ired of
you; so you need have no regrets over the affair."

"I understand that, sir; but the thought that I cannot banish from
my mind is, knowing so well her treachery and deceit, is it possible
that she herself had a hand in the murder, and finding at last that
there was no hope of gaining my friendship, did she fear the
developments which might follow from what she had told?"

The elder man shook his head thoughtfully. "We cannot say, my boy;
the thought occurred to me almost instantaneously, for, without
doubt, she both hated and feared him; but time alone will tell."

CHAPTER XXIV

BETWEEN THE ACTS

For the ten days next ensuing the public craving for sensational
developments in the Mainwaring case seemed likely to be gratified
to an unusual degree. To the exciting scenes of the court-room was
added the suicide of Mrs. LaGrange, immediately followed by news of
the discovery that Richard Hobson, the unwilling witness in the
previous day's proceedings, had absconded, leaving not the slightest
indication of even the direction in which he had vanished. By many
the suicide of the one and the sudden disappearance of the other,
occurring simultaneously, were considered as prima facie evidence
that the two, so closely associated with each other, had been in
some way connected with the Fair Oaks tragedy.

From this phase of the affair, however, public attention was
speedily diverted by the report that proceedings to contest the old
will had been instituted, but in the name of Ralph Mainwaring and
his brother, Harold W. Mainwaring; his son, the sole heir under the
will of Hugh Mainwaring, having altogether withdrawn from the
contest. This had caused an open rupture between father and son,
and the latter had established himself in a suite of apartments at
the Murray Hill.

Young Mainwaring's course occasioned great surprise; many commended
his wisdom, but few gave him credit for the genuine sense of honor
which had actuated him.

"A neat little stroke of diplomacy," said one club-man to another,
"and worthy of Hugh Mainwaring himself! There is no show for him,
anyway, and it's much better policy to yield the point now, don't
you see, than to fight it out along with that pig-headed father of
his."

"He understands on which side his bread is buttered, and don't you
forget it, my dear boy," was the laughing rejoinder. "It's always
best to stand in with the winning side; he won't lose anything in
the l