ind.

"Possibly by this time to-morrow," Berrington said. "Meanwhile I have
something to tell both you and Miss Grey that will be a shock to you,
though personally it would be hypocritical to regard it in the light of
a deplorable event. There was an accident to the motor car."

"Mr. Sartoris, I mean Mr. Grey, has he escaped?" Beatrice cried. "Yes?"

"I don't think that he was trying to escape. I fancy it was more in the
spirit of diabolical mischief than anything else, but he attacked the
driver and made a grab for the steering wheel. The result was a smash on
a bridge, and the motor was upset. Stephen Richford was pitched clean
over the bridge on to the lines, and--and----"

"Killed on the spot?" Beatrice asked quietly. "Would that I could say
that I am sorry. It is the best thing that could have happened. And the
rest of them?"

"There was not much damage done, except to Sartoris, or Grey, rather.
The body of the car struck him on the chest, and a rib stuck into his
lung. He bled to death. I was the last person to see him. To the end he
was as hard and callous as ever. Will you tell Mary, please? It would
come better from you."

Berrington and Ventmore stood talking quietly together whilst Beatrice
performed her sad task. Mark listened to all that Berrington had to
tell.

"And yet all this bother might have been saved," he said. "My father
knew all about those concessions, and he has a pretty good idea of the
value of them. Only yesterday he was talking to me about it. If Sir
Charles had gone to him, he could have got every penny that he required.
But you see, I was not on good terms with my father at the time, though
that is all forgiven and forgotten now. At any rate I think we should
ask my father's assistance if only to clear the good name of Sir
Charles, and make a provision for Beatrice. Now that Richford is dead,
something will have to be done. Don't you think so?"

"I am quite sure that you are right," Berrington said. "Your father is
rich, and a remarkably good man of business. He is the very one to put
matters on a proper footing, and see that the money is returned to the
company that Sir Charles was entangled with. You say that those ruby
mines are really a good property?"

"My father says that they are splendid," Mark replied. "Enough to give
Sir Charles a large income, pay his debts, and provide for Miss Decie
besides. I shall see my father to-night, and will go thoroughly into the
question wi