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The Mgsie
HF.SITATE a little before setting down
here the record of the last of those adven
ture In which Knoch Voyce shared. That
hesitation arise from the fact that the ad
venture 9i so strange and no out of the
common, and Involved the tllln of no ex
traordinary a story; moreover. It concern
people who live at this mom nt, and whose
identity, for obvious reason. I clothe In other name.
More than a yar had flapsed lnce our visit to the
quiet old city of Rocminster. and 1 had achieved some
thing of my ambition by setting up a modest establish
ment In the neighborhood of Regent stret; that small
uburb that had Ken my Advent Into the photographic
world knew me no more. And Knoch Voycr that man
of myitery, and my (rood friend had accompanied me
and occupied a tiny room In my house, under the very
roof.
It was on one hot August morning, when people were
for the most part nut of town, and business wag conse
quently slack, that, looking out of the, window of my
atudio Into the street, I saw a cab stop and Inspector
Clair ret out. Remembrance of old happenings In his
company swept Into my mind at once, "and It was with
some eagerness that I welcomed him. The man seemed
to be In a great hurry, and had kipt his cab waiting.
Enoch Voyce joined ua even aa we began to speak of the
object of the Inspector- visit.
" You're a bit above my line Just now, Mr. Ratten
bury," began the Inspector, " but I should like you to
do tha business for me. If you will, for old times' sake."
"Is It In the country?" I asked hesitatingly, as I
thought of possible clients.
" No; In London," replied Clair. " Rather a sordid
business, but mysterious, and rather out of the ordinary.
A man has been killed In a house In Lambeth. No one
even knows his name or where he came from. He's one
of that great shifting population of a big city, here to
day and gone tomorrow. Only In this case he's been ar
rtsted on his Journey, as It were, by the hand of death."
This seemed rather poetical for the Inspector, but I
was Interested. I begged that he would proceed, while
I got my apparatus reudy.
"The man, though poorly dressed, was evidently of
a superior class, as compared with those with whom lie
had, been associating, However, In spite of that, he had
got down n low as Wicks" Rents, Lambeth; had taken
a room In one of the wretched houses there, and had lived
there for two or three days. I,ast night he was found
there, done to death, and with the weapon a heavy poker
from the fireplace lying beside hlin."
" Any clew?" asked Enoch.
" Two," replied the Inspector slowly, " a scrap of
paper In one of his pockets; In one of his clinched hands
a feather."
"A feather!" we both exclaimed at once.
The Inspector appeared gratified by our surprise. lie
nodded and pursed up his Up.
"A feather," he repeated, "a small thin curled
feather, some three Inches In length a white feather.
I should say from a boa belonging to a woman; though
never could such a feather have come from nothing
worn by a woman In Wicks' Rents. However." contin
ued the Inspector, rising to his feet, " we'd better go to
the place; we eantalk on the way. A you are bringing
your camera, and as our friend, Mr. Voyce, is, I hope,
accompanying us, I'll dismiss my hansom and call a cab."
If there are In Ixmdon any worse places than Wicks'
Rents, Lambeth, I should like to see them. I remember
that we went through a low archway and found our
selves In a squalid court, with houses on either side and
the high wall of a factory at the end. I remember that
there were frowsy women and scowling men at tlte door
ways, and a little knot of people gathered about one door
way In particular. The inspector thrust himself through
that knot, being made way for eagerly and even slavish
ly, and we came Into the place where the man lay dead.
A couple of constables guarded the door, which was closed
Immediately we had. got Inside.
He was not a plyasant sight, that dead man. He had
, only been discovered an hour or so before; the doctor'
vad already reported that he had been dead since the
loiis night. The blow that had killed him had been
j red with much strength and subtlety, and had lit
i crushed In the side c his head; he must have died
ie Instant. He lay, a huddled heap, against the
, table near which he had doubtless been standing.
He vaa a man of about 40 years of age, with hair
going a little gray at the temples. His clothes were old
and shabby; his face, even though smoothed by death,
showed the stains of dissipation, and suggested, too, that
the man had fallen from something better. While we
looked at him we spoke In hushed tones, as though the
dreadful thing at our feet could hear us.
' " Unless we can get finger prints, or can find some
motive for the crime there's not much chance of discov
ering who struck the blow," whispered the Inspector.
" He was obviously too poor to rob; and, so far as I can
find out from my men, he was not known In the neigh
borhood. Of course. It may have been a quarrel; but
then the man had kept himself much to himself during
the three days he had been here."
I took photographs at the Inspector's request of the
rusty poker and of the woodwork of a broken chair that
had been overturned. More than that, I photographed
that scrap of paper that had been found In the man's
pocket and which bore only two or three words, without
signature. The words were scrawled In what was evi
dently a dlsguLsed hand; much as though some one had
held a pen at full length of an unsupported arm and had
dashed down the words anyhow. Thy words were these:
" Since you threaten me, I will meet you at the time
you suggest. Hum this."
I saw also, spread nut on the broad palm of Inspector
Clair, the feather a alight thing that a breath would
blow away. It had been found caught between the fingers
of the dead man something at which he had snatched
The Coming of Frankel
A Love Romance
aO UNDERSTAND this story from the begin
ning, your thoughts must Journey to the
clouds or. rather, some hundreds of feet
above them. And these clouds must be sail
ing along the Baltic sea, a little off the
coast of Sweden. In the clear atmosphere
above them a balloon was idly drifting, with
a brilliant sun streaming upon the great
silk gas bag. It carried one passenger. He was an aero
naut by profession, by name Frankel.
Such is the first scene. The second was taking place
at the same time, only a thousand feet below. In the park
of a rich landowner, on the little Island of Oland. That
day the rich landowner of Oland was celebrating his silver
wedding. Around his house the lovely grounds were
thronged with guesta. I'eople of all sorts filled the well
kpt lawns people from stately homes In Sweden and la
borers from the village, worklngmen employed by their
host. And among these, radiant and happy, moved the
daughter of the house, laughing and chatting with all
alike., regardless of purse or title.
A mile to the east a black speck sank slowly through
a grayVwhlte bank of cloud. For awhile It passed unno
ticed. uVitll some one. pointing, asked: " What I that?"
All ees now turned to the sky. Borne said the speck
must be X bird, perhaps a golden eagle. But none felt
sure, untiryt last the thing slowly resolved itself Into a
balloon.
Now theyould see the aeronaut moving In the basket.
He seemed to be In difficulties, for a stream of stnd shot
out suddenly fim of 1,16 bag suspended outside the
wicker car. Than he lowered a long rope, shouting for
them to catch the rope and to drag the balloon into the
open.
A dosen men sprang to obey, and between them the
balloon was brought safely to the ground. A young man
prang nimbly from the car. Hat In hand, he bowed re
spectfully to the landowner and his wife.
" My name 1 Frankel," he began. and I must ask
your pardon for appearing In this unceremonious fashion.
But my balloon was damaged, and 1 had to descend
whether I liked or not."
TUe landowner replied that he was welcome, and
pressed him to Join In the keeping, up of his silver wtd
dmg. The aeronaut was charmed. IVrhaps the pretty
girl that hie host Introduced aa " my daughter " had not
a tittle to do with his pleasure.
At any rate, be staid. And. at any rate, be talked
KKint of the afternoon with the girl. Moreover, before the
etei.lng was ended be had accepted his host s Invitatl. n
;,i ind a few days with them.
Today the young aeronaut la married to the daughter
of the rich landowner of Oland.
X
W of the Feather, TO
probably as he Hied. And, as the Inspector suggested, it
could scarcely have come from anything belonging to a
woman of that neighborhood.
While I was at work there came a tap at the door,
and a constable thrust in his head. The Inspector crossed
the room to him and they whispered together for a mo
ment. I thought that I heard another voice. break in also.
Then the burly form of the Inspector filled, the doorway,
and he stood with his back to us. talking to some one
outside. And that some one had the clear, quiet voice
of a lady, and I heard the voice distinctly.
" One doe not like to think of any one dying so sud
denly," said tiie visitor. " I am known here the people
all know me and If 1 can do anything "
"Nothing, I'm nfruld, my lady," replied Inspector)
CTalr. "And It's not a sight that a lady like yourself
would care to look on not a pretty sight."
" I am not afraid," said the clear voice again.
And almost before I knew what had happened the
Inspector had drawn iback and the woman was in the
poor room.
She was, I think, the most beautiful creature I had
ever seen; and she was beautiful hi a fashion that had
always appealed to me. She had the face almost of a
pictured saint; great dark eyes, mid the tenderest mouth
imaginable, and dark hair flowing back from a broad
forehead.
Almost before we knew what was happening she was
on her knees beside that wreck of humanity. 1 saw the
Inspector Btep forward to prevent hT, but she waved him
back.
" I'm not afraid," she said again. " This man was
something better than his fellows. Somewhere In the
past for which he must be Judged some woman must have
loved htm; for that cause alone a woman should be be
side him now." She looked up and glanced from one to
the other of us. " You have no clew?" she asked.
" None, my lady." he said, shaking his head. , " We
are Investigating matters now taking photographs of fin
ger prints."
" Will that give a clew?" she asked quickly.
" We hope so," said Clair brusquely. " Now, my lady,
I must really ask you to leave us; this i no place for
you," he added.
She rose to her feet; she stood for a moment or two
looking down at the dead man. Then, with her head
bowed, she went out of the room, and the door closed
behind her. I ventured to ask In a whisper who she was.
" Lady Rlesswick," replied Clair. " Done a heap of
good down here among these people, one way and angth
er. They fairly worship her. I've found her In places
where I would scarcely have ventured alone myself," he
went on, In a hushed voice, " but, as she says, she's not
afraid. She's given her life to It for Several years now."
My part of the work ended, of course, with the ful
fillment of my duties as photographer. I left Inspector
Clalr to make arrangements for the removal of the body.
And here I may mention that the case fell naturally
by the verdict of the Jury of " murder against some per
son or persons unknown." Into the category of mysteries
left In the hands of the police. In due course I handed
over the piiotographs to Inspector Clalr, sjt the same time
hinting to him that with my Improved position I did not
care to mix myself In such matters In the future.
Curiously enough, Enoch Voyce bad refused to ex-
How to Get Small Waist Without Lacing
FASHION'S DECREE OF TWENTY-THREE INCH
WAIST CAN BE OBEYED BY EXERCISING
OUH waist nint not be more than twenty-
Y three Inches. Empire styles are In and the
tortures of the empire corset are at hand
unless you want to be In style and at the
same time be comfortable.
To lace or not to luce Is the question of
k-- -a j the hour. One must have the twenty-three
Inch waist, yet one must not lace. The
doctor says you must not lace-Mhe modiste says the walBt
must be twenty-three inches, and round and the solution
of the whole problem lies In diet and In exercise.
The empire corset has come back and, unless the
women of today are willing to suffer agonies to be
squccsed and laced until their digestive apparatus Is
shoved out of place, their waist compressed, and their
heart, and lungs affected they will have to go Into train
litg or out of style and the one seems to many as bud as
the other. The new corsets are round walsted, extremely
high In the belt line, extremely small, and extremely
round. To get Into one would force a healthy girl to lie
down and let her maid place one foot iSn her back and pull
the strings until she can bear It no longer until the waist
Is pinched and the abdomen compressed to the point of
agony und beyond the possibility of eating.
French lnsh Upon Torture.
It is terribly unhealthy to lace the corsets tightly but
the French insist upon It and the way they wear them Is
to squeexe the lower part Just as tight as possible, then
unlace the three top hobs and lace them loosely with
another cwrd. leaving the bust free making It possible to
breathe, but not to move.
To keep the waist round and high tiiey lace the cocl
lightly. Then around the waist they ullp a girdle of linen
and bones, which Is tightly hooked and then, with this
instrument of race suicide and unhealth in place it will
stay In spite of the efforts of nature to obtain air and
exercise for the vital organs.
But it is possible to have the twenty-three inch waist
combined with grace and comfort and health without the
aid of the maul or t lie Instrument of torture. You can
make the waist line extremely small without lacing at all
The ancient Greek and Spartan warriors, the men of gnat
bio and shoulders, and beautifully molded waists, did it
by the good old method of diet and exercise, and that is
exactly what the sensible society women are doing today.
' I "'
pres any opinion In rigard to the murder. Once or twice
I had endeavored to sound him by suggesting, for In
stance, that there might have been a quarrel between
the dead man and another; and Enoch Voyce had nodded
ami shrugged his shoulders. Or, again. I had suggested
that this might be a case" of a mere matter of vengeance
long delayed something that enme out of the better past
of the man. and had dogged his footsteps since; ahd again
Enoch Voyce had nodded and shrugged his shoulders.
Hut nt last one day, more than a week after our visit
to Wicks' Rents, he made a suggestion which nt that
time did not appear to have any connection with the
iiuinfer. Indeed, It1 was purely a business suggestion.
" Why don't you ask Lady Rlesswick to give you a
t elttlng?" he demanded In his, abrupt fashion one day.
" She 1 connected with all sorts of charitable affairs,
meets royalty occasionally, and Is generally well known.
It may b ad to business for you. Why not write and ask
her to give you a complimentary sitting?"
4 I did not suppose for a moment that she would ac
cede to any request of mine. However, at Enoch's sug
gestlon, I mentioned that I had had the pleasure of meet
ing her under grewsome circumstances at the time of the
discovery tf the murder of an unknown man In Wicks'
Rents, Lambeth. And to my surprise she replied at once,
In a formal but cordial note:
" Lady ftlesswlck presents her compliments to Mr.
Rnttenbury, and begs to thank him for his offer. She
will willingly place herself In his hands for a photo
graph, although she scarcely likes to Impose on Mr. Jlat
tenbury's kindness In the matter. Soon after ll1 on
Wednesday next would suit her."
I showed .the note to Enoch Voyce, who examined It
critically and remarked that the writing showed force
of character. To my surprise, too, he lingered over that
ordinary note for some time, screwing up hi Hps and
his eyea ovtr It, and putting his head more on one side
than ever. However, he said nothing, and the day came
which was to bring with It Lady Rlesswick.
She came simply and quietly dressed. She expressed
her thanks to me for having suggested that I should take
her photograph, and at the same time a little polite won
der that the photograph should be worth the trouble.
Also, sho apologised for having brought with her her
maid; they were going on together somew.here else after
wards. Resides, this maid was her confidential attendant,
and she stldom went anywhere without her.
The maid was, I think, the grimmest looking woman
I ever .have seen. Borne Wl years of age, with hair that
was beginning to turn gray and with a mouth that was
simply one stern, straight line; with eyes of the fiercest
and the brightest, and with ever a Jealous gaze upon
her mlstresM. Rut what attracted me most at that mo
ment, especially having in ndnd the fact of the murder
In Wicks' Rents, suggested to me again by the presence
of Lady Rlesswick, was the fact that this elderly maid
wore a white father lioa.
I remember that I first noticed it as I stood, after
posing Lady Rlesswick, and waiting the few moments
necessary for the exposure.
Lady Rlesswick was an Ideal sitter, her calm, ' beauti
ful face never moved. My eyes strayed from that for
a moment to the maid, who was holding her mistress'
cloak. And then It was that I saw tiie boa, and remem
bered lq a flush the feather that had been clutched tightly
in the dead man's hand.
The modistes admit that the golf girls and the basketball
girls or many of them slip into the twenty-three Inch
girdles with astonishing ease, ami wear the empire corsets
with but a tug or two even though they wear medals for
prowess In strength and agility.
They understand exercise and they understand the art
of eating the right thing In the right amounts.'
Exercises for Lessening Figure.
To make the waist little there are. three Important
exercises. The first Is a bending one. Heat yourself and
bend forward until you touch your toes. Repeat sevqjity
Hve times. This is the rowing exercise.
For the second exercise remain seated, tttrow up your
hands and bend backward. Repeat fifty times.
For the third exercise remain seated and bend from
side to side. Saw this side and that side until your hips
feel Umber. This is a great waist reduction exercise.
There are exeilses for reducing the weight which are
to be taken as one stands erect. Reinl from side to side,
lifting the arms at the same time. Hold a fun In your
hands to assist In the bending operation. Rut on your
corset before you try tills excrete.
The second corst t ex. riine 4s taken with the fan In
both hands. Lift It high above your head. Rend back
ward so in to keep the arms raised, at the same time bend
yur body back as fir a you can with your corset on.
This is tine for reducing the waist line.
There is one waist exercise which is excellent. It
consists of waist compression. Iiy your bands on each
hide of your belt line ami prefcs hard. Compress your waist
Willi your finger tips and keep on pressing. You will soon
have a waist which you can almost Kpan. Try the hip
exercises. Hop up and down. Jump and skip, keeping the
feet on the move as If you were dancing. In a little while
your waist will grow less as your shoulders and hips grow
broad. The chest will fill out, but 'the belt line will be
small like that of a runti'-r. Runners always have a tiny
little belt line. A professional uthU-te can wear a belt of
which a aocb ty gill would be proud.
Pinching Will Reduce Fat.
Women whose waists nit asure thirty inches would do
Kelt to study the new methods. i)o not try to compress
our belt line within the limits of a twenty-three inch
Of course, the mere suggestion was absurd. I dis
missed it with a shudder at once. I told myself that this
gentle lady had. on in errand of mercy, happened to
come Into the room where the man had been done to
death. And now her maid was wearing a boa of which
doubtless there were a thousand replicas In London at
that moment. With a feeling of Indignation against
mystf, I squeezed the bulb and closed the shutter. The
next moment I was bowing to Lady Rlesswick, who was
smiling and thanking me. And at the same moment I
;aw that Enoch Voyce was gallantly relieving the maid
of the cloak and was assisting Lady Rlesswick with It.
Enoch'' Voyce went downstairs with them. Return
ing In a couple of minutes, he closed the door of the
studio and stood there with hi back to It. I knew that
something was wrong, or that he suspected something,
by tils manner.
" Rattenbury," he said at last, " can you stand a
shock ?"
" ( think so," I replied.
He advanced from the door and came close up to me
and spoke In a low tone.
" One of the women who went out of this room mis
tress or'mald killed that unknown man In Wicks' Rents,"
he said.
I thought again of that feather boa. and I must con
fess I laughed. The Idea was so palpably absurd.
Enoch Voyce suddenly orx tied his hand and displayed on
the pnlnt a small, white feather.
" I got It Just now when I was taking the cloak from
the maid," he said.
" But, my dear Voyce," I remonstrated, " how many
feather boas do you think are being worn In London at
this moment? Why, the idea would never have suggested
Itself to 5ou If you had not seen Lady Rlesswick in that
room with the dead mnn."
Enoch Voyce seated himself on the table near which
I stood and spread out the feather on his palm and looked
at it. Still looking at It he went on to explain what was
in his mind.
"Now, my dear Rattcnbury, I do not think you can
accuse me of Jumping at conclusions," he said. " You
doubtless will remember that In the dead man's posses
sion was found a note, which the writer had requested
the man to burn, making the appointment with him
which doubtless was to mean his death. You have a
photograph of that letter and I have carefully examined
It. You will remember that It begins with the word
'Since.' The capital letter Is peculiarly shaped a long,
firm outline, quite different from the rest of the note,
suggesting to my mind that the Idea of disguising the
writing came Into the mind of the writer after the note
was begun. Now, In that other note making the appoint
ment for the photograph to be taken, that same capital
letter again appears at the beginning of the sentence
' Soon after 11.' And, so far as I can Judge, those letters
are Identical."
"Then what do you suggest?" I asked. In an awe
struck voice.
' I scarcely know what to suggest," said Enoch. " It
may be the maid: that is the more likely solution of the
mystery. I would suggest that, back In the past, this
man had had some power over the mistress. I seem to see
the grim, determined maid striking him down when he
threatens the Woman she loves. The fact that the first
note was written in a disguised hand and that the second
waist line, rather try to make your waist so small that you
can wear a little belt without Injury.
The woman who has rolls of fat around her belt line
would do well to pinch off these rolls. This is called Jap
anese massage, linch the rolls of fat until they disappear.
They will go away If you pinch them well night and morn
ing. Pinch until you feel It. The fat will forget to form
new rolls and the old wrinkles will melt away. You can
hire some one to do It for you if you prefer. Rut It Is
really best to do It yourself.
The empire waist la the short, high waist. But the new
round corsi t has a little round waist Just about at the belt
line. If you want to wear a little high empire waist, or a
long empire coat with Its little, short waist, right up In
under the arms, you will need to have a little, round
belt.
The thin woman looks adorably graceful In this high
short waist, with the bust tied with a sash. Rut the stout
woman Is a sight. And tills means that the stout woman
must diet, bend, und e xercise.
Diet That Will Make Waist Small.
What are you going to eat while you are changing
your figure from a long, flat, straight front to that of a
lit tli1, round waist line? You are going to diet, but when
and how? If you really are 111 earnest about dieting, go
out to tin- first fruit stand and buy some fruit. No matter
w hat kind. Just so it be agreeable to your taste and accept
able to your digestion. Don't eat pineapple if It distresses
you; don t try bananas if they go ugaitint you. Get some
thing that agrees with you well.
A woman alio is dieting for a little waist gets up in
the morning and eats pears. She has a breakfast consist
ing of one roll and half a cup of coffee. From that time
on until 0 o'clock at night she eats fruit. Nothing else.
Not as much as a swallow of water nor a sip of tea. not
as much us a nibble at a cracker, nothing at all except
fruit, of ul.lch she has a tim stock on band. -
For dinner the eats soup, all the vegetables she can
hold, and a bit of no at. It keeps up her strength and feeds
her bruin. She has all the fruit she wants to iut In the
evening. The result is apparent From being a heavy
weight she has come down to medium and though by no
means a bantamweight she Is only fairly stout. She will
keep on until she Is slender, actually slender.
Omaha's Afodcl Newspaper
THE DEE
note was In the second person
both may have been written by i. '"
The wearing of that feather boa. fronl
not possibly know that a tiny feather bad
on two occasions, confirm me In tht susi.fio,
the other hand, the man may have had to do with 'i
maid only and the mistress be utterly Isnorant of the
whole hlTilr. In any case I should like you to take a
photograph of that first word In the sentence In the
second note. 1 should I ke, if possible, to compare the
two accurately. Can It be done?'' ,
I Informed him that I could take a photograph Of the
second letter on gel atin, so that he could actually place
the (me cap.tal letter over the other and see to what ex
tent they titled. So Interested was I In the matter that
I set to Work at once, and wa able later In the day to
complete the experiment And when standing beside Enoch
Voyce I placed the gelatin letter over the photograph
of the note" found In the possession of the dead man, our
silence showed that his surmise had been correct, and
tiiat the letter " 8 " In each case wa absolutely alike.
I felt a little faint. I must admit, as I made the dis
covery. " We will lake the photograph when they are com
pleted to Ijidy Rlesswick ourselves," Bald Enoch, quietly.
" Hi any case, sshe must know what we have discovered."
I remember that Intirvlew well. We were shown Into
a room where Lady Rlesswick at writing. She rose
to receive us, and was altogether gracious. I remember
that I saw with a pang thinking It possible that she
might be connected with that awful tragedy In some way
that she had a pretty child a fair haired boy clinging
to her skirts.
She wa pleased to admire the photographs much,
kneeling beside the boy, and making a beautiful picture.
With her head close against the child, she showed the
photographs to him, I would have been glad then to be
well out of the matter; bu I knew that we must go on.
Enoch Voyce gently suggested that we had something
of Importance to communicate to her and that the child
should be sent away. A sudden still look came Into ior
face. She bowed and aa-w the child out of the room.
Then, when the door was closed, she faced us quietly.
She seemed to know In that nionien what she had to face
and she took It quite bravely; there was no appeal In
her eyes.
Rrlefly enough Enoch Voyce told her what we had
.discovered. Of the feather found In the hand of the dead
man, so exactly like a feu Hut from a boa worn by her
tmaltl.
" I gave her that, it belonged to me," broke In Lady
Rlesswick, In a low voice.
Of the comparing of the two Initial letters In the two
notes; of the extraordinary fashion In which they fitted; i
of Enoch Voyce's own suspicions which I heard then for
the first time that that dramatic entry of Lady Rlesswick
Into the wretched room In Wicks' Rents, Lambeth, was
something more flian accidental.
"I kilhd him," siie said, quietly, after a pause.
" Oentlemeii " she raised those wonderful eyes and
looked at us as a prisoner might look at her Judges
" years ago. when I was little more than a child, he
came Into my life and did me the greatest wrong a man
may do a woman. Slowly, by Ood's grace, I got away
from him; slowly, along the thorniest path that ever a
woman trod, I fought my way to the things the swfeter,
brighter things for which Ood had mi ant me. I met and
married a good man. I have little children who think
there is no woman in the world so good and so holy as
their mother. That the bitterness ha remained' I need
not tell you. I have plunged down into the depths, from
the height to which I have won, to drag back and nave,
other lost souls; that reparation, at least, 1 have mnde.
And It was on such an errand that I came face to face
again with the man I had so much reason tdrcad."
She paused and put her bund to her throat, as though
she were choking. Speaking always in that suppnaiS
voice, she yet spoke with a note of passion thlK
thrilled me. . V
Once again ne stood berore me in tnat room ana
threatened what he would do. The money1 with which I
could hnve supplied him to buy his silence was nothing;
he did not want that, lie would go to my husband and
tell him the whole story. He' would shame mo In the
eyes of my children. He would make my name a byword
among decent men and women. In his foul hatred of me
and of what I had become, he struck at me, and I seised
the first weapon that was at hand to protect myself."
Again she was silent, again she manteied herself wltlr
a great effort for her final words.
" When I struck him down," she said, In a whlsner,
" I seemed to put Into the blow all that I suffered, all
that I feared, all my loathing of the man. He never
stirred after that, and I was frightened and came away.
That is all."
Enoch Voyce moved across the room and dToppcd
something into the fire. 1 knew that It was the packet
containing the photograph of the first note and the gela
tin film of the second, and that second note Itself.
" Lady Rlesswick," he said, simply, waving a hand
towards the fireplace, " there goes the record of the
crime. And Just In that way It goes from Our minds."
When we looked back, as we were crossing the
threshold of the room I saw Lady Rlesswick kneeling,
with her face hidden In her hands. I closed the door
silently and came away. (
' For the future, my dear Rattenbury," said Enoch
Voyce that night, as we sat together In my studio, "let
us confine ourselves to Hie portrayal by photography of
the more or leas Interesting people who come here from
motives of vanity. In your position you can weirafford
to do so, and It Is less harrowing to the nerves and
the feelings."
Remembering that figure I had seen upon its knees
that day, and remembering certain other adventures that
have been duly chronicled, I felt that I could cordially
agree with him.
The Level Crossing
A Motor Car Experience
xtHOUT the middle of last April a powerful
automobile might have been seen whlsxlng
along one of the straight, hedgciess roads
leading to Havre. In front, driving the car,
sat a man clad In a heavy fur cout, his faoe
half hidden by u motor mask. Iietide him
sat a woman, and two others also sat behind,
their thick white veils streaming In the
wind. The driver was Blr Duncan Hay of l'eebles. Two
of the ladles were his sisters, and the third was a friend.
I'ast Tancarvllle, seventeen miles from Havre, the road
led through an avenue of trees. Overhead the thick
branches met, forming a long, gloomy, green and brown
tunnel, hiding from view everything but the white road.
Down this the car rushed, raising a cloud of dust, while
the thick trunks of the trees danced by in wild confusion.
It was exhilarating to travel at such speed. Nut a soli
tary pedestrian was in sight so there was little danger.
And no speed regulations troubled the conscience of the
driver.
Halfway down t he avenue a gleam of steel flushed In
Sir Duncan's eyes. Evidently they were approaching a
level crossing. In France such places ure not protected
by gates, nor is a man employed to warn tho wayfarer of
approaching trains. Oblivious of danger, Sir Duncan
approached the crossing at full speed. Suddenly a shrill
wnistle sounded above the rattle of the car's machinery.
A cry of terror burst from one of the women as the heavy
rumble of un approaching train fell on her ears. Sir
Duncan heard It also. Despairingly he Jammed on the
brakes.
Another shrill whistle arose, and fbrough the trees u
train burst into view. The car swerved In answer to the
brakes, but unfiling could stay Its mad rush to destruction.
With a fearful t rash it hurled Itself against the engine.
The .train came to a standstill, and from the engine
descended a while faced driver. As he rushed toward the
wrecked car his hands were raised in horror. It seemed
well nigh impossible that any one Could have escaped.
Ills eye caught the prostrate form of a woman lying a
few yards from the wreck. He wondered if she were
dead.
As he bi nt over ber be saw her open her eyes. Then
she sit up, anil with a cry of Joy he helped her to rise.
Rut there were others. They at least must nave been
killed or badly Injured. . They also, however, nad risen and
were standing, with torn clothes, contemplating the car,
now a crumpled in ass of Iron upd smoldering wood.
The same nieht the four who bad escapxl death almost
by a miracle J-ft Havre for S-nit humptoii, no doubt glad
to arrive In country where the level crossings are Se
curely guard rd.
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