The Slave of Silence

k as if the pain in her head had made her oblivious to everything else. As a matter of fact, Beatrice was racking her brains for some way out of the difficulty. The

air. "That man has followed me, though Heaven knows what he has to be suspicious about

ly had he left the conservatory by a door lea

sked ungraciously. "Funny

rture me like this? You are the very last I want to see just now. Don't

e. With unspeakable relief she saw Richford tactfully drawn away and disappear. Very quickly Beatrice changed her seat, so that she could command a view of the drawing-room without herself being seen. The

red. "Oh, my dear littl

e one man she had ever cared for was by her side. Ventmore's arm stole about her; her head drooped to his s

not come befo

uarters, and I did not get your letter. I am o

go I should have asked you to marry me and take me away from it all. And

d his shoulders a

as always very good at those insinuations. He has

ce of his freedom. My future husband will see my father through after I become his wife. Even now there are private detectives watching

happy laughing little Beatrice that he used to know? They had parted cheerfully enough a year since; they had agreed not to write to one another; they had infinite trust in the fut

not quite the income that I hoped to ask you to share with me, but at least we shall be happy. I will tak

oment she felt inclined to yield. Mark was so strong and good and handsome, a

Oh, yes, I know that I had promised you first. But it is for the sake of my father's hono

ir Charles is not-not ..

this time. I always know when he is making a

eason were on the side of the girl. She would have to be sacrificed to this scoundrelly father, and to please the other

Mark said thoughtfully. "T

rice replied. "There is no help for it, Mark. I must see

that of Sir Charles. I shall see him to-night, or early to-morrow, and tell him a few of the things that I hav

her can always justify himself and his conscience where

as I was alone in the evening, I went to one of the theatres. There were two English ladies by me in the stalls and presently they began to talk abou

ve of the Bond, as the grey lady whom Beatrice had e

thought she was some adventuress at first. But her face was too good and pure for that. I asked her who she was, and she

e that in some way or another this grey lady is interested in y

on at once, Mark?

arranged. My next difficulty was to get speech with you. Happily, a half sovereign and an intelligent waiter solved that problem. When Richford followed you I had t

But I shall not be able to stay much longer, Mark. Those people may co

father must move him. The idea of your being the wife of that man-but I wi

beyond, and the echo of a laugh. The dinner guests were coming into the drawing-room.

rage. Who knows what may happen between now and twelve

oughts. Everything seemed to have happened so suddenly and unexpectedly. There were people abou

ready I should like to go home. My father will

ing up. Mark Ventmore was sitting, smoking cigarettes in his bedroom, waiting for the chance to see Sir Charles. It was gett

as dressed just as Mark had seen her before; as she walked along, her face was calm and placid. She came at length to the end of the corridor and disappeared quiet

the clean mind in the healthy body, so that when the sleeper came to himself again it was broad daylight; the hotel was ful

tered. "And to think that the fate of my little girl sh

sure Mark. He had not retired to bed until past three, and at that time was

y. "And Sir Charles must be moving by this tim

ir Charles's man came down the corridor with an anxious expression o

had come into his mind. He stood by idly, listening. He heard a clock somew

he use of standing stupidly about here? Call the mana

t himself against the stout o