The Soul Stealer

s greeting. He was not only surprised by the curious proceeding

aid in an uneasy voice. "Another of your beastly experi

at the big man whose face

er days, but it was with an entirely different beauty. His face was clean shaved, also, but it was dark, clear-cut and ascetic. The eyes were dark blue, s

had gone far into the hidden springs of action within the human soul, would have preferred the weak, easy-going sensualist, with all his meannesses an

th a sigh, for he knew that he had been summoned to Sir William Gouldesbrough's

n his, of a more cunning, of a more ruthless brain. Little by little he had become entangled within the net that Gouldesbrough

paper, he had found his other large debts bought up by the scientist, and at the end of three years he had found himself willy nilly, body

n Charliewood's enemies never guessed the truth-that he was a sort of jackal, a spy to do his

hich, be it said, he was excellently paid, were those which, though they bordere

ese proceedings, no robbery or black-mail. And what happened after he had done his work Charliewood neither knew nor cared. Of one thing, however, he was certain, that whatever the scientist's motives might be-and he did not seek to probe them-they were not those of th

harliewood said in a sulky voice

there was a momentary gleam of ill-temper i

peak to me in that way now. It has suited your convenience to do certain things for me, and it has suited my convenienc

shrugged h

have got to do anything you ask me in reason. However, I don't want to insi

lf, "there is a certain man that I am interested in. I don't know him personally, though I kno

s no difficulty for you in getting to know anybo

to know him make yourself as pleasant as you can be to him-and nobody can do that more gracefully than yourself, my dear boy. Become his intimate friend, if possible, and let me know as much as you c

ooked steadily at the crust of whit

ame?" he asked with

uy Rathbone. He is a barrister and has chambers in the Temp

art. He allowed a slight smile to come upon

g that although this man was his servant there were yet disadvant

oint on it, he was ordering his henchman to become a spy, Charliewood knew the reason. He realized in an ins

quite impervious to the attractions of the other sex and t

s desirable position, the scientist had been somewhat pursued in many drawing-rooms. Of late, however, the pursuit had slackened. Match-making mothers and unappropriated daughters seemed to have realized that here

s left with a house in Curzon Street and a sufficient income for her own life, but that was all. And among many of the women who hu

liked Miss Poole, said that the girl would never have lent herself to any schemes of her mother's unless she had been genuinely fond of the man to whom she was engaged. There had been

il society gossip, was very well aware of the reason which made people once

iss Poole at Prince's. At this or that dance-Sir William Gouldesbrough did not go to dances-Rathbone had danced a good deal with Miss Poole. Many envious and linx-l

Charliewood's face, and it gave him pleasure to detect the human weaknes

liewood said at length.

his whole face lighting up and becoming markedly attractive as i

very low just at pres

iam answered, getting up from his chair and goin

had been burning all down one side. He dropped it into an ash

on the crest engraved upon the cover. He started and look

battle-axe and the motto, "Ne Morare," and in the us

was a wyvern charged on a shield, and the m

startled e

Sir William said, t

ette-case," Charliewood answered in

several visiting-cards in one compartment, and moreover

iewood's fingers with a cla

" his host i

infernal trick on me, Goul

; w

e chance, is the cigarette-case of the man w

f the fur coat as he did so. Then he pulled out a letter

"here's something else. I

to?" Sir William aske

oked at it and

"it's addressed to Miss Po

led astonishment and alarm were on the face of either. The whole thing seemed uncanny. T

d his foot upon the ground

sage treatment. When I came out there was a man waiting there for his turn, and I must have taken his coat in exchange for mine. And the man was this Mr. Guy Rathbone, of course. You know these dark blue coats lined w

is head in thought

r fellow," he said, "of making the man's acquaintance. Of cours

iewood said swiftly. "T

oked curiously

h this letter first. Then you can take it away with the other thi

shrugged h

emptuously, "but don't ask me to ope

gry reply, when the door of the study was suddenly

stle of skirts

Miss Poole, sir,