THE 8EMI-WEEKLV TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.
ffHsrx n.W" zr
mmMmiA
SYNOPSIS.
Cliallla Wrandall In found murdered In
n ro iff )ioun near New York. .Mrs. Wran
dall Is summoned from the city and lde.ii
tlllc tho body. A young woinun who ac
companied Wraud.ill to tlio Inn and sub
sequently disappeared, li suspected,
Airs Wrindall starts back for Now York
tn nn nuto duilnif a blinding snow storm.
On the way sho moots u young woman In
tho rnd who proves to bo tlio woman
Who killed Wnndull Keeling that tho
Ctrl hnd done her a service In ridding her
of the man who though hIio loved him
deeply )iad cnuscd her Krcat Borrow.
Mrs Wrandall determines to shield her
"id talioB her to her own homo. Mrs.
"Wrondall hear? thb story of Hetty Cas
lleton's life, fxcopt Uiut portion that re
lates to Wrunriu'.l. This und tho atory of
the tragedy she forbldH tho girl ever to
tell She offers Hotty a home, friendship
rind security from peril on ac-ount of the
tragedy Sara Wrandall nnd Hotty re
turn to Now York after an absence, of a
year In Europe. Leslie Wrandall, brother
of Chains, heroines greatly Interested In
Hetty Sara sees In Leslie's Infatuation
possibility for revenue on tho Wrandalls
nd reparation for thn wrongs nho suf
fered nt tho hands of Challis Wrandall by
marrying his murderess Into the family.
slle, In company with his frlond Hran
flon Hooth. an artist visits Sara at her
country place. Ieslle confesses to Sara
that ho Is madly In love with Hetty. Sara
nrraitges with ltooth to paint a picture of
Iff 1 1 v Booth has u haunting feeling that
Jin has scon Hotty bofore Looking
through a portfolio of pictures by an un
known English artist ho finds ono of
Hetty. Ho speakB to her about It. Hetty
declares It must bo a plcturo of Hetty
Olynn, an English actress, who respmbles
lior very much. Much to bis chagrin
Tx-sllo Is refused by Hotty Hooth and
Hetty confess their lova for each othor,
nit tho latter declares that sho can ncvor
innrrv nH thorc U an Insurmountable bar
rier In tho wav, Hotly admits to Sara
that she lo-os Hooth. Sara declares that
Hotty must marry 1-oslle. who tniiBt be
made to pay bis brother's debt to tho
Rlrl Hetty again attempts to tell tho
real story of tho tragody and Sara threat
ens to Btranglo her If sho says a word,
fiara Insults Hetty bv revealing that nil
this tlmo sho has bolloved Hettv to have
f.lmied In hor relations with Chnllls Wran
"all. Later sho realizes that Hetty Is In
nocent. Leslie ngaln proposes to Hetty
nnd la rejected. Hetty prepares tn leave
Sara, declaring that after what has hap
pened sho can remain no longer. Hetty
otarts for Europe. At sea she receives a
PK18HUK0 from Hooth that he baa started
in a faster steamer and will be, waiting
a'or her on the other side, nooth meets
Vsr and accompanies hor tn London.
CHAPTER XIV. Continued.
When tho night boat from Dover to
Calais slipped away from hor moor
ings that evening, Hotty Castloton and
hor maid woro on board, with all thotr
bags and trunks, nntl Brandon Hooth
tvns supposed to bo completely at sea
1n tho heart ot that glittering London
town. Tho night ywb fog-lndon and drip
ping, and tho crossing promised to bo
unpleasant. Wrapped In a thick son
ulster Hetty sat huddlod up In tho lea
ot tho dockhouso, sick at hoart and
miserable. Sho roproachod herselffor
tho scurvy trick sho was playing on
liltn, reviled horsolf and yot pitied her
wolf. A tall man came shambling down
tho narrow spaco along tho rail and
nlopped dlroctly in front of hor. She
ntnrted In alarm as ho reached out his
liand to support lilmaolt against the
deckhouse As ho leaned forward, ho
laughed.
"You wore thinking of mo, Hetty,"
ald tho man.
For a long tlmo sho stared Nt him,
.transfixed, and thon, with a low moan,
covered hor oyea with hor lunula.
"la it truo Is it a dream 71 she
Fobbed.
Ho dropped down bosldo her and
gathered hor in his strong, oagor nrmo.
"You woro thinking of mo, woron't
you? And roproachlng yoursolf, nnd
liutlng yoursolf for running away like
this? I thought so. Well, you might
Just as woll try to dodgo tho smart
est detective In tho world aa to give
mo tho slip now, darling."
"You you spied on mo?" she cried,
In mufllod toneo. 8ho lay very limp in
IiIh a rin a.
"I did," ho confessed, without shame
"Had, when I think of what I might
jo doing at thlB moment If I hadn't
found iyou out In time! Think of mo
Lack thoro In London, racing about
llko a madman, searching for you in
every "
f 'Pleaso, pleaso!" sho Implored.
"Hut luck wan with me. You can't
Ifft away, Hotty. I shan't let you out
ot my sight again. I'll camp In front
ot your door and you'll see mo wither
mid die of sleeplessness, for ono or tho
othor of my eyes will nlwayB bo opou."
"Oh, I am so tlrod, so mlBerablo,"
sho murmured,
"Poor little Bweothoartl"
"1 wish you would hato mo."
"Llo whero you are, doarcBt, and
forgot!"
"It I only could forgot!"
"HcBt, 1 will hold you tight and
keep you warm. Wo'ro in for a naBty
tu-oaslng, hut it la paradlso for me. I
am B,d with tho delight of having you
hero, holding you close to mo, feeling
you In my arms. Tho wilder tho night
tho hotter, for I am wild with tho Joy
of R all. I love you! 1 lovo youl" Ho
otrntnod her closer to him in a sort of
.puroxysm.
Sho was quiet for a long time. Then
leho breathed into his ear:
"You will never know how much I
wis longing for you, Just ns you aro
now, Brundon, nnd in tho midst of it
gall you en mo. It is like a fairy story,
tand oil, I 8lm11 always bellova In
(fairies."
A long tlmo aftorward tho throbbing
pceascd, bell-buoys whistled and clanged
(about thorn; tho sen suddenly grow
jcalm and lifelcsB; they slid over It ns
(if it woro a quavering shoot of lcoj
innd lights sneaked out' of tho fog and
.approached with stealthy swiftness,
UtaHs rang bslow and above them,
CQPy?fflr. 9.Z
Bailors sprang up from overywhero and
calls woro heard below; tho rattling of
chalna nnd tho thumping of heavy lug
gugo took tho place of that steady,
monotonous beat of tho engines. Poo
plo began to Infest the dock, limp and
groaning, harassed but voiceless. A
mighty sigh seemed to envolop tho
wholo ship a sigh of relief.
Thon It was that thoso two nroso
Btiiny from their sheltered bonch and
gave hood to tho things that woro
ubout them.
Tho channel wns behind thorn.
CHAPTER XV.
Rattling Old Bones.
They Journeyed to Paris by tho night
mall. Ho waa waiting for hor on tho
platform when she descended from
tho wagon lit in tho Garo du Nord.
Sleopy passengers crowded with them
Into tho customs department. Sho,
alone among them all, wns smiling
brightly, as If tho world could bo sweet
at an hour when, by all odds, It should
bo sleepiest.
"I was up and on tho lookout for you
at Amiens," ho declared, as they
walked off together. "You might have
got off there? you know," with a wry
grin.
"I Bhall not run away from you
ngaln, Urandon," sho said earnestly.
"1 promise, on my honor."
"By Jovo," ho cried, "that'B a re
lief!" Thon ho broko into a happy
laugh.
"I .shall go to tho Ititz," sho eald,
after her effects hnd been examined
and woro ready for release.
"1 thought so," ho announced calm
ly. "I wired for rooms before I left
London."
"Really, thin is rldlc "
"Don't frown Hko that, Hotty," ho
pleaded.
As they rattled and bounced over
tho cobblo-stones In a tuxl-metor on
tho way to tho I'laco Vondomo, ho de
voted tho wholo of his conversation to
tho delicious breakfast they wero to
have, expatiating glibly 'on tho won
dorful berries that would come first In
that alwaye-to-bo-rcmombered meal.
Sho was ravenously hungry by tho
tlmo they reached tho hotel, Just from
Ilstonlng to his dissertation on chops
and rolls and coffee as thoy aro served
la ParlB, to say nothing of wattles and
honoy and tho marmalado that no Eng
lishman can do without.
Alono In hla room, however, ho was
quite another poreon. His calm nssur
anco took flight tho Instant ho closed
tho door and moodily begnn to prepare
for his bath. Resolution waa undi
minished, but tho facts in the caso
woro most desolating. Whatovor It
waa that .stood botwoon them, there
was no gainsaying its power to influ
ence their lives. It was no trlilo that
caused hor to take this bccoiUI flight,
and tho sooner ho camo to roallze the
scrlousnesa of opposition tho bettor.
Ho made up his mind on ono point
In that half-hour before breakfast; If
sho nskod him again to lot hor go hor
way In peaco, It was only fair to her
and right that ho should submit to the
inevitable. Sho loved him, ho was
suro of It. Thon thoro must bo a very
good roaBon for her perplexing attitude
toward him. Ho would make ono more
nttompt to havo tho truth from hor.
She Stared at Him, Transfixed.
Falling In that, ho would accept tho
situation ns hopeless, for tho tlmo be
ing at least. Sho should know that ho
loved her deeply enough for that.
Sho Joined him In tho UUlo opon-alr
enfo, and they sat down at a tnblo In a
romoto corner. Theio woro fow ion.
plo breakfasting. In hor tender bluo
eyes thero wua a look of sadness thnt
haunted him, even as bIio smiled and
called him belovod.
"Hotty. darling," ho said, leaning
forward nnd laying his hand on hcra,
"can't you toll mo what It Is?"
Sho was prepared for tho'quitlon.
In hor heart she know tho time had
come when sho must bo fair with him.
Ho obsorvud tho pallor that stolo into
hor warm, smooth cheeks as sho ro
ftardod him Ilxedly for a long time bo
foro replying.
"Thoro Is only ono person in tho
world who can toll you, HrauUon. It Is
for her to decide. I moan Sura Wian
dull." He felt a queer, elckonlug scnsatlou
of uneasiness sunak into existence, in
y , ' '
Hollow
y of Her Hand
Georgre Barr MPCutcheon
&Y GtORGt. CiAHi WCU7VfOY : COPyMffl, 92 GYP0DD,A7IDZ COMPA1Y
tho back of his mind, a hateful fear
began to shape Itself. For a long time
he looked Into her somber eyes, and
as ho looked tho fear that was hateful
took on Bomothlng of a doilnlto shape.
"Did you know her husband?" he
uskod, and somohow ho knew what tho
answer would be.
"Yes," sho replied, after a moment.
She wns otartled. Her lips remained
parted.
Ho watched hor closely. "Has this
this secret anything to do with Chai
ns Wrandall?"
"It haB," said she, meeting his gaze
steadily.
His hands clutched tho edge of the
table In a grip that turned tho knuckles
white.
"Hotty!" ho crlod, In a honrso whis
per. "You can't mean that you "
"1'ou must go to Sara," sho cried
hurriedly. "Haven't I told you that sho
Is tho one "
"Wero you In lovo with that Infernal
scoundrel?" ho demanded Hercely.
"Sara knows everything. Sho will
tell you "
"Wero you carrying on an affair
with him while professing to bo the
friend of his wife? Tell me that! Did
sho And you out and "
"Oh, Drnndon, why will you per
sist?" sho cried, her oyes aflame. "I
can tell you no more. Why do you
glare at mo as If I wero tho meanest
thing on earth? Is this lovo? Is this
your Idea of greatness? isn't it enough
for you to know that Sara Ib my loyal,
devoted friend; that she "
"Walt!" ho commanded darkly. "Is
It possible that sho did not discover
your secret until tho day you left her
houso so abruptly? Doos that explain
your ouddon departure?"
"I can answer that," sho said quiet
ly. "Sho has known everything from
tho day I met her. I havo not said
anything, Brandon, to lead you to be
lieve that I was In lovo with Challis
Wrandnll, have I?"
His eyes softened. "No, you haven't.
I I hopo you will forgot what I said.
You see, I know Wrandall's reputation.
Ho had no sense of honor. He "
"Woll, I have!" sho said levelly.
Ho flushed. "I am a beast! I'll put
It In this way, thon: Waa ho in lovo
with you?" ,
"You are still unfair. I shall not an
swer." Ho was silent for a long tlmo. "And
Sara's lips aro sealed," ho musdd, still
possessed of doubts and fenra.
"Until she elects to toll tho story,
dearest love, my lips aro also sealed. I
lovo you better than nnythlng elso in
all thla world. I could willingly offer
up my life for you, but woll, my life
does not bolong to mo. It is Sara's."
"For hoaven'e sako, Hetty, what Is
all this?" ho cried In desperation.
"I can say no moro. It is useless to
insist, Drnndon. If you can wrest tho
story from her, all well and good. You
will hato mo then, dear love. Hut It
cannot bo helped. I am prepared."
"Tell mo this much: When you re
fusod to marry Leslie, was your
course Inspired by what had hap
pened In In connection with Challis
Wrandall?"
"You forgot that It Is you that I
love," sho responded Blmply.
"Hut why should Sara urgo you to
marry Lesllo If thero la anything"
"Hush! Thero 1b tho waiter. Come
to my Blttlng-room after breakfast. I
havo something to say to you. Wo
must conio to a dellnlto understanding.
This cannot go ou."
Ho was with hor for an hour in that
pinchod llttlo sitting-room, and left her
thoro without a vestlgo of rancour in
his soul. Sho would not give an Inch
In tho stand sho hnd taken, but some
thing immeasurably grent in his make
up rose t6 tho occasion and ho went
forth with tho conviction that he had
no right to domand moro of her than
sho wna rendy to give. Ho was satis
lied to abide by hor decision. Tho
spell of her wns over him more com
pletely than over before.
Two days later ho saw hor off at tho
Garo do Lyons, bound for Interakon.
Thero was a completo understanding
bctweon thorn. Sho wanted to bo qulto
alono in tho Alplno town; ho waa not
to rollow hor there. Sho hud reserved
rooms at tho Schweitzerhof, and tho
windows oi her sitting-room looked
straight up tho valley to tho snow-covered
crost of the Jungfrau. Sho re
membered these rooms; as a young girl
alio bad occupiod them with her father
nnd mother. Hy somo hook or crook.
Hooth nrraugod by wire for her to havo
them again, not an easy matter nt that
season of tho year. Lnter sho wnB to
go to Lucerne, and thon to Venice.
The Bllghtest shred of hopo was loft
for Booth. Even though ho might ac
complish tho task ho had set unto hlm
solr tho conquest of Sara In respect
to the untold story ho still had Hot
ty'a dismal prophecy thnt after ho
loarned tho truth ho would como to
seo why thoy could not bo married.
Hut he would not dospalr.
"We'll seo." waa all that ho said in
response to hor forlorn cry thnt thoy
woro parting for ever. Thoro waa a
grlmncas In tho way ho said It that
gnvo hor somothlng to cherish during
tho months to come; tho hopo thnt ho
would como back and tako hor in splto
of horsolf.
. He palled 'from Chorbourg on tho
llrat steamship calling thoro. Awake,
he thought of hor; asleep, ho dreamed
or ChalllB Wrandall. There wns some
thing uncanny in tho persistence with
which that ruthless dospoller of peace
forced his way into his dreams, to tho
absoluto exclusion of all else. The voy
age homo was mado horrid by theso
nightly remlndorsof a man ho scarce
ly know, yet dreaded. Ho becamo
moro or lesa obsessed by tho Idea that
an evil spell had descended upon him
In tho shapo of a ghostly Influence.
The weeks passed slowly for Hetty.
Thero wero no letters from Sara, but
an occasional lino or so from Mr. Car
roll. Sho had made Brandon Booth
promise that ho would not write to
her, nor was he to expect anything
from her. If her Intention was to cut
herself off entirely from her recent
Ice ir-
"Hetty I " He Cried, In a Hoarse Whis
per. world and its peoplo, as sho might
havo done In another way by pursuing
the time-honored and rather cowardly
plan of entering a convent, she wns
soon to discover that success In the
undertaking brought a deeper sense of
exile than sho could h'avo imagined
herself able to endure at the outsot.
Sho found herself more uttorly alone
and friendless than at any time In her
life. The chance companions she
formed at Interlaken desplto a well
meant reserve served only to In
crease her feeling of loneliness nnd de
spair. Tho very natural attentions of
men, young and old, depressed her, In
stead of encouraging that essentially
feminine thing called vanity. Sho
lived as one without an. aim, without a
fiingle purpose except to close one day
that sho might begin tho next.
After a time, sho went on to Lu
cerne. Hero tho life on tho eurface
was gayer, and sho was roused from
hor state of lethargy In spite of her
Bolf. Once, from her llttlo balcony in
tho National, she saw two of her old
acquaintances in the chorus at tho
Galoty. They woro wearing many
pearls. Another time, she met them in
tho street. She was rather quietly
dressed. Thoy did not notice her. But
tho prosperous Hebraic gentlemen who
nttended them were not so careless.
Ono day a card was brought to her
rooms. For the next two weeks she
had a truo and unavoidable friend in
Lucerne. It would appear that Mrs.
Rowe-Martln had not been apprised of
tho rift In the Wrandall lute. She
had no reason to consider the exclu
sive MIsb Cnstleton as anything but
tho most desirable of companions. Mrs.
Uowo-Martln was not long In finding
out (though how she did it. heaven
knows), thnt Lord Murgatroyd's grand
niece was no longer tho Intimate ot
that Impossible person, Sara Gooch.
Sho couldn't think of Sara without
thinking of Gooch.
But at last Mrs. Howo-Martln dopart
ed, much to Hetty's secret relief, but
not before sho hnd increased tho girl's
hurthons by Introducing her Into a
cold-nosed cosmopolitan sot from
which thero were but thr.ee ways of es
cape. She refused to marry ono of
them, denied another tho privilege of
mnklng lovo to her, and declined to
play auction bridge with nil of thorn.
Thoy woro not long In dropping her, al
though It must bo said thoro was real
regret among tho mon.
From Mrs. Rowe-Mnrtln nnd others
she heard that Mrs. Redmond Wran
dall and Vivian wore to bo In Scotland
in October, for somobody-or-other's
christening, and that Leslie had been
doing some really wonderful flying ut
rau.
"I am so glad, my dear." said Mrs.
Rowe-Martln, "that you refused to
marry Lesllo. Ho is a cad. Besides,
you would havo been mi a perpetual
Btnto of nerves over his flying."
Of Sara, thero was no, news, as might
have been oxpected. Irs. Rowe-Martln
mado It very clear that Sara was
a respectablo person but henvons!
The chill days of rtutumn camo and
tho crowd began to. dwindle. Hotty
mado preparations to join in tho ex
odus. As tho days grew short nnd
bleak, sho found horsolf thinking moro
nnd more of tho hnppy-hoarted. sym
bolic dicky-bird on a furnway window
ledge. Ills llfo was nolthor a travesty
nor n tragedy; here was both of theso.
Something told hor too that Brandon
Booth had worrr.ed tho truth out of
Sara, and that alio would pover seo
him again. It hurt her to think that
whllo Sara believed In her. tho man
It is a way
CHAPTER XVI.
Vivian Alr3 Her Opinions.
Chief nmong Booth's virtues was his
undevlating loyalty to a sot purpose.
Ho went back to America with tho
firm intention to clear up the mystery
surrounding Hetty Castloton, no mat
ter how Irksome tho delay In achiev
ing his aim or how vigorous tho meth
ods ho would havo to employ. Sara
Wrandall, to all purposes, held the
koy; his object in life now was to In
duce her to turn It In tho lock and
throw oprn tho door so that ho might
enter in nnd become a sharer in the
secrets beyond.
A certain amount of optimistic cour
age nttonded him in his campaign
against what had been described to
him ns tho Impossible. Ho could see
no clear reason why sho should with
hold tho secret under the now condi
tions, when so much in the shape of
happiness wns at stako. It was In
this spirit of confldenco that he pre
pared to confront her on his arrival In
Now York, and It was tho same un
bounded faith in the belief that noth
ing ovll could result from a perfectly
just and honorable motive that gave
him the needed courage.
Ho stayed over night In New York,
and tho next morning saw him on his
way to Southlook. There was somo
thlng truly Ingenuous in his deslro to
got to tho bottonrof tho matter with
out fear or apprehension. At the very
worst, ho maintained, there could he
nothing more reprehensible than a
pnsslng Infatuation, long since dis
pelled, or perhaps a mildly sinister
episode In which virtue had been tri
umphant and vice defeated with un
pleasant results to at least one per
son, and that person tho husband of
Sara Wrandall.
Pat met hi in. at tho station and drove
him to tho little cottage on tho upper
road.
"Ye didn't stay long," said he reflect
ively, after he had put the bag up In
front. He took up tho reins.
"Not very," replied his master.
After a dozen rods or more, Pat
tried again.
"Just siventeen days, I mako It."
"Seems longer."
"Perhaps you'll bo after going back
soon."
"Why should you think that, Pat
rick?" "Because you don't seem to be takln'
much Interest in your eurroundln's
here," said Pat loftily. Ho delivered
a smart smack on tho crupper with
his stubby whip, and pursed his lips
for the companionship to be derived
from whistling.
"I suppose you know why I went to
Europe," said Booth, laying his hand
affectionately on the man's arm.
"Suro I do," said Pat, forgetting to
whistle. "And was it bad luck you
had, sor?"
"A temporary case of it, I'm pfraid."
"Well," said tho Irishman, looking
up at his employer with the most pro
found encouragement In his wink, "if
It's anny help to you, sor, I'll say that
I've never found bad luck to be any
thing but timporary. And, bellove me,
I've had pllnty of It. Mary was dom
near three years makln' up her mind
to say yis to me."
"And since, then you've had no bad
luck?" said Booth, with a smile.
"Pllnty of It, begob, but I've had
some ono besides meself to blamo for
It. There's a lot In that, Mr. Bran
don. Whin a man marries, he simply
divides his luck lnto'two parts, good
and bad, and If he's like most men he
puts tho bulk nv tho bad luck on his
wlfo and" kapes to himself all he can
av tho good for a rainy day. That's
what makes him a strong man nnd
able to meet trouble when It comes.
The beauty av tho arrangement Is that
had luck Ib only timporary and a wom
an enjoys talking about It, while good
luck Is wid us nine-tenths of the time,
whether we know it or not, and we
don't have to talk nbout It."
This was fine philosophy, but Booth
discerned the underlying motive.
"Havo you been quarreling?"
"I havo not," said Pat wrathfully.
"But I won't say as much for Mary.
The point av mo argument la that I
who loved her did not.
men havo.
havo all the good luck in bavin mar
ried her, and Bhe claims to have had
all tho bad luck in marryln' mo, still,
as 1 said bofore, 'tis but timporary.
Tho good luck lasts and tho bad don't.
Sho'U bo after tellln' mo eo before
sundown. That's liko all women.
You'll And it out for yourself wan o'
theso days, Mr. Brandon, and yo'll be
dom proud ye'ro a man nnd can enjoy
your good luck when yo get It. Tho
bad luck's always fallln' behind ye,
and yo can always look forward to tho
good luck. So don't be downhearted.
She'll tako you, or mo name's not
what It ought to bo."
Booth was Inclined to accept this
unique discourse as a fair-weather
sign.
"Tako theso bags upstairs, Pat,"
said ho on thoir nrrlval at the cottage,
"nnd thon como down and drlvo mo
over to Mrs. Wrnndnll'a."
"Will yo bo nftor stayln for lunch
with hor, Mr. Brandon?" Inquired Pat,
climbing over tho wheel.
"I can't answer that question now."
"Hlven help both nv us If Mary's
o
good luncheon goes to waste," said Pat
ominously. "That's all I havo to say.
Sho'll tako It out av both av us."
"Toll hor I'll bo hero for lunch,"
said Booth, with alacrity. From which'
it may bo perceived that master and
man wore of ono mind when it enmo
to considering tho importnnco of Mary.
Pat studied his watch for a moment
with n calculating oye.
"It's half-past ollvon now, sor," ho
nnnounoed. "D'yo think yo can mako
it?"
Booth reflected. "I think not," ho
said. "I'll have luncheon first." Where
upon ho leaped from tho trap and went
In to tell Mary how happy ho was to
bo whero ho could enjoy home cook
ing. At four ho w;aa delivered at Sara's
door by tho astute Patrick, announced
by tho sodato Watson and Interrogated
by tho intelligent Murray, who seemed'
surprised to hear that ho would not
have anything cool to drink. Sara
sent word that eho would be down in
fifteen minutes, but, as a' matter of
fact, appeared in less than three.
Sho camo directly to the point.
"Well," sho said, with her mysteri
ous smile, "sho sent you back to me,
1 sec." Ho was still clasping her hand.
"Havo you heard from her?" ho
asked quickly.
"No. But I knew just what would
happen. 1 told you It would prove
to be a wild-goose chaso. Where Is
she?"
Ho sat down beside her on the cool,
white covered couch.
"In Switzerland. I put her on tho
train tho night before I sailed. Yes,
she did send me back to you. Now
I'm here, I want tho whole story, Sara.
What is it that stands between us?"
For an hour ho pleaded with hor,
all to no purpose. Sho steadfastly re
fused to divulge the secret. Not oven
his blunt reference to Challis Wran
dall's connection with the affair found
a vulnerable spot In her armor.
"I shan't give it up, Sara," ho said,
at tho end of his earnest haranguo
against tho palpably unfair stand both
she and Hetty were taking. "I mean
to harass you, if you please, until I
got what I'm after. It is of tho most
vital Importance to me. Quito as much
so, I am suro, as it appears to bo to you.
If Hetty will say tho word, I'll tako
hor gladly, just as sho la, without
knowing what all this la about. But,
you seo, sho won't consent. There
must bo somo way to override her.
You both admit thero is no legal har
den You toll me today that there
is no Insanity in hor family, and a lot
of other things that I'vo boen ablo
to bring out by questioning, so I am
more than ever certain that the ob
stacle is not so serious ns you would
have mo believe. Therefore, I mean
to pQstcr you unfll you glvo In, my
dear Sara."
"Very well," sho said resignedly.
"When may I expect a renewal ot
tho conflict?"
"Would tomorrow. bo convenient?"
ho asked quaintly.
Sho returned his smile. "Come to
luncheon."
"Havo I your permission to start
tho portrait?"
"Yes. As soon as you like."
Ho left her without feeling that ho
had gained an Inch along the road to
success. That night, In the gloaming
of his starlit porch, ho smoked many
Pat Met Him at the Station.
a plpoful and derived therefrom a' pro
found estimate of tho valuo of tact
and discretion as opposed to bold and
impulslvo measures In tho handling of
n determined woman. He would mako
haste slowly, as tho saying goes. Many
aa unexpected victory is galnod by
dilatory tactics, provided the blow Is
struck at tho psychological moment
of least resistance.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
Forged Antiques.
Arabic enameled glassware Is prized
as ono of tho finest productions of tho
glassmaker's art. Damascus Is the
principal point for tho dlscovory of
Arabic nntiquos, and undoubtedly
much of It was mado in that city In
nncient times; but United Statos Con
buI John D. Whiting at Jerusalem has
discovered that tho business of manu
facturing forgeries of tho genuin
nrtlclo hns assumed largo proportions
In Damascus.
