another. Go to
my brother, Miss Scott; we will await
your return."
A flash from tho proud banker's
oyo; but no demur, rather a gesture of
consent. Doris, with a look of deep
anxloty, sped away, nnd the two men
stood face to faco.
"Mr. Challoner, do you know my
brother?"
"I havo nover seen him."
"Do you know him? Does he know
you?"
"Not at all. We aro strangers."
It was aald honestly. Thoy did not
know each othor. Mi. Challoner was
qulto correct In his atatomont.
"Men sometimes correspond who do
not know each other. You knew that
a Brotherson lived horo?"
"Yes."
"And hoped to learn somothlng
about me "
"No; my Interest was solely with
your brother."
"With my brother? With' Oswald?
What Interest enn you have In him
apart from me? Oswald la "
Suddenly n thought came an unlm
nglnablo ono; ono with power to
blanch ovon his hardy check and
shako a soul unassailable by all small
emotions.
"Oswald Brotherson!" ho repeated;
adding In unintelligible tones to him
self "0. D. The aame Initials! Thoy
are following up theso Initials. Foor
Oswald!" Then aloud: "It hardly be
comes mo, perhaps, to question your
motives In this nttompt at making my
brothor'e acquaintance. I think I can
guosB them; but your labor will bo
waated. OBwald's Interests do not ex
tond boyond this town; thoy hardly
extend to mo. Wo nro strangers, nl
most. You will learn nothing from
him on the subject which naturally
engrosses you."
Mr. Challoner simply bowed. "I do
not feel called upon," said he, "to ex
plain my reasons for wishing to know
your brother. I will simply Bntisfy you
upon a point which mny well rouse
your curiosity. You romember thnt
that my daughter's last act was tho
writing of a letter to a Uttlo protegee
of hens. Miss Scott was that protegeo.
In Booking hor, I enmo upon him. Do
you requlrd mo to sny moro o: this
subject? Wnlt till I havo soon Mr. Os
wald Drothorson and thon perhaps I
can do bo."
Receiving no answer to thM, Mr.
Challonor turned again to U man
who was tho object of his deojEst sus
picions, lo find him still In io dnzo
or that unimaginable thought, battling
with It, Bcodlne at It. BUcevTubing to
It and nil without a word. Mr. Chal
loncr was without cluo to this strug
gle, but tho might of It and the mys
tory of it, drovo him in extreme ngita
tatlon from .tho room. Though proof
wns lncklng, though proof might never
como, nothing could ever alter his be
lief from this moment on that Doris
was right in her estimato of this man's
guilt, however unsubstantial hor rea
soning might nppoar.
How far he might have been carried
by this new conviction; whether ho
would have left tho house without see
ing Doris ngaln or exchanging nnothor
word with tho mun whoso very pres
ence trifled him, ho had no opportun
ity to show, for beforo ho had taken
another step, ho encountered tho hur
rying figure of Doris, who was return
ing to her guests with nn air of
marked relief.
"Ho does not know that you aro
here," sho whispered to Mr. Challoner,
as sho passed him. Thon, ns sho again
confronted Orlando who hastened to
dismiss his trouble at her approach,
she said quite gaily: "Mr. Drotherson
heard your voice, and is glad to know
that you'ro here. Ho bade me glvo
you this key nnd say that you would
have found things In better shape if
ho had been in condition to superin
tend the removal of tho boxes to tho
place ho had prepared for you beforo
ho became 111. I was the one to do
that," sho added, controlling her nver
sion with manifest effort. "Whon Mr.
Drothorson camo to himself he asked
If I had heard about any largo boxes
having arrived nt tho station shipped
to his namo. I said that several no
tices of such had como to tho house.
At which he requested mo to see that
they were carried at once to tho
strange looking shed ho had put up
for him In tho woods. I thought that
they wero for him, and I saw to tho
thing myself. Two or three others
havo come Bince and been tnken to
the same place. I think" you will find
nothing broken or disturbed; Mr.
Brotherson's wishes aro usually re
spected." "That Is fortunate for me," was tho
courteous reply.
But Orlando Drotherson was not
himself, not at all himself ns ho bowed
a formal adieu nnd withdrew past tho
drawn-up sentinel-like figure of Mr.
Challoner, without a motion on his
part br on the part of that gentleman
to lighten an exit which had some
thing in It of doom and dread presage.
CHAPTER XXX.
Chaos.
It is not difficult to understand Mr.
Challonor's feelings or oven thoso of
Doris nt the moment of Mr. Drother
son'B doparture. But why this change
In Brotherson himself? Why this
sense of something nfiw and terrible
rising between him and tho suddonly
beclouded future? Let us follow him
to his lonely hotel room and see if wo
can solve tho puzzle.
Dut first, does he understand his
"What Do You Wish to Ask?"
own trouble? He does not seem to.
For when, his hat thrown aside, ho
stops, erect and frowning under tho
flaring gas Jet ho had no recollection
of lighting, his first net was to lift Id's
hand to his head in a gesturo of sur
prising helplessness for' him, whllo
snatches of broken sentences fell from
his lips among which could bo heard:
"What has como to mo? Undone In
an hour! Doubly undone! First by
n face and then by this thought which1
surely the devils havo whispered to
mo. Mr. Challonor nnd Oswald 1 What
Is tho link botween them? Groat Gcd!
what Is tho link? Not myself? Who
then or whnt?"
Flinging himself Into a chair, ho
burled his faco in his hands, Thore
wero two demons to fight tho first In
tho guise of an angel. Doris! Un
known yesterday, unknown an hour
ago; but now! Had thero ever been
a day an hour when Bho had not
been ns tho vary throb of hla heart,
tho light ot his oyes, nnd tho crown of
all Imaglnablo blisses?
This wns no passing admiration of
youth for a captivating woman. This
was not even tho lovo ho had given
to Edith Challoner. Ho did not know
himself. Thoro wns nothing In hii
whole history to glvo him nn under
standing of such feelings as theso.
Ho, Orlando Drothorson, had novot
thought much of lovo. Sclonco had
boen his mistress; nmbttion his lodo
star. Miss Challonor had roused
well, his pride. Ho could seo thai
now. Tho might of this now emotion
made plain many things he had passed
by as useless, puerile, unworthy of o
man of mental caliber and might. He
had never loved Edith Challonor at
any moment of thelr acquaintance
ship, though he had been slncero Id
thinking thnt he did. Doris' beauty,
the hour he had Just passed with her
had undeceived hlrn
Did he hall tho experience? It waE
not likely to bring him joy. This;
young girl whose Imago floated in
light beforo his oyes, would never love
him. She loved his brother. Ho had
heard their names mentioned together
boforo ho had been In town an hour
Oswald, tho clovetest man, Doris, the
most beautiful girl In western Penn
sylvania. He nad accepted tho gossip then; .
ho had not seen hor nnd it all seemed
.very natural hardly worth a mo
ment's thought. Dut now
And hero, the other demon sprang
erect and grappled with him before
the first ono had let go his hold. Os
wald and Challonor! There Is more
than Fate's caprice In Challonor'a In
terest In n man ho never saw. Had he
found tho connecting link? Had It
been could It havo been Edith? The
preposterous Is sometimes truo;
could It be truo in this case?
He recalled tho letters read to him
as hers In that room of his In Drook
lyn. Ho had hardly noted them then,
ho was so sure of their being for
gerles, gotten up by tho pollco to mis
load him. Could they have been real,
the effusions of her mind, tho breath
ings of her heart, directed to nn ac
tual O. B and that O. B., his brother?
Oswald had been east, Oswald had
even boen In the Borkshlres beforo
himself. Oswald Why It was Os
wald who had euggested that he
should go there go where she still
was. Why this second coincidence, if
thero wero no tie if tho Challoners
and Oswald were as far apart as they
seemed and as conventionalities would
naturally place them. Oswald was a
sentimentalist, but very reserved
about his sentimentalities. If these
suppositions were truo, ho had had a
sentimentalist's motive for what he
did. As Orlando realized this, he rose
from his seat, aghast at the possibili
ties confronting him from this line of
thought. Should he contemplate them?
Risk his reason by dwelling on a sup
position which might havo no founda
tion in fact? No His brain was too
full his purposes too Important for
any unnecessary strain to bo put upon
his faculties. No thinking! Investigat
ing first. Mr. Challonor should be
able to settlo this question. He would
see him. Even at this late hour ho
ought to be able to find him in one of
the rooms below; and, by tho forco of
an irresistible demand, learn In a mo
ment whether he had to do with a
mere chimera of his own overwrought
fancy, or with a fact which would call
into play all tho resources of an hith
erto unconquered and undaunted na;
turo.
There was a wood-flro burning In
the sitting-room that night, and around
It was grouped a number of men with
tholr papers and pipes. Mr. Brother
son, entering, naturally looked that
way for tho man ho was In search of,
and was disappointed not to find him
thero; but on casting his glances else
where, ho was relieved to seos him
standing in ono of tho windows over
looking the street. His back was to
the room and ho seemed to bo lost In a
fit of abstraction.
Orlando was, as I havo said, an extra
ordinary speclmon of manly vigor in
body and in mind, and his presence In
any company always attracted atten
tion and roused, If it nover satisfied,
curiosity. Conversation nccordlngly
ceased as ho strode up to Mr. Challon
er's sldo, so that his words woro qulto
audlblo aB ho addrossed that gentle
man with a somowhat curt:
"You seo mo again, Mr. Challonor
May I beg of you a fow minutes'
further conversation? I will not de
tain you long."
Tho gray head turned, nnd tho many
oyes watching showed surprlso at the'
'expression of dislike and repulsion
with which this Now York gontlemnn
mot tho request thus emphatically
urged. But his answer was courteous
enough. If Mr. Drothorson know a
place where they would be loft undis
turbed, ho would llston to him If he
would bo vory brief.
For reply, the other pointed to n
small room qulto unoccupied which
opened out of tho ono In which they
then stood. Mr. Challoner bowed and
In another moment tho door closed up
on them, to tho Inflnito disappoint
ment or tho mon about tho hearth.
"What do you wish to ask?" was
Mr. Challonor'a Immodlato Inquiry.
tTO BE CONTINUED.)
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