1938-11-25 — Page 33

OHINA

FRIDAY SUPPLEMENT, NOVELIBER L5, 1988

"THE ANONYMOUS LETTER"

(Continued from Page 11

sionately as I did, I tried to ex- plain my good luck by telling myself that it is nearly always opposites who are drawn together. After all, two people whose inter- est occasionally find each other frightfully boring.

anonymous

"But to continue. I had only been in London a couple of days, when I received an letter. From that day to this, I never discovered who wrote it. It was to the effect that my brother had betrayed me and the honour of the girl who was to become my wife.

А

"My first reaction was that of angry incredulity, and I seriously thought of taking the letter to the police. Then-for suggestion, as you probably know, sir, is potent thing I began to wonder whether, after all, there might not be some truth in the accusation. I began to recall various remarks and looks which had passed be- tween Cynthia and

my brother

and to which I had paid no at- tention at the time. Now they

started to assume a new and sinis- ter significance in my mind, till at last I really did believe the dreadful thing which

the an- onymous writer had suggested.

.

"To cut the story short, I packed my bag and took the first train home. I arrived here in the evening and, almost mad with anxiety, ran up the garden path

that very path up which you, yourself, just came. I opened the front door and stood listening. At first I could hear nothing save the beating of my own heart, and then from the breakfast room -the one on the right as you come in-I heard Cynthia's voice and my brother's.

"I wanted mo further proof of Herbert's duplicity. My first im- pulse was to burst in upon the guilty pair and denounce them, but I decided that this would be merely an exhibition of weakness. Why accuse them of what they were both fully aware?

my brother, they were dispelled by his next words.

"So, he anecred, 'you came back-sneaked back rather, to spy on us! You had so. little faith in Cynthia's loyalty and mine that you could not trust us together out of your sight, but must creep back here like a thief in the night! Well, what have

you got to say to that?”.

"His effrontery took my breath away. To accuse me, as though it were he, and not I, who had the right to demand an explanation! I told him then exactly what he was-coward, liar, traitor, a dis- honourable and worthless skunk.

"Suddenly he laughed, and in that laugh there was pity and scorn and triumph. I would have shot him dead on the spot but for the fact that I still had a sneaking hope that, although there was now no shadow of doubt about

my brother's guilty intentions, ́ Cyn- thia herself might be innocent. She could easily have been brought to this place alone by some simple l'use, and would thus equally guilty to any unsuspected observer such, for instance, as the writer of that anonymous let- ter.

appear

"My brother must have guessed what was in my mind, for his laughter gave place to a malignant

sneer.

"Since you have chosen to play the spy, you shall reap the reward of your labours,' he said. 'Cynthia loves me me, you understand- not you. She never has loved you, and her only reason for agreeing to marry you was that you have a secure and comfortable income, while I am practically penniless- dependent in fact, on your cursed. have consented to marry you had charity. Even so, she would never

not her parents practically forced her to do so.. Now you know the truth and I hope you like it.”

was

"For a minute or two I speechless and could only stare at this man who had calmly and me- thodically set to work to ruin my happiness. now.

Indeed, such blatant and unashamed treachery on the part of both my brother and my 'fiancee seemed scarcely credible

"I crept along the passage into the kitchen-where we are At the time there was

a rack against one of the walls with two or three of my brother's guns on it. I had just picked up one of the guns, when the door opened and my brother stood there on the threshold facing me.

"You!" he exclaimed, and I felt sure there was more than mere surprise in his tone. It was also significant that, instead of asking me why I had returned,・・ he remained standing there with a look of bewildered consternation on his face.

In fact, he added, the divorce part was entirely her own idea. In these matters, women are much more thorough than men, don't you think???

Is that all you have to say?'. I asked.

as

"All that matters so far you are concerned,' he answered. 'I admit that the scheme sounds somewhat vulgar and common- place, but that is the fault of modern conventions. The time

has past when rivals could settle such matters in a manner becom- ing gentlemen.'

"Gentlemen! After all he had confessed to, he still regarded him- self as a gentleman! But I re- mained silent, and it may be that it was this very silence which frightened him. However, that may be, he suddenly snatched up one of the remaining guns on the rack. I knew from the look on his face that he meant to kill me, to kill me before I killed him, for remember I still had that gun in my hand.

But before he could raise the gun to his shoulder, I raised my own and fired."

.

The man stopped, and somehow, though his telling of the story had not been particularly dramatic, I could visualise the tragedy though, it were taking place now before my very eyes. Here, in

66

“ You've

got to

be fussy

over

horses..

Fussy about their training

as

this lovely old kitchen, the two brothers the betrayer and the betrayed--had faced each other

with guns in their hands and murder in their hearts. And then, as the picture faded from my mental vision, the place seemed to take on a sinister aspect and involuntarily I shuddered.

I knew now why no purchaser had been found, or was ever likely to be found. The very atmos- phere had become repulsive and,

+

as it were, charged with evil. No man or woman living could ever hope to find peace or happiness where such a tragedy had been enacted.

I rose slowly from my chair. I was, I think, trembling slightly, for suddenly it had dawned upon me that that man, no matter how great the provocation, was to all intents and `purposes a murderer.

"So," I said as casually as I could, 'you killed your brother ?" "

"No," he answered softly, “my gun happened to be unloaded. He killed me."

Although this took place over eighteen months ago, the old house is still empty. And empty it will remain, I am convinced, until it falls to pieces or is pulled down.

That they should deceive me, in--fussy about who rides them. Personally I find it's the

dulge in an illicit love affair as soon as my back was turned, was within the range of possibility. But that my own brother, who owed everything he possessed" to me, should revel in his treachery, boast of it, fling it in my face and laugh at me-it was this which made me wonder if I were dream- ing, if it were not all some hor- rible nightmare.

''You see, went

What's the matter? I asked our idea was tab on my brother,

at last, for he still stood there like a man bereft of speech.

“We-I—didn't expect-'. he began falteringly, and now I noticed that his eyes were fixed apprehensively on the gun I held in my hand.

Cou

“'Exactly," I broke in. didn't expect me--neither you nor Cynthia. That's why I'm here."

.

You notice that I made no ac- cusation, but if I had still re- tained any doubts as to the re- lations between my fiancee and

divorce as soon after the marriage as possible. You, of course, would be persuaded to pose as the guilty party according to modern -con- vention, and when the decree ab- solute had been pronounced. Cynthia and I could get married."

"And Cynthis agreed to all this? I asked calmly, for some, how I was now as cool and collect- ed as though I were a mere spec- tator of all this.

„un-

“Of course she agreed,' swered my brother with a laugh.

only way. For instance, I don't much care to lead in a lucky winner; but it gives me the rarest pleasure to watch any thoroughbred ridden to a faultless victory.

In the same way I appreciate the good judgment used in the making of White Horse Whisky. I've yet to discover a richer flavour with a finer frag- rance, a silkier smoothness with a more heartening glow. Till I do, I shall in-

on White Horse.

WHITE HORSE

Whisky

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