The evening world. Newspaper, April 19, 1916, Page 17

: ripetette m Ht CHAPTER 11 ehnorily whe sho use enee nd Arcac r “Ay Evelyn Has Unexpected Visitors. aid, “He Jumped the worst fence Iekinwa with money 4 oupplion. Tie fact that he made take the rem of the trip, and be wilh be on the Niger Fiver long before Once there, ho in practically in Mrive tom territory » put It platnly, twe of Deing alive amounted to a row of beans, whereas to-day | am confident “Bo you did not tell me everything @ Funchal? Are you keeping back “No. On my honor, 1 beve given you the whole budget.” = not—he has—arrived in Nigeria?’ “Ah, that depends on so many cfr. from Bel Abbas to the Niger, and— there may bo difficulties, May I ask Are you Captain Warden's tances?" “1-1 thought so,” sobbed Evelyn, know?” There was a moment of tense from her eyes with a splendid con- fidence, The moonbeams spread a lantic toward the horizon, Beyond that magic path lay Africa, and her answered. “Yes,” she said proudly, “I know! my mind. Oh, Captain Mortimer, if only I might tell you what I have when never a word came from him, and another woman lost no oppor- that she was his promised wife “You speaking of Mrs, Laing, I preciate the significance of that mar- velously accurate guess, Then she ment “Why do you mention her?” Tho sailor smiled, though bis face mhowed some deg.ee of confusion well make @ clean breast of It. But, \ mind you, 1 am revealing official telling you. Mrs. Laing went to tho * Foreign Ottice, and claimed to be en- —perhaps somo one there had seen you—she was not believed, and that At any rate, they seem to know all about you in White! i tended that Arthur—that Capt. War- den had written to her, saying he was t Government “You can take !t from me he did partment, no one knew where he had gone on board the Water Witch. Tam but @ poor diplomatist, | fear. And that reminds me: | must hark Laing come here? Evelyn lifted her head defiantly. worst possible line of inquiry. “Bhe has told me repeatedly that meet Capt. Warden when he returns from the Oku territory.” they were not overheard. “That, at least, is untrue, t another deputy commissioner is pointed. I expect Mra. Laiug's talha- ti tons with Miguel Figuero? | “ahh, how | loathe that ma mburg and ‘Trouville and Biarritz, lle was eit! port of call, But it is only fair “mit,” she added, “that he se “T have reason to believe that they are actiing in ¢ * said Mor. “ THADY, Miee Dane” he he at away @orw Bel Abbas voucher for Ma anility to 4 weathes the thousand-mile wart, months ago i diin’t think his ehanat he will pull through.” the leas pleasing facts now?’ “When will it be known whether or \oumstances. It ty six hundred miles you @ personal question, Miss Dane? “You thought so? Didn't you silence. Then Evelyn swept the tears silvery riband across the dark At- heart had bridged tho void ere she Never again shall doubt find room in suffered during these horrible months, tunity of taunting me with the lie For an instant Evelyn did not ap- turned and looked ut him in wonder- cried, almost hysterically “I have done it now, so | may as S, secrets, Ko please forget what I am waged to Warden, For some reason Is why I was sent to you at Funchal. “But only yesterday Mrs. Laing pre- engaged on 4 secret mission for the nothing of the sort. Outside the de- There—I didn’t mean to tell you that, back to my errand. Why bas Mrs, Mortimer had blundered Into the she is in Las Palmas in order to The man glanced around to be sure he is not there. Owing to his al Uveness does not extend to her rela- ered me with his attentions board the yacht or visited us 4 rather to avoid Mrs, Laing.” timer dryly, "t ng do you re- main on the island, Miss Dane?” “There was some talk the other day of our return.” 1 of you rs) Bau spring 1 Riviera, and has important “What vsirtner wishes to pass t her husband says business at Frankfort in February, 80 he will leave us at Nice while he ate tends to it.” “Do you go in the y “1 suppos She Is t n the harbor, " does no! knowledse, t Hamburg, en were t said that Pand more obe- home. M u Germans were chest alent.” “What was your opinion of the new crew? “LE didn't Ike them at is Thad to bother my wi king German if L wished to to any of them, but they are ¢ uperior set of men.” “You ca good many hands for mall yoxsel “Well, yes. Even | tho “Did you ship a bar Emeavy stores at Hanhur \ “TE Won't know. We we 1 hotel there five or six days, and never Vise Sted the yacht during that (ane. what Onis Tracy, -mnw . The Homance of » Hunt : Tre of sree, Mine bw f ha inquired mariner, 4 You mnww | Tho, years oider than J with wo muck me fF mother trus ain erotit ity that abeolutoiy.” in Mra Laing there? “whe wae dancing with the Cem-| ndante when | eama out” | fe lnumhed, } tama brovably “eo nin to. morroe morning,” be cheene “a any Fn ort Wil he eahora, I wey ing here” tooh hit leave with @ aera thar wae it, market oontramt to eariter frigit tanner, bw Evelyn pad 106 forgotton her aungwee at tary ourtnens. ‘The extroordtinary Udings af War. Qun'e adventures in Morooso absorbed | har mind to the exclumon of edi else (Se wanted to etudy # map, to follow | bt wanderings In myiri, to weave, amas about bie track acres the with al! te ardor of renwnak- met love How could sho ever havo doubted him” he waa brave enough to Sout Rosamond Latng’s fret at. nny to undermine her truat—why | bad eho ylolded to the wtrain durin, these Inter Gaye of weary waiting She wos eure {t wae not Ao with her | lover, Some tna quite soom there | cablogram au- ing his safe arrive) at some! weirdly named British etation tu Neruvern Nigerta. She must learn the map of West Africa by heart. rhaps her friend, Capt. Mortimer, might tell her from what town might expect to receive the eurliest news. | But Evelyn's humble light-hearted. | hess was destined not to survive the next ten minutes, Looking In at the! Iroom, she saw Beryl waltzing with | a Canario fruit grower, a youthful Npaniard of immense ‘wealth who! owned a large part of the island. | While crossing the hall with intent te find the manager, and get the loan of @n atlas, she almost ran into the arms of Lord Fairhoime, an English- man she had met at Lochmerig, and who was standing there, talking to Mrs, Laing. | “By gad, Miss Dane, it's just like bein’ in Lochmerig,” he cried. “Here we are again, you know—the same old | circus. puldn’t stand the Britisn | climate, #o 1 fled here, per Spanish | packet, as the Post Office says.” | “Lam delighted to see you again,” she broke in, but Mrs. Laing broke in breathlessly, “They've just finished that waltz, Lord Fatrholme. Shall we make upa the Lancers?” ell—er—no," he sald lamely, see, I'm not dancing just pow. Rosamond flashed with annoyance. Her rudeness to Evelyn had caused her to forget Fairholme's bereave- ment, “Pray forgive me," sho cried, “How thoughtless I was, Who the man you Were conversing with so deeply in the garden, Miss Dane?" “A friend, an officer on of the ships in the harbor, making a long Lord Fairbolme The good natured little peer was conscious that the two women were at daggers drawn, and the younger one could evidently match her senior {n contemptuous indifference, “Dunnu yet," he grinned. pends on how Mrs. Laing and you treat me. Judgin' by the giddy throng in the ballroom, I'm afratd I shall figure again in the ‘also ran’ class.” Miss Dano ts free. for that,” laughed Rosamond, But Evelyn's answering smile was more genuine. “Mrs, Luing's statements are in- bly tnaccurate where I am con- she sa “If your matri- monial choice re n her and me, Lord Fairholme, it is only fair that I should tell you I have promised y Captain Arthur Warden of Protectorate when next he returns to England," “Captain Arthur V who, desp rir of buffoonery things exces board one Are you tay in Las Palmas, “It de- T can vouch not exactly, I've name Rosamond, scarcely prepared for this turning of the tables, instantly recalled the unpleasant fact that Billy ‘Thring was by her side in the hall at Lochmerig when she purloined Kve- Iyn's letter. Ho looked at her fixedly, a8 the color In her face rose and fell with tell-tale confusion, For once, she was unable to force a retort. she ured that Fairholme would forth some referen to the was under a different impres- she managed to say, “But T am sure our private affairs are not of vital interest to Lord Fairholme," “Where is old I, D. B.?"" put In the man, anxious to restore harmony, “Shootin’ wild duck by moonlight, eh, what?" velyn resumed her quest of the manager, She had not failed to notice Rosamond Laing's unaccountable em- barrassment, but sie attributed it to thelr personal feud, and tmagined at her rival was furlously annoyed by her outspokenness, It was fortun. ate, in some respects, that the Incident was fresi in her mind, She was soon to bo enlightened, She borrowed an atlas, and 8 studying the ominously vague de‘ails the interior of Northwest Africa, when a iaid-servant came to. her room, With some difficulty, for Evelyn know very little nish, tho girl her under lo Ingles m much nd that un nd to wis » her, An English no could it be at that hour y English chil- 1 in bed or ought to be, if they were atlas, she followed fa downstairs, In the door- ie make out the Enylish eh ne the sporter, was a sturdy she hion, recognized Nim at the first glance the son of old Peter Evans—the boy. who had helped work Warden's sloop, but some instinct warned her not to cry aloud hor astonishment Murrying forward, she caught him by the arm, ning World Daily Magazine, Wednesday, heard his’ she said. ~-every word from beginnin’ to end. Lies, By Maurice Ketten OOOPOOALEPPELOLELLL AB ROORLOBL Dein ree mi pee be Fow piace GiMIT ED NC OF ( Hoo Cbeecr) C Ap \‘ AN Gt To Tue | USF A ald | iS OL SKIRTS The Swace ‘toe PASH OMAOLE ‘ “ ) MOOP EFRecT ee RY USING Te Fovcowne, / A ' THE WA\sT FoR PANNIER WILL GIVE TO | AND BUSTLE THE SKIRT The weer use POPULAR BARREL j OLO DERBIES sre TRAVE LUNG Bags wict Give Tee PEEKS FFECT So MUcH 14 VOGUE ToY BALLOONS Wiel Give STYLISH PANNIER Errecr THE Cook CAN UTIUZE DISH PANS To PRoDUuce PANNIERR ORT EFFECT WITH THe Skier OVER THEM “Chris!” she whispered, “4s {t really had enclosed in his letter. When the look guilty when Lond Fairholme reo- miss, but that’a tho way we talks you?” diamonds flashed in the woonlight sie ognized Warden's name half an hour among ourselves, ‘Oo ia hh His chubby face creased with Joy uttered a choking cry and her lips ago? the other fellow. ‘Capt. Ward a: the sight of her. trembled pitifully. So this was Ar- Well, she would ask the genial Uttle J. ‘Not Capt. Arthur Warden of “Yes, miss, it's me right enough,” thur Warden's answer to Rosumond nobleman for an explanation. He Ostend” sere, “Ti * wee he said. “Can you como with me to Laing’s jibes! Without hesitation, would be candid, she was sure; per: I. ‘Dash my eyes, ‘that's f.ther? He's orfly anxious ter see Without waiting to read a word of tho haps he might help to iilumine some queer, Mra. Laing wanted a letter Many pages of manuscript that ac- of the dark places of the last four companied it, sho slipped it on to the months. engagement ‘finger of her left hand. — p - It did not ft. “It was far too large. gop vassyiney Watching her eyes as But what did that matter? Its glories brah eee shar a might await her scrutiny anothor }i0Ked solemnly at Chris, but held time. Just then she wanted to assure 8 igragihg hae, Wehbe wae eee herself that she had gone back tc NRO Atte en ne felt allegiance before she waa vouch that his innings had come, @ syllable of explanation, It waw hu- ,, "Well, miss,” he remarked, quietly, mility, not pride, that governed her “does that round off everything in action. shipshape style?” Por answer she put both hands on Poter, however, did not regard the glittering ring with such self-efface- bis shoulders and looked into bis out of the box one day wen [ was goin’ to the post an’ that’s the very name as was on tt. Wot's ‘is little kame? Is a-playin? up to both of ‘em? ¢ an, sez T, ‘you don't know ‘H's the straightest wentleman as ever wore shoeleather* I axod ‘im w'en the incident oc- curred, as they say in the noos- ‘e tole me it was just after Mrs, Laing kem to Lochmerig: In fact, ‘e wouldn't ha’ known ‘oo she was ff sho ‘adn't bin standin’ ta ‘Out there in the road, miss, stand- in’ orf an’ on tll I heave in sight. He wouldn't show up at the hotel, miss, ‘cause ‘Is wooden leg sort o° makes folk stare at ‘im, an’ he don't want too many people ter know ‘e kem ‘ere to find you.” ‘Came to find me—all the way from England? Who sent him?" They were in the roadway now and walking fast in the direction of the alameda, or public gardens, where a ment. His prominent eyes bulged Weather-beaten face Be, Ne etewer noms, military band plays each evening for with surprise, and he gripped his “Poter,” ahe suid, “I can never re- “"y%r4 Fairholme?” broke tn the inhabitants of Las Palmas, son's shoulder emphatically. pay you for what you have done. Evelyn. “Bles yer ‘eart, miss, we've done a | “Tell you wot, Chris," he whispered Capt. Warden tells me he had faith in “Ny mies, that wasn't it—not ta lot more'n come from England,” said hoarsely. “It we'd ha’ known wot you, and indeed you have justified bis the aime strest Chris, “We've followed yer to Scot- Was in that billy-doo wed not lin’ conildence. But how did you and Billy Thring I've got tt all logged up Jand, an’ Germany, an’ France, an’ slep' so sound o' nights! Chris manage to travel all this long “Tally! Madeira, But father'll tell you all | “Not while we was in furrin parts, way to find me? What has It coat in my cabin. I wasn't aartin Ud sea about it, My eye, wasn't 'e pleased father, 7, you? T have not much money at my you to-night or I'd ha’ brought the N our steamer rounded the mole aly Ls ony parts: me jaa phate ommand here"-— book. That's 'Im—Billy Thring— It ’'e' sighted the San Sowsy, ‘Lord Sort o’ sparks'll get you a knife \ “Money, miss? Dt Cap’ sounds familar lke, If he's @ swell, love a duck, Chris,’ sez ‘e, ‘there she your ribs anywhere. Now, 1 was er nant. | Did te: Capra eay but that's wot they called ‘Im at is at last. Oo'll say now that Peter Miss Dane, I'd turn It into money, Lochmorig. Evans ‘asn’t done as he was tole!” Guick, But she won't, mark mv Ne ike ‘tn, “Peter, you are a wonder, You have There never was a more free-handed gent than ‘im, found out the one thing I wanted to Funny thing, ain't tt, that the wrong know.” ' people are bloomin’ millionaires? 1 cxcuse me, miss, you're a bit spose that's w'y they have it—coss of a wonder yours If that was they stick to it. Lord love a duck, the on’y missin’ link w'y didn’t you ther's bin no trouble about money! write to me, care o' the Pilots’ Office, Ho did some tricks at the Casino Cardiff? I could ha’ put you straight ‘o#, yes, he has told me that. within a week, Any ship's skipper “Well, wen ‘e gives me that there would ha’ guessed my agdress, 1f you packidwe, 'e forks out fifty quid, an’ tole ‘im about the Nancy an’ gev ‘ia says, ‘Peter, if you want more, go to my name. aside. For a second her eye: pe Best tone Any, folden suveine "I fear Tam very much to blame," 1 fron De : r run sailor-man—I'vo " Ou “That's the way I read a book £t's and thee giegte ele eee Known the time ie tad Goce ae POS Even OORT ONy uy Ry any good, miss—a book like ‘The passed the fire in the diauonds my missus an’ Chris for a year—an' I Vicintsed, Now T must go. Tt le Scalp Hunters’ or ‘Nick of the Woods’ “You are right, Peter,” sha eried, Wasn't flingin’ it about for bookin' ¥ T. Suneee ate you ving? and her volce sounded shrilly in her clerks &n’ pursers to pick up, neether, me will turn in with oUF There 'e ts—that's father—on the seat own ears, “One woman, at least, We ‘ad to dig a bit out o" the bank snd on board the Cid, At under the tree. I s'pose ‘e's tired. It shall see my ring, even though envy Wen this trip showed up, but afore old tub, was a long tramp through the dust were to kill her. that Chris an’ me worked our pas- velyn, in her excitement, still held Words. She'll just twiddle it round, the boy's arm. He felt that she was ®N’ shove in a hairpin w'en there's & trembling, though her voice was calm, Chandelier handy, an’ lean on ‘er el- sho reepated, “who sent POW W'en the light shines on the port bow—all to make the other w green with envy.” Though Evelyn was deep 'n letter—though her brows knitted and her little hands ¢ a9 the full measure of Rosamo perfidy was revealed to her, she could not help overhearing Veter’a stage ‘ap'n Warden, miss, But there! It's dad's yarn, You must ‘ave tt from from chapter one to fini, Though on the brink of tears—for she was overwrought—the girl could not help smiling, "You are becoming quite literary,” were engineer least that's wot I called the but these Spanish Jokers make tt into from the qua: pha ‘ ridge to Scotland, an’ Hamburg, an’ ! ' i oW ? Peter received her joyously, CHAPTER IV. as far south as Bordeaux.” Malt, Tidy ever eet anrenink fun “Sink me!" he cried, “but it's a cure f ou went to Scotland? Whyr —-Bler’n that : ns for sore eyes ter see you at last, miss. Evelyn Enters the Fray. “Afore the Cap'n left Lunnon ‘e fad She laughed blithely, arranged an It ts you, isn’t it? 3 a telegram from the coastguard to early hour to meet the two at the He was not content until he had NLY @ woman can fathom ay the San Sowsy headed sou'east Mole next day, and sped back to the looked her full in the face tn the another woman's mind. A by east from Lochmerig, an’ them hotel. She wanted to read that moonlight, man tries to think logic ain't the sailln’ directions for the thrice-precious letter again, Seen tn “You're a RT A Ore. Shetlands, or they wasn't w'en I was the moonlight, 1t seemed to be fan bit thinner,” he com- mented, “People can say wot they ' at sea, Tt seemed to me some old tastic, unreal. The words danced be- like, but Ole England's hard to beat the winds, reads her galt thereabouts might help a bit— fore her eyes. Her brain had only for fresh air an’ sound vittals. Chris opponent's tactics by — intuition, fishermen keep a pretty close eye on half grasped {ts extraordinary mean- an’ me would ha’ starved on that tub Though Warden was not wholly de- Bassin’ craft, miss—so off we goes, 1 ings. of a mail-boat if wo ‘adn’t palled In void of guspicion of Rosamond’s dis. *MPbed as extra hand on the Inver- — In the privacy of her own room #he with the Scotch engineer, who med kell, hound from London to Aberdeen, ghould go through tt slowly, weighing ne < somo, plain food. Hello! $terestedness when he penned the an'' Chris was stooard tn the. ene Pee re Ona Te bees taking w You've bin eryin'? Now, wot the = Plain statement which Evelyn now Sineers’ mess. Sure enouxh, I ights her very heart the outspoken, manly ter," said Evelyn brokenly, OF akimmed through by the Micht of the ON @ Montrose herrin’-boat as ‘ad Heaven's sake, if you ha sone ee wren the yacht bearin’ away In tha sentences that assured her of War Las Palmas moon, he | ® dreamed den'’s devotion, and planning with new Capt. Warden ‘tell me wha ” ine for mburg, I follered, on a oe i o eae i Wes cece produced ere and that he was framing a damning in- tramp from Newcastle, but | was a a te A bing br me mans soiled parcel from a fp 7 dictment of one who claimed to be ques at ry hee Bd orders was Wilden had hee od even mare ‘ you are, 1 ho cried tri- his friend, Hut Evelyn extracted from ‘Nghe own /ands, Peter, grossly than she herself. His faith: umphantly, “I've done it! ‘Find Miss every line the hidden truth, A gen- “Well mebbe. I've bin called most ful record of Rosamond's malictoua Dane, no matter wot t them's tow, » p or things in me time, miss, B t'g {nNUendoes during the dinner at the sailin’ orders fr tha Can ewoman to her finger-tips, her ji ne, miss, ut 1 u my rder n apin, Her n'a tremendous long yarn to go SAVOY Hotel gave ample proof of that ‘Deliver this letter into Miss Dane's loathing of Mrs, Laing's des: 19 Bround, Wot [ want to It waa quite true she had talked wn ‘ands Right again!—as per tactics was 80 overpow AX you now {4 this—wot stopped with Figuero in the garden at Loch- ode! Now, miss if I was you I'd while that she could only vent her Cap'n Warden’ from gettin yaur meria, Mat haha a etna atk SFO gogrn and’ oanten little gasps ' Tho man naturally inte 1 her Oe te P roie tet aea oueen at and sobs of indi “At. Peter! a wicked woman, Iam hls manner of speech Was quaint, and na bit T toy im 1d tnd you iver yest afraid.” he told her strange things, about the Nitin bem Ralsvaar et lid 1 Ostend and in Dye ‘ear, Chris?” and Peter country in which the whole of her eed Bian Ae NRC Ae Tite rani ently hi turned solemnly to his gon, “Wot lover's active career might be passed Rae CATR Wali hoUnaTine Oot did [tell yer? You ae 4," he Was that a crime? And how shame I tas Rad ta th@nteneyoitt eon went on, “I looked in at’ tha Lodge ful that any woman should writ cred up yer tracks!" an’ med friends with # servant or such a wieked untruth ay to say t bythe two an’ it kem out that Mrs, Laing sho had gossiped to Thring and or Tho first thing Evelyn's trembi ‘ Mili collared @ telegram 4 d to you: avout the men of ©} Of course fingers withdrey from the pack ele ‘Was it im one chap. Mrs. Laing had obtained her in Was the jow en's Cane Dlaining ¢ common enen n 1 Me ‘Reel himy t,' woz T ‘kt was formation the tolen. letter. riug Arthur bad bought for her and sults? Way did Mrs, Laing flush and from ‘er young man,’ Beg pardem Bvelyo remembered poertectly well | lover had gone to Afr Jing doubt in hie h | mado of th Sun Doge” ond 3 terested in the two foreienere, | how at aha ¢ have written ¢ « more harmful to Warden's | Nod then, with a ontde that [made her white to the Lipa, aie real fred what it meont that Warden bh Naver received har latter, that fom mond had adroitiy availed heraeit of }the dete Ia it contained, and that her a with w lurk tof t ne woman in the world whom he trusted he think her really the bane eres loted? On, it wae Intoleratle She would naver forgive Mra. Laing no, never! Her eval had stooped Lo a meanness that could not must be punished, with at once awift’ and ture ahe was de was very un-Chriatian, and wholly unlike the delightfully) shy yet lovable girl to whom Warden lost his heart during the fdaummer sof Cowes and Plymouth, but | Evelyn was stirred to the depths of a passtonate nature; not for the firat time in Las Palme she cried herself to asleep. | She awoke tn @ better frame of mind, though still determined to | bring Mra, Laing to her knees at the first opportunity, Keeping the tryst with Peter, she took him fully into her confidence. He was ab’ ply many minor ite that fitted the pleces of the p more accurately together, He did not know what had become of Warden, but Evelyn made no scruple of telling him the facts within her knowledge. | She recked little of Government se- crets and the byways of Imperial poll- tles, ‘The ex pilot and bis sturdy off. spring were the only witnesses of her | ood faith. Perhaps they might meet | Warden In England t able to communicate with nted Pete to be {in a position to do for her lover what | that event, she w one for her, and disabuse Warden's mind of the cloud of Hea ‘by which it had been darkened Mather and son were returning at Jonee by the outgoing mail steamer. She pressed Peter to accept. what little money sho could spare, but he | would not take a penny. “No, miss," ho sald, with emphatic head-shaking. “There's some shot left In the locker yet, an’ me an’ the | Cap'n will ‘ave a reckonin' w'en he comes ome, If Em short of a pound or two afore [ get the Nancy in com- mission this spring, UH ax that tleman at the bank for it. P'raps you'll write ‘im a line, an’ say I've kop’ me contract She had to be content with that Wore tt p able, sho would have gone back to 1 in the same steamer, He s Palmas, sho felt so utterly unbefr Though thousands of miles nearer Africa than ned to be more emoved from the chance ving a letter or a cablegram, rie, she possessed a Very useful acquaintance in the mander of the Valiant, but she hardly expect ono of His Majes eruisers to fly in the Bast Atlantic ino p hor con- versant with developments in Nigerta. Peter, however, undertook to call at the Colonial Office, while she would cable him her address after the lapse che had thousi of @ fortnight. ‘Thi if there was any news of Warden, he would com- munteate with her. At luncheon she had her first meet~ ing with Mra, Laing since the arrival of that epoch-making letter. A special menu was ordered and the table was kay with flowers, for the Baumgart- ners dearly loved a lord and were re- solved to make the most of thelr friendly relations with the Karl of Fairholme: Mr. Baumgartner looked worried and preoccupied 6 coming of the mail which meant so much to Evelyn perhaps had its | tance for him also. At any rate, ho left the onter- tainment of his guests largely to his Wife, until a sharp clash of wits rude- ly dispelled his reverie Hery! Baumgartner was the uncon- scious agent that brought about an unforeseen crisis, Her restless eves ught the glint of diamonds left hand ant she cried eostat 3 “Oh, Evelyn, what a lovely ring! Where did you get tr ch woman at the table was on the qui vive instantly, Ina place like Las ‘alas the mere mention of a dla- nd ring in connection with a young ad pretty girl MugKestS that one more infatuated male has voluntarily re- moved his name from the list of elig- Ables. Evelyn, having stilled the volcano that raged over night, might have allowed the opportunity to pass if she had not happened to catch the mock- ing smile on Rosamond'’s face when the nature of the ring became self- evident, That steeled her intent “It is my engagement ring,” aid quietly What?” shrieked this was news indeed. she Beryl, to whom “Who is he? "You do not know him, dear, but ts name . Warden, He is at present ir Afrlea, somewhere rthe | And did be ne 1 it to you “Yos, TL receiver tt only It would have reached months ago had not Mra, letters vr naturally of my und t unic ere Was & Moment of stupetied silence ut the ta seemed to be strie erimson with ar mond, mutter W Tt is an unpleasant. thing say but it is true,” said Eyelyn, d : her rival's transeression in the most matter-of-fact tone, tho was Bau stop wer > threatened te duvelup inte sare one of the countless readers who were thrtted by “North of Pilty-Thy lished in this pauper you will he tremendoudy in- SENT WEEKS COMPLETE NOVEL IN THE EVESING WORLD Under the Great Bear and “The Late other Sinclair novela pub Mina free makion a aarte harne a ta indy of the high repute,” he weld + hast ohale very ried Pe. chamentiy, “Lard | peaking the truth 4 ahe demanded, anty wheeling round on the inoffensive peor “Heally—er ren “ tered, for ones to U be aie wildered to erin. Hautngartner what al at Loohmneria Views tell Mr happened in the Mra, when 10K waked the portman to ive her a letter addrosaed to Capt, Arthur Warden, at ( You were prewent. It waa my letter whe ob lained. Perhapa she hae it yet if her * were aearchad. no “nid girl striving vainly to bolater up @ false accuse. tion, but @ flery young goddess. un- ‘hing an erring mortal. The at- where was electrical; Beryl Haum- "r maid afterward that eho felt INA and needles attacking her at ail points “En awfully sorry, Miss Dane, but © Very litte attention to the nt” said Falrholme, partly re- ering himself venlged “Hut you re den's name last night? Was it not at Lochmerig that you heard it and from Mrs. Laing?" “Well--yea, but, you know, Mre. Laing might have written to’ him.” “She did, after obtaining the ad- dresy from my letter and reading what f wrote.” Then she turned on Rosamond with magnificent disdain, “Shall L give you @ copy of your letter? | Capt) Warden has sent it Sheer fury enabled Rosamond to regain her self-control. “Your foolish attack on me ta di proved out of your own mouth,” she sald, triving desperately to speak with her accustomed nonchalance. “Capt. Warden has not written to you since I saw him in London, He is in Africa, it is true, but he hi never been heard of after going ashore at Rabat fully three months ago. How can you pretend that received @ letter from him last night? My authority is an Under Secretary of State? Pray, who is yours?” Under other conditions, Evelyn might have been warned by the im- perious comamnd to “hold her tongue" that Laumgartner tele- graphed to his wife when that good lady was minded vo interfere, But no consideration would atop her now. ‘The memory of all she had suffered through the machinations of one evilly disposed woman upset her calm judgment. In other respects, she acted with @ restraint that was worthy of a first-rate actress; peo- plo at the next table might have thought she was discussing the weather, Taking Warden's otter from her pocket, she handed it to Tord Fairhoime. “I clted you ag a witness, sald “Will you now: act judge? Read that and tell my friends which of us two is speaking truly.” Despite his self-supp short- comings, Fairholme was a gentl man. I[natinctively he believed Ei elyn, but he shrank from the duty she intrusted to him. “Oh, I say,” he bleated, “haan’t this thing Kone a@ bit too far already? Is 4t worth all the beastly fuss? ‘There may be a mistake somewhere, you know, I'm sure, Miss Dane, nobody doubts your statement where this Jucky chap Wi en is concerned, an’, on the other , don’t you know, Mrs, Laing may have a perfectly fair explanation of the other business, So let It go at that, eb, what?” “May I act as arbitrator?" sald Baumgartner, “If I glance through your letter, Miss Dane, I may dis- cover a means of settlement.” Something in his tone, some hint of a fty purpose behind the #mooth-spoken words, beat through the haze of wrath and grief that clouded Evelyn's mind. She could trust Fairholme with her lover's let- but not Baumgartner, To re- veal to him what Warden had said ehe about Mrs, Laing’s extraordinarily ac eur knowledge of proceedings I the Solent and affairs in Nigeria would be tantamount to betraying her lover's faith With splendid calmness she took the letter from the table and replaced it in her pocket thank y Mr. Kaumgartner,” she said; “if Lord Fairholme dectines to help me nobody el in take his place, [appealed to him because he fs aware that Mrs. Laing induced Mour groom to unlock the and hand her my letter. ‘he proof of my Words Hes here, It ts for him to Say Whether or not he is satisfied post-box he saw Mrs, Laing commit a theft.” Pairholme shook his head. He was not kicking In pluck, and hia artificial humor was only the of an honest nature, but surprised a look in Rosamona's eyes that startled him, was palo now, ashen pal 8 dno word, but continued to glower at Evelyn with a suppressed malevolence that Was more threaten V the mere rag a detected thought It or hls) wife natter has . asked ni ried t caleulation, nts for a good frivolity at Las am qui > in carte ‘0 Be Continued»