Picture-Play Magazine (Oct-Nov 1915)

4 PICTURE-PLAY WEEKLY chagrin ; Harry boisterously, maintaining that although he had lost, he was still going to insist on being friends with Jane. Soon after the wedding Ross departed for Russia to delve into a mystery that had baffled the master minds of Europe. "One of the most significant cases in my career," he referred to it afterward, but few ever heard the details. About as far as Ross would go with the story was to tell the bare fact that a boy had been murdered — an altar boy from one of the great churches in Moscow. Gold was the motive ; the boy stood in the way of a great inheritance. The good father had come into the room and found the boy sitting in a chair with his head thrown back, and discovered, to his horror, that he was dead. "Murdered," said Ross, when talking of the matter afterward. "Murdered," and by a method as subtle as it was diabolical." But further he would not go. "It was an absorbing case," he admitted ; "absorbing, but awful. Some day 1 may tell about it — but I'll never do it till I am compelled to." The cottage on Long Island which Jane Campbell called home was open house for all comers. Murray begrudged the hours that kept him in the city, but several important cases had come under his supervision, and he was fast making a name for himself as a prosecutor. "Some boy, that husband of yours," said Harry Strong, who bad kept his threat to remain good friends with Jane and had motored out on one of the evenings when Murray was detained in town. They were sitting alone on the big veranda, within sight and sound of the sea. "Yes, indeed," she answered. "Mur is going to be a big man some day — maybe governor, who knows ?" "Shouldn't wonder," laughed Harry. A sudden thought struck him. "And, by Jove, in that case you will be — the governor's lady." And he dropped on one knee and kissed her hand with the devotion of a knight of old. She smiled down upon him, and for a moment they remained thus, unaware that a man was coming up the path. A moment later Hamilton Ross stepped upon the veranda. "If I am intruding " he began. "Why, Mr. Ross !" cried Jane. "Sure enough, it's good, old, soberfaced Hammy !" said Strong, rising somewhat shamefacedly at having been found in such an embarrassing position. "Got back a few days ago from Europe." explained Ross, after he had shaken hands. 'And I thought I'd drop in and talk over the Moscow case with Murray. He — er — I suppose he is busy in town." And he eyed the two queerly. "Yes, but I can reach him by telephone," answered Jane. "I'll tell him you're here." "Don't bring him out on my account ; I'll see him later," he called after her as she ran in to the phone. Ross had little to say in the interval, but Harry Strong babbled along about affairs in general till Jane returned to the veranda. "I've just had Mur on the wire," she said. "He is delighted to know you are here " "Delighted ?" "Yes, of course; why not?" "Oh, of course; why not? I thought maybe he — well, now that he is married to you, I thought he wouldn't welcome a man who had been devoted to Jane Carleson, as you know I have been." "Why, what nonsense !" She laughed joyously. "There isn't a grain of jealousy in Mur's make-up." "No?" And there was surely a sneer on his lips as he put the question. "No." Jane stamped her small foot. "Now, listen, and be sensible. Mur said he'd rush home as soon as he could. But I told him we must make a whole, big evening for you. You are something of a celebrity, and we'll have a dinner party and make a lion of you." "The lion and the lamb," he said, in a tone not quite audible. "What did you say?" "Nothing, nothing. Please go on." "Well, I'm sure I don't know what's happened to you. You seem so much more cynical and morbid than you used to be." "Maybe it's my contact with crime in Russia," said Ross. "But let's not talk about myself. You are going to give a dinner " "Yes, next Friday; if that will suit." "I can arrange for that, and thank you very much." "Good. And you'll be on hand, t I Harry?" "Rather!" was the young millionair I laconic response. "Then that's settled. Now, Mr. Ro let me have the maid bring you " "Nothing, please," interrupted t1 criminologist. "I meant to talk sh with your husband. On the plea business I assuaged my conscience, really should be in my laboratory. Th< is much work awaiting me. So if j will excuse me " Rapidly he shook hands and bow himself down the steps. He stood i a moment on the path. "Friday night, you said." he called! them. "Ah, I will put a ring — a 1 ring — around the date on my cal dar." Probably no one was more excited! Jane Campbell's dinner party than J; Campbell herself. She entered into affair with the spirit of a schook and fluttered about from room to ro> like a butterfly. Winsome and sw this girl in the yellow chiffon, the guc pronounced her. Murray Campbell 1 no words to voice his own sense of 1 loveliness. In the hallway, where softly shaded lights lent her an ad( beauty, he came upon her and cau; her up in his arms impulsively. "You adorable, adorable girl!" j said. "I don't believe there is a nj on earth who has so wonderful a wiw "My gown — my gown !" she shrieks "You'll " But he shut off her reproaches in 'j well-known way of lovers, and ran '■ laughing boyishly. "Mur is a perfect brute, isn't Harry?" appealed Jane to the rud cheeked millionaire, who had smilin watched the encounter. "He's all that." Strong agreed. " if you just peep in that mirror you'll he had some excuse." Of the guests at the dinner table c one seemed to be unable to share in general good will. Hamilton Ross with a thundercloud on his brow ; was nervous, distraught. Too m concentration on the seamy side of 1 Jane had explained it ; and Ross him had admitted that she had probably upon the truth. Toward the end of the dinner M ray announced that he bad prepare special punch, which he wanted friends to test.