Before he could act further, things
began to happen. And then," added Philip thoughtfully, "comes another
dark patch in the mystery. Carl's story must have crossed wires with
something else--something that frightened them and made his death
imperative. The hysterical desperation of these men was out of all
proportion to the cause. Baron Tregar, baffling as he is at times, is
not the man to lend himself to deliberate assassination merely to keep
the succession of Ronador's son free from incumbrances. Later still,
Carl planned to sell the secret to the rival province of Galituria, but
the net closed in so rapidly and he fell to drinking so heavily, that
brain and body revolted and the first shadow of insanity whispered
another way--"
"To murder me!" flashed the girl. For the first time there was warmth
and color in her face.
Philip was glad. He had struck fire from her stony calm at last.
"Yes," he said, and catching her chilled hands, compelled the glance of
her wistful eyes. "Diane," he said deliberately, "let us withhold our
censure. Carl has a curious and tragic psychology and he has paid in
full. Thanks to a habit of wonderful alertness and ingenuity, he has
made his enemies respect and fear him. But the tangle aroused the
blackest instincts of his soul.
Pages:
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332