Sonia is now very happy, either down at Carrington or at Wilton Street, for the black clouds which overshadowed the earlier days of our marriage have rent asunder, and given place to all the sunshine and brightness of life and hope.
No pair could be happier than we.
Twice we have been to Athens as the guest of the tall, grey-haired Englishman who is such a thorough-going cosmopolitan, and who lives in Greece for the sake of the even climate and the study of its antiquities. No one in the Greek capital recognizes Mr. Wilfrid Marsh as the once-famous Louis Lessar.
And dear old Jack Marlowe, still our firm and devoted friend, is as full of good-humoured philosophy as ever, and frequently our visitor.
He still leads his careless existence, and is often to be seen idling in the window of White"s, smoking and watching the pa.s.sers-by in St.
James"s Street.
You who read the newspapers probably know how Arnold Du Cane, alias Pennington, alias Winton, was recently sentenced at the Old Bailey to fifteen years, and the two young Frenchmen, Tera.s.sier and Brault, to seven years each, for complicity in the robbery on the Scotch express.
And probably you also read the account of how two mysterious Englishmen named Reckitt and Forbes, who had been arrested in Paris, had, somehow, prior to their extradition to England, managed to obtain possession of blades of safety-razors, and with them had both committed suicide.
In consequence of this there was no trial of the perpetrators of those brutal crimes in Porchester Terrace.
The whole affair was but a nine days" horror, and as the authorities saw that no good could accrue from alarming the public by further publicity or inquiry, it was quickly "Hushed up."
THE END
_Richard Clay & Sons, Limited, London and Bungay._
"THE MASTER OF MYSTERY"
WILLIAM LE QUEUX"S NOVELS
Opinions in 1911
"Mr. William Le Queux retains his position as "The Master of Mystery." ... He is far too skilful to allow pause for thought: he whirls his readers from incident to incident, holding their attention from the first page to the close of the book."--_Pall Mall Gazette._
"Mr. Le Queux is the master of mystery. He never fails to produce the correct illusion. He always leaves us panting for more--a brilliant feat."--_Daily Graphic._
"Mr. Le Queux is still "The Master of Mystery.""--_Madame._
"Mr. Le Queux is a most experienced hand in writing sensational fiction. He never loses the grip of his readers."--_Publishers" Circular._
"Mr. Le Queux always grips his reader, and holds him to the last page."--_Bristol Times and Mirror._
"Mr. Le Queux"s books once begun must be read to the end."--_Evening News._
"There is no better companion on a railway journey than Mr.
William Le Queux."--_Daily Mail._
"Mr. Le Queux knows his business, and carries it on vigorously and prosperously. His stories are always fantastic and thrilling."--_Daily Telegraph._
"Mr. Le Queux is an adept at the semi-detective story. His work is always excellent."--_Review of Reviews._
"Mr. Le Queux is always so refreshing in his stories of adventure that one knows on taking up a new book of his that one will be amused."--_Birmingham Post._
"Mr. Le Queux"s books are delightfully convincing."--_Scotsman._
"Mr. Le Queux"s books are always exciting and absorbing. His mysteries are enthralling and his skill is world-famous."--_Liverpool Daily Post._
"Mr. Le Queux has brought the art of the sensational novel to high perfection."--_Northern Whig._
"Mr. Le Queux is so true to his own style that any one familiar with his books would certainly guess him to be the author, even if his name were not given."--_Methodist Recorder._
""As good wine needs no bush" so no mystery story by Mr. Le Queux, the popular weaver of tales of crime, needs praise for its skill. Any novel with this author"s name appended is sure to be ingenious in design and cleverly worked out."--_Bookseller._
"Mr. Le Queux is always reliable. The reader who picks up any of his latest novels knows what to expect."--_Bookman._
"Mr. Le Queux"s admirers are legion, and the issue of a new novel is to them one of the most felicitous events that can happen."--_Newcastle Daily Chronicle._
"Mr. Le Queux is the master of the art of mystery-creating."--_Liverpool Daily Post._