第63章

When Disaster is bigger than its victim its bolt o'erlaps the innocent.

It was some time after Gwen had fallen before Alice had succeeded in getting her upon the lounge, and then all her efforts to revive her had failed.She had remained in the same nerveless stupor as that in which I had found her.I asked Alice if she knew why this announcement had produced such an effect upon Gwen, and she returned my question with a look of amazement.

"Have you forgotten Gwen's promise to her father in this matter?" she replied."Has she not already told you that she should keep that promise, whatever the sacrifice cost her? She is, therefore, entirely at the mercy of this M.Godin, and she is also obliged to advise him of this fact, if she would carry out her father's wishes.Is this nothing for a sensitive nature like hers? If she has any love for anyone else she must crush it out of her heart, for she is M.Godin's now.Surely, Ned, you are not so stupid as your question would indicate.""We won't discuss that," I rejoined."Let us go to Gwen and get her to bed."This done, and the sufferer made easy for the night, I glanced at the article which had so upset her, and read its sensational "scare-head." In full it ran as follows:

THE DARROW MYSTERY SOLVED!JOHN DARROW WAS MURDERED!

The Assassin's Inability to Pay a Gambling Debt theMotive for the Crime.

EXTRAORDINARY WORK OF A FRENCH DETECTIVE!

The Net so Completely Woven About the Alleged Assassin That it is Thought He Will Confess.

The Arrest Entirely Due to the Unassisted Efforts ofM.LOUIS GODIN!

I did not stop to read the article, but seized my hat and hastened at once to Maitland.

A copy of the Herald lay upon his table, advising me that he was already acquainted with the strange turn affairs had taken.He told me that he had heard the newsboys in the street calling out "The Darrow Mystery Solved!" and had at once rushed out and bought a paper.