Shot With Crimson

to go on to the Opera without him; he would join her as soon as possible,—in fact, it might be possible to get there before the ov

came two men to s

es came through the closed door,—one shrill and rising to the pitch of frenzy, the other firm, gentle, soothing—one that seemed to croon. A sharp-eared listener outside would have caught an occasional sentence wailed in the

ctor’s arm the instant h

annot endure it. We should have waited. I had no idea it would be like this

g Steele?” inquired the doctor

tell her before she got it from

but he seemed a most delightful chap. By Jove, it is really

ay an instant, please,—and do not leave her until you are

ain as long as—ah,—I feel the

,—if there is the

. Compose yourself. We ‘ll have her sleeping like a baby in no

end Mrs. Carstairs out

with a sprightliness that would have, surprised his dignity if he had ha

of the room. She remained steadfast at the

e her, Doctor Browne,” she

head into Mr. Carstairs’ study a few

ere’s two gentlemen

y one, Hollowell. Is it necessary f

tlemen say they must see you, sir. They

? What is the

tions, sir,” said the bu

ll, and what

ind,’” said Hollowell, wit

pped suddenly

u said they w

had sensed the truth

ell. “Ahem! I can only add, Mr. Carstairs, th

e to ascertain if I can throw any light on the Derrol Steele affair. It is no secret, of course, that he was my niece’s fia

ut man of forty, “but, as a matter of fact, our business here is really wit

osed the door, and b

affair. My niece is very ill. She cannot leave her. You must al

Mr. Carstairs, I must

demanded Carstairs coldly. Two vivi

erk of his head. His companion opened the door and stepped quickly into t

r wife. I am not here to make inquiries, sir, but to escort

om his chair. “What inf

I may say,—are to confront Mrs. Carstairs with certain charges, in your presence, by t

incredulously. “What do you mean? Wha

eft to my discretion, after all. Your wife, I am compelled to inform you, is charged with a very serious offence. In plain words,

ie!” shouted Carstairs, furio

at you with the utmost respect and consideration. I must ask you to accord me the s

s been some terrible mistake. Let us discuss the matter calmly. I can explain everything. We must spare her

Carstairs. There is a disposition on the part of the authorities to protect you. With that object in view, I am instructed to grant Mrs. Carstairs the privilege of remaining in her own room until tomor

s his stronghold, his wife its treasure. In his serene strength he could not conceive of discredit falling upon either. Instead of faltering, now that the first

partially if not entirely ignorant of the nature of these charges. Am

ed to do nothing until I have talked the matter ov

He maintained a calm exterior,—at what cost no one but he will ever know. The secret service man made no respon

Jones, nodded his head, and t

ht ago. He had worked for you exactly seven weeks and one day. Do

servants here. Are you going to

een looking for the driver of that car for two weeks. Last night we got him. He has confessed. Since six o’clock this evening three other men have been arrested,—all subordinate f

” said Carstairs, l

e remark to pass

d finally got hold of something big and tangible. But evidently the German Foreign Office also was wise to him. He reported to us on the afternoon of the day he was killed. He said that the time was not yet ripe to take positive steps, but that he would soon have the goods on four or five prominent people. He gave us the

said, harshly: “Well, go

e most vital character has reached the German Admiralty and the

t it is a damned lie,” said Carsta

ill realize that it is not a damned lie. I am authorized to exhibit certain memoranda from the Departmen

so far as to concede that such may have been the cas

the other’s face. Jones shook his head slowly. Th

“He did not kill himself.” Carstairs sprang to his fe

1

t boy’s honour. Murdered? My God! And for what hellish purpose is

f the maligned officer. “A careful search of his rooms today resulted in the discovery of a document in his own handwriting, written after he left your apartment last night, and put under lock and key some time prior to the arrival of the assassins. I have a copy of it with me. You will observe that he does not make definite accusations against any one, and that he employs initials only in designating the persons involved. He goes no farther than to expre

! Let me see

teele suspected a certain person, but we have been unable to discover by what means, or through whom, this warning was delivered. The men under arrest, with the exception of the chauffeur, absolutely refuse to m

hey fell from his stiff, trembling fingers, fluttering to the floor, each in its succeeding turn

me in now, Mr. Carstairs?” sa

re to lift his head again and look into the eye of this man who sat there with him. The whole fabric of existence was torn to shreds by the merciless revelations contained in the papers he had read with the steel in his heart. They were complete, irrefutable indictments. There was no such thing as going behind them. Steele’s blighting conjectures suddenly became trut

fort of the will, lifted his head and fixed his haggard eyes upon the face of the man who had cast the bomb at his feet:—a f

. Carstairs,” he said, and there was something significan

nd wait. This way—through this door. And please call your companion. It is not nece

rs. The authorities appreciate your position. It is their desir

Davenport Car-stairs slowly

mething that glittered, examined it carefully, and then stuck it into his c

not f

and by her to the end.... She should have her chance. He would see to it t

it that he was the only one

er room.