THE 8EMI-WSEKLV TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRA8KA.
TheHoflow
of Her Hand
fi-
K
I i
I
r in i ri k - col
SYNOPSIS.
ClinlJIn Wrandall Is foilnd murdered In
a roiul hoUMi nenr New York. Mrs. Wran
dall it summoned from tho city and Iden
tifies the body A yomiK woman who ac
compnnlad Wrandall to tho Inn find sub
sequently disappeared. Is suspected.
Wrandall. It nppcars, hud led a any life
ind neglected his wife Mrs, wrandall
tarts back tor New York In nn auto dur
ing a bllndliiK hiiow storm. On the way
nho meets a youtiff woman In tho mail
wlio proves to bo tho woman who killed
Wrandall.
CHAPTER II. Continued.
"There was nothing left for mo to
do but that."
"And why did you rob him?"
"Ah, I had ample tlmo to think, of all
that. You may tell the officers thoy
will find everything hidden In that
farmhouse collar. God knows I do not
want thorn. I am not a thief. I'm apt
eo bad as that."
Mrs. Wrandall marvolod. "Not so
bad as that!" And sho was a murder
ess, a wanton!
"You aro hungry. You must be fam
ished." "No, I am not hungry. I have not
thought of food." She said it in such
a way that tho other knew what her
wholo mind had been glvon over to
elnco tho night before.
A fresh Impulse seized her. "You
shall have food and a placo whore you
can steep and rest," she said. "Now
pleaso don't say anything more. I do
cot want to know too much. The least
you nay tonight, tho better for for
both of us." '
With that aho devoted all ot her at
tention to tho car, increasing tho
upood considerably. Far ahead sho
could soo twinkling, will-o'-the-wisp
lights, tho first signs of thickly popu
lated districts. They woro still eight
or ten miles from the outskirts of the
city and tho way was arduous. She
was conscious of a sudden, feeling of
fatigue. Tho chill of tho night seomod
to havo mado Itself felt with abrupt,
almost stupefying forco. Sho won
dorod if she could keep hor strength,
her courago her. nerves.
Tho girl was English. Mrs. Wran
dall was convinced of tho fact, almost
Immediately. Unmistakably English
and apparently of tho cultivated typo.
In fact, tho peculiarities of speech
that determines tho London show-girl
or music-hall character wbra wholly
lacking. Her voice, hor manner, even
under such trying conditions, woro
characteristic of tho English woman
of cultivation. DeBpIto tho dreadful
strain under which sho laborod, thoro
wero evldencos of that curious se
renity which marks the English wom
an ot tho better classes; an Inborn
composure, a calm orderliness ot tho
omottons. Mrs. Wrandall was con
ecloQB of a sense ot surprise, of a
wonder that increased as hor thoughts
resolved themsolves Into somothlng
lesu chaotic than thoy woro at tho tlmo
of contact with thin viBlblo condition.
For a mile or more Bho sent tho car
along with rockless disregard for com
fort or eatqty. Hor mind was groping
for somothlng tanglblo in the way of
Intentions, What wub she to do with
this cronturo? What was to become
of her? At what street corner should
sho turn hor adrift? Tho Idea of
handing her over to tho police did
pot ontor hor thoughts for an intrant.
Somehowi Bho felt that tho girl waB
a stranger to the city. Sho could not
explain tho feeling, yet It was with
tior and very porslstont. Of course,
thero was a homo ot somo sort, or
lodgings, or friends, but Would ho girl
lara show horBelf In familiar haunts?
She found herself wondering why
the poor wretch had not mado way
with herself, Escape seemed out of
tho question. That must havo bpen
clear to her from tho boglnnlng, olso
why was aho gong back thoro to give
hersolf up? What hotter way out of
It than Belf-destructlon. Sho would
advise tho girl to leavo tho car when
thoy reached tho contor of a certain
brldgo that spanned tho river! No one
would And hor. . . .
Evon as tho thought took shape in
hor mind, sho experienced a gront
eonso of awo, bo overwhelming that
ehe cried out with tho horror of it.
Sho turnod her head for a quick glanco
at tho mute, wretched faco Bhowlng
whlto abovo tho robe, and hor heart
achod with eudden pity for hor, The
thought of that slender, nllvo thing
going down to tho ley waters hor
soul turnod sick with tho dread of It!
In that Instant, Sara Wrandall no
philanthropist, no sentlmontallBt
mado up her mind to glvo this orrlng
ono moro than an oven chanco for sol
vation. Sho would boo her safely
across that bridge and many others,
God had directed the footsteps ot this
girl so that Bho should fall in with
tho ono best qualified to pass Judg
ment on hor. It wns In that person's
power to aavo her or destroy her, Tho
commandment, "Thou shalt not kill,"
took on a broader meaning as bIio con
sidered tho power that was hers; tho
powor to kill.
A great relaxation catno over Sara
Wrandall. It wbb aB If overy nerve,
very muscle In hor body had reached
tho (mapping point and suddenly had
lvon way. For a moment hor hands
vera weak and powerless; her head
fell forward. In an iiiBtant she
conquered but only partially tho
strange feeling of lassitude, Then sho
realised how tired sho was, how fierce
ly the strain bad told on her body and
COPY?Gfr.t92
brain, how much sho had really suf-
forcd.
Hor blurrod oyes turned onco raoro
for a look at tho girl, who sat thore,
Just as sho had beon sitting for miles,
her whlto face standing out with al
most unnatural clearness, and as rigid
as that of a sphinx.
Tho girl Bpoko. "Do thoy hang wom
en In this country?"
Mrs. Wrandall started, "In somo of
tho states," sho replied, and was un
ablo to account for tho swift impulse
to cvado.
"But in this Btate?" persisted tho
other, almost without a movoment of
tho lips.
"Thoy send them to the electric
chair sometimes,'.' said Mrs. Wran
dall. There was a long silence between
them, broken finally by tho girl.
"You havo beon very kind to me,
madam. I havo no means of express
ing my gratitude. I can only say that
I Bhall bless you to my dying hour.
May I troublo you to set lhe down at
tho bridge? I remember crossing one.
I shall bo able to "
"No!" cried Mrs. Wrandall shrilly,
divining tho other's Intention at once.
"You shall not do that. I, too, thought
of that aB a way out of it for you,
but no, it must not bo that. Glvo mo
a few minutes to think. I will find a
way."
Tho girl turnod toward hor. Her
oyeB woro burning.
"Do you moan that you will help
mo to got away?" Bho cried, slowly,
Incredulously.
"Let mo think!"
"You will lay yourself liable"
' "Let mo think, t say."
"But I mean to surrender myself
to"
"An hour ago you meant to do It,
but what woro you thinking of ten
minutes ago? Not surrender. You
wero thinking of tho bridge. Listen to
mo now: I am Buro that I can save
you. I do not know all the nil the
circumstances connected with your as
sociation with with that man back
thoro at tho inn. Twenty-four hours
passed beforo they woro able to iden
tify him. It 1b not unlikely that to
morrow may put them in possession of
tho namo of tho woman who wont
with him to that place. Thoy do not
know It tonight, of that I am positive
You covered your trail too well. But
you must have been soen with him
during tho day or tho night"
Tho other broke in eagerly: "I
don't bollovo any ono knows that I
that I went out thoro with him. He
arranged It very carefully. Oh, what
a beast ho was!" Tho bitterness of
thrt wall caused tho woman besldo her
to cry out as If hurt by a sharp, al
most unbearable pain. For an Instant
Sho soomed about to lose control of
herself. Tho car swerved and camo
dangerously near leaving the road.
A full mlnuto passed beforo sho
could trust herself to speak. Then
It waB with n deep hoarseness In her
voice. i
"You can toll mo about It later on,
not now. I don't want to hear It. Tell
mo, where do you llvo?"
Tho girl's manner changed so abso
lutely that thoro could bo but ono In
ferenco; sho was acutoly suspicious.
W,
She Sank to the Floor In a Heap.
Her IIpb tightened and her llguro
Boomed to stiffen In tho Boat.
"Whero do you llvo?" ropeated tho
other Bhurply.
"Why Bhould I toll you that? I do
not know you. You"
"You are afraid ot mo?"
"Oh, I don't know what to say, or
what to do," enmo from tho lips of tho
hunted ono. "I have no Mends, no
one to turn to, no ono to help mo.
You you can't bo so heartless as to
lead mo on and then give mo up to
God help mo, I I should not bo mado
to suffer for what I havo done. If you
oniy Know mo circumstances. If you
only know "
"Stop!" cried tho other, In agony.
Tho girl was bowildored, "You aro
so strango. I don't understand"
"Wo havo but two or threo mlloa to
go," Interrupted Mrs. Wrandall. "Wo
must think hard and rapidly. Aro
you willing to como with mo to my
hotel? You will bo safe thore for tho
present, Tomorrow wo can plan some
thing for tho future."
"if I can only find a placo to rest
for a llttlo while," began tho other.
Georgfe Barr McCutcheon
OY GORCOARn SrtCUTCMXW : COPYMCtfZ?2&YDODD,flDZCOiPAiy
"I Bhall b6 busy all day. you will not
bo disturbed. Hut leavo tho roat to
me. I shall find a way."
It was nearly threo o'clock when
sho brought tho car to a Btop In front
of a small, exclusive hotel not far
from Central park. Tho street was
dark nnd the vestlbulo was but dimly
lighted. No attendant waB in sight.
"Slip into this," commanded Mrs.
Wrandall, beginning to divest herself
of hor own fur coat. "It will cover
your muddy garmentB. I am quite
warmly dressed. Don't worry. Be
quick. For tho tlmo being you aro my
guest here. You will not bo quea
tloned. No ono need know who you
are. It will not matter if you look dis
tressed. You havo just heard of tho
dreadful thing that has happened to
me. You"
"Happened to you?" cried tho girl,
drawing tho coat about hor.
"A member of my family has died.
They know It In tho hotel by this
time. I wob called to tho death bed
tonight. That Is all you will havo to
know."
"Oh, I am sorry"
"Come,' let ub go In. When wo
reach my rooms, you may order food
and drink. You must' do It, not I.
Pleaso try to remember that it 1b I
who am suffering, not you."
A sleopy night watchman took them
up In the elevator. Ho was not even
Interested. Mrs. Wrandall did not
speak, but leaned rather heavily on
tho arm of her companion. Tho door
had no sooner closed behind them
when tho girl collapsed. She sank to
the floor In a heap,
"Get up!" commanded her hostess
sharply. This waji not tho tlmo for
soft, persuasive words. "Get up at
once. You are young and Btrong. You
must show tho stuff you aro mado of
now If you ever mean to show It. I
cannot help you If you quail."
Tho girl looked up plteously, and
then struggled to her feet. She stood
beforo her protectress, weaving like
a frail reed in the wind, pallid to the
lips.
"I beg your pardon," Bho murmured.
"I will not give way like that again.
I daro Bay I am faint. I havo had no
food, no rest but novor mind that
now. Tell mo what I am to do. I will
try to obey."
"First of all, get out of those muddy,
frozen things you havo on."
Mrs, Wrandall hersolf moved stiffly
nnd with unsteady limbs aB sho began
to removo her own outor garmentB.
The girl mechanically followed hor ex
ample. She was a pltlablo object In
tho strong light of tho electrolier.
Muddy from head to foot, water
stained and bedraggled, hor faco
streaked with dirt, sho was tho moBt
unattractive creature ono could well
Imagine,
Theso women, bo strangely thrown
together by Fate, maintained an un
broken sllenco during tho long, fumb
ling process of partial disrobing. They
scarcely looked at, one another, and
yet thoy wore acutely conscious of tho
Interest each felt in tho other. Tho
grateful warmth of tho room, tho ab
rupt transition from, gloom and checr
lcsshess to comfortnblo obBcurlty, had
a mom pronounced effect on the
stranger than on her hostess.
"It 1b goori io feel warm onco more,"
Bho said, an odd tlmldncsa In her man
ner. "You are very good to mo."
They wero Bitting In Mrs. Wran
dall's bedchamber, just off tho little
Blttlng-room. Threo or four trunks
stood against tho walls.
"I dismissed my maid on landing
Sho robbed mo," said Mrs. Wrandall,
voicing the relief that waB' Uppermost
In her mind. Sho opened a closet
door and took out a thick eldor-down
robe, which sho tossed ncross a chair.
"Now call up the"oinco and say that
you aro speaking for me. Say to them
that I must havo Bomothlng to eat,
no matter what tho hour may bo. I
will get out somo clean underwoar for
you, and Oh, yes; If thoy ask about
me, say that I am cold and 111. That
Ib sufficient. Hero Is tho bath, Please
bo as quick about It as possible."
Moving as it In a dream, the girl
did aB sho was told, Twenty minutes
later thoro was a knock at tho door.
A waiter nppenred with a tray and
service table. Ho found Mrs. Wran
dall lying back In a chair, attended
by a slender young woman in a pink
elder-down drcsBlng-gown, who gavo
hesitating directions to him. Then ho
was dismissed with a handsomo tip,
produced by tho snmo young woman.
"You nro not to return for theso
things," sho said aB ho went out.
In sllenco sho ato and drank, hor
hostesB looking on with gloomy inter
est. It was no shock to Mrs. Wran
dall to find that tho girl, who waB no
moro than twonty-two or threo, pos
sessed unusual beauty. Her great oyoa
woro blue tho lovely IrlBh blue hor
skin was fair and smooth, her fea
tures regular and of tho delicate mold
that defines tho well-bred gontlowom
an at a glanco. Her hair, now In or
der, was dark and thick and lay softly
about her small cars and nock. Sho
was not surprised, I repoat, for sho
had novor known Challls Wrandall to
show Interest In any but tho most
attractive ot hor box. Sho found her
self smiling bitterly as sho looked.
But who may know tho thoughts of
tho other occupant of that llttlo sit
ting-room? Who can put herself In
tho placo of that despairing, hunted
creature who know that blood waB on
tho hands with which sho ato, and
whoso eyes wero filled with visions of.
tho death-chair?
So great was her fatiguo that long
beforo sho finished tho meal her tired
lids began to droop, her head to nod
In spasmodic surrenders to nn over
powering deslro for sleep. Suddenly
sho dropped tho fork from her fingers
and eank back In tho comfortable
chair, her head resting against the
soft, upholstered back. Her lids fell,
hor handB dropped to tho arms of tho
chair. A flno line appeared betwoen
her dnrk eyebrows Indicative of pain.
For many minutes Sara Wrandall
watched tho haggardness deepen In
tho faco of the unconscious sleener.
Then, oven as she wondered at the
act, sho went over and took up ono of
tho slim hands In her own. Tho hand
of anrlBtocrat! It lay limp In hers,
and helpless. Long, tapering fingers
and delicately pink with the return of
wnrmth.
Housing herself from tho mute con
templation of her charge; sho Bhook
tho girl's shoulder. Instantly .sho was
awako and staring, alarm In her dazed,
bewildered eyes.
"You muBt go to bed," Bald Mrs.
Wrandall quietly. "Don't be afraid.
No one will think of coming here."
Tho girl rose. As sho stood before
her benefactress, sho heard her mur
mur as If from afar-off: "Just about
your bIzo and figure," and wondered
not. a llttlo.
"You may sleep late. I have many
things to do and you will not bo dis
turbed. Come, tako off your clothes
and get Into my bed. Tomorrow wo
will plan further"
"But, madam," cried tho girl, "I
cannot tako your bed. Whero aro you
to"
"If I feel like lying down, I Bhall
Ho thore besldo you."
Tho girl stared". "Lie beside me?"
"Yes. Oh, I am not afraid of you,
child. You aro not a monster. You
are just a poor, tired"
"Oh, please don't! Pleaso!" cried
tho other, tearB rushing to her oyes.
Sho raised Mrs. Wrandall's hand to
her lips and covered It with kisses,
Long after she went to sleep, Sara
Wrandall stood beside tho bed, look
ing down at the pain-stricken face,
and tried to solve tho problem that
suddenly had become a part of her
very existence.
"It Is not friendship," sho argued,
fiercely. "It is not charity, it 1b not
humanity. It's the debt I owe, that's
all. Sho did tho thing for mo that I
could not havo done nlysolf because
I loved him. I owe her something for
that."
Lator on she turned her attention
to tho trunks. Her decision was mado.
With ruthless hands she dragged gown
after gown from tho "Innovations" and
cast thorn over chairs, on tho floor,
across tho foot of tho bed; smart
thlnge from Paris and Vienna; ball
gowns, ten gowns, lingerie, blouses,
hats, gloves and all of tho countless
things that a woman of fashion and
goes abroad for that purpoao and no
means indulges herself In whon she
other to epeak of. From tho closets sho
drew forth Now York "tallor-suits" and
other garments.
Until long after six o'clock she
busied herself over this huge pllo of
costly raiment, portions of which sho
had worn but once or twice, Borne not
at all, selecting certain dresses, hate,
Blockings, etc., each of which aho laid
carelessly aside; an imposing pllo of
many hues, all bright and gay and glit
tering. In nnother heap aho laid tho
Bomber things of black; a meager as
sortment ns compared to tho other.
Thon sho stood back and survoyed
tho two heaps with tired oyes, a curi
ous, almost scornful smllo on hor
lips. "There!" she said with a sigh.
"Tho black pllo is mine, tho gay pile
,ls yours," sho went on, turning toward
tho sleeping girl. "What a travesty!"
Thon sho gathered up tho soiled gar
ments hor chargo had worn and cast
them Into the bottom of a trunk, which
Bho locked. Laying out a carefully se
lected assortment of her own garmonts
for tho girl's use when Bho aroeo, Mrs.
Wrandall sat down besldo tho bed and
waited, knowing that sleep would not
como to hor.
CHAPTER III.
Hetty Castleton.
At half past six aho went to the tele
phono nnd called for tho morning
newspapors. At the samo tlmo she
asked that a couplo of district messen
ger boys bo sent to her room with the
loaBt poBslblo delay. Tho hushed,
scared voice of tho telephone girl
downstairs convinced hor that newB
ot tho tragedy was abroad; sho could
Imnglno tho girl looking at tho head
lines with awed eyes even as aho re
sponded to tho call from room 416,
and her shudder as aho realized that
it waB tho wlfo of tho dead man speak
ing. Ono ot tho night clerks, palo and
agitated, camo up with tho papors.
Without as much as a glanco at the
headlines, sho tossed the papora on
tho table. "I havo sont for two mes
senger boya. It la too early to ac
complish much by telephone. I fear.
Will you bo bo kind aa to telophono at
seven o'clock or a little after to my
apartment? You will find tho number
under Mr. Wrandall's name. Pleaso
Inform tho butler or his wlfo that thoy
may expect mo by ten o'clock, and
thnt I shall bring a friend with me a
young lady. Kindly havo my motor
sent to Haflner's garage, and looked
after. Whon tho reporters come, as
they will, pleaso say to them that I
will see them at my own home at
eloven o'clock."
Tho clerk, considerably relieved,
took his doparturo in somehasto, aud
sho was left with tho morning papers,
each of which sho scanned rapidly.
Tho details, of course, were meager.
Thero was a double-leaded account of
her visit to tho Inn nnd her extraor
dinary return to tho city. Her chief
Interest, however, did not rest In
theso particulars, but in tho specula
tions of the authorities as to the Iden
tity of tho mysterious woman and
her whereabouts. Thore was the like
lihood that eho was not tho only ono
who had encountered tho girl on tho
highway or In tho neighborhood of the
inn. So far as sho could glean from
tho reports, however, no ono had Been
tho girl, nor was thero the slightest
hint offered ns to her Identity. The
papers of the previous afternoon had
published lurid accounts of tho mur
der, with nil of tho known details, tho
namo of tho victim at that tlmo still
being a mystery. She remembered
rending the atory with no llttlo Inter
est. Tho only new foature In tho case,
therefore, was the Identification of
Chnllls Wrandall by his "beautiful
wife," nnd tho Bensatlonal manner In
which It had been brought about.
With considerable Interest she noted
tho hour that these dispatches had
been received from "special corre
spondents," nnd wondered where the
shrewd, lynx-eyed reporters napped
while sho was at tho inn. All of the
dispatches were timed three o'clock
and each paper characterized Its Issue
as an "Extra," with Challls Wrandall's
namo In huge typo across as many
columns aB the dignity of tho sheet
permitted.
Not a word of tho girl! Absolute
mystery!
Mrs. Wrandall returned to her post
besldo the bod ot the sleeper in tho
adjoining room. Deliberately she
placed tho newspaper bn a chair near
tho girl's pillow, and thon raised tho
window shades to let In the hard gray
light of early morn.
It was not her present Intention to
arouso tho wan stranger, who slept as
ono dead. So gontle was her breath
ing that the watcher stared in some
fear at tho fair, smooth breast that
Beemed scarcely to rise and fall. For
a long tlmo sho stood beside the bed,
looking down at the faco of tho sleep
er, a troubled expression In her eyes.
"I wonder how many times you were
seen with him, and where, andx by
whom," were the questions that ran In
a single strain through her mind.
"Whero do you come from? Whero
did you meet htm? Who Is there that
knows of your acquaintance with
him?"
Her lawyor came In great haste and
perturbation at eight o'clock, In re
sponse to tho letter delivered by one
of the messengers. A second letter had
"The Black Pile la Mine, the Gay
Pile li Youra!"
gono by llko means to her husband's
brother, Lesllo Wrandall. Instructing
him to break tho news to bis father
and mother and to como to her apart
ment after ho bad attended to tho re
moval of tho body to tho family home
nenr Washington square She made it
quite plain that sho did not want Chal
lls Wrandall's body to He under tho
roof that sheltered her.
His family had resented their mar
riage. Father, mother and sister had
objected to her from tho beginning,
not becauBo sho was unworthy, but be
cause hor tradespeople ancestry wns
not so remote as his. Sho found a
curlouB sonso of pleaeuro in returning
to them tho thing they prizod so high
ly and Burrendored to hor with such
bitterness ot heart. She had not been
good enough for him; that was their
attitude. Now Bho wob returning him
to thorn, as ono would roturn an article
that had been tested and found to be
worthless. Sho would havo no more
ot hlml
Carroll, her lawyer, an elderly man
of vast experience, waa not aurprlsed
to find her qulto calm and reasonable.
Ho had come to know hor vory well
In tho past few years. He had been
her father's lawyer up to tho tlmo of
that excellent tradesman's demise, and
ho had settled tho estate with such un
usual dispatch that tho holrs thoro
wero many of them regarded him as
an admirable person nnd kopt him
busy evor afterward stralgtenlng out
their own affairs. Which goes to provo
that policy Is often better 'than hon
esty. "I quite understand, my dear, that
whllo it is a dreadful shock to- you,
you aro perfectly reconciled to the
er to tho Well, I might Bay tho cul
mination of his troubles," said Mr.
Carroll tactfully, after sho had re
lated for his benefit the story of tho
night's adventure, with reservation
concerning tho girl who slumbered In
tho room beyond.
"Hardly that, Mr. Carroll. Resigned,
perhaps. I can't say that I am recon
ciled. All my life I shall feel that I
havo been cheated," she said.
He looked up sharply. Somothlng in
her tone puzzled him. "Cheated, my
I dear? Oh, I see. Cheated out of years
and years of happiness. I soo."
Sho bowed hor head. Neither spoke
for a full minute.
"It's a horriblo thing to any, Sara,
but this tragedy does away with an
other and perhaps moro unpleasant al
ternative; the divorce I havo been
urging you to consider for so long."
"Yes, wo aro spared all that," she
said. Then she met hla gazo with a
sudden flash of ganger In her eyes. "But
I would not havo divorced hlra never.
You understood thnt, didn't you?"
"You couldn't havo gono on for ever,
my dear child, enduring tho"
Sho stopped him with a sharp excla
mation. "Why discuss it now? Let
the past take care of itself, Mr. Car
roll. Tho past came to an end night
before last, so far as I am concerned. I
want advice for the future, not for tho
past"
He drew back, hurt by her manner.
She was quick to see that sho had of
fended him.
"I beg your pardon, my best of
friends," she cried earnestly.
He smiled. "If you will takopres.
ent advico, Sara, you will let go ot
yourself for a spoil and seo if tears
won't relieve tho tension under "
"Tears!" sho cried. "Why should I
give way to tears? What have I to
weep for? That man up thero In tho
country? The cold, dead thing that
spent Its last living moments without
a thought of love for mo? Ah, no, my
friend; I shed all my tears whllo ho
was alive. Thero aro none loft to bo
shed for him now. Ho exacted his
full sharo of them. It was his, pleas
ure to wring them from mo because
ho knew I loved him. Sho leaned for
ward and spoke slowly, distinctly, so
that ho would never forget the words.
"But listen to mo, Mr. Carroll. You
also know that I loved him. Can you
bellovo mo when I say to you that I
hate that dead thing up thero In Bur
ton's Inn as no ono evor hated beforo?
Can you understand what I mean? I
hato that dead body, Mr. Carroll. I
loved the life that was In It It was
tho lifo of him that I loved, tho warm,
appealing life of him. It has gone out
Some ono less amiable than I suffered
at hla handa and well, that Is enough.
I hato tho dead body she left behind
her, Mr. Carroll."
Tho lawyer wiped the cool moisture
from his brow.
"I think I understand." he said, but
he waa filled with wonder. "Extraor
dinary! Ahom! I should say Ahem!
Dear me! Yes, yes I'vo never really
thought of It In that light."
"I daro say you haven't," sho said,
lying back in the chair as if suddenly
exhausted;
"By $he, way, my dear, havo you
breakfasted?"
"No.' I hadn't given It a thought
Perhaps it would bo better it I had
somo coffee "
"I will ring for a waiter,'.' ho said,
springing to his feet
"Not now, please. I have a young
friend In the other room a guest who
arrived last night Sho will attend
to It when she awakeB. Poor thing, it
has' been dreadfully trying for her."
"Good heaven, I should think, so,"
Bald he, with a glance at the closed
door. "Is sho aBleep?"
"Yes. I shall not call her until you
have gone."
"May I inquire"
"A girl I met recently an English
girl," said she succinctly, and forth
with changed tho subject "There are .
a few necessary details that muBt be
attended to, Mr. Carroll. That Is why
I aent for you at thla early hour. Mrj
Leslie Wrandall will take charge
Ah!" sho straightened up suddenly.
"What a farco It la going to bo!"
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
Nature's Wise Proceai.
In tho case of all fish which tako caro
of their young, a curious adaptation of
natural law to circumstances is found,
fhoso which take the greatest pains
and caro in sheltering their offspring
havo tho fewest eggs, perhaps loss
than 100 at a lay, while, on tho other
hand, species of fish which pay not the
slightest attontlon to their young pro
duce hundreds ot thousands, and erea
millions of eggs, at a single lay.
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