3-D
THE BEE: OMAHA. SUNDAY. MAY 28. 1922.
.- t.
The Romance of a Million Dollars
TUX STORY THIS FAIL
PMTTY Morn Anfnthma, tkaaf
um MpiyM fry Mr. X'fcA&arn
ai, Mcwi Uaier umJx an uuama
rose mrfiau, 4utmwi Ws u at aw
diunut and Wj tA kue
fcoU, nAid tatJuJet Afrs. VnbttUH
Km hue napkmu, Brck and V ft, and
a iar Ball. Lot klaru u not MJ
mupu-um tautf a ipy at da.
feu, finally, although ouroclad to
tha tooth Brack, jW rund to
IT Ml. tT andaring about tha Mult, tha
Mm puma to pu horn " bmtt
by a MniMrMNw Mrs. Smith.' ond rcof
tutat tha playar at tho Urrtlla "woman
in mblm" vho had thai to tunntU har.
$ha U about to tcrm tehan Brack putt
kit hand ovar kr mouth and it frUi by
Allan Col tax, third naphaw, wAo it dta
truttad by Air. Uunbarton-Kant. Whan
Maria muakat, Mn. Vunbarton-Kant it at
landing har tnmriat. Ona of Mrt. Dun.
barlon4inft datariwot reveal Brack hat
vutiad kin. Smith and tho hat fled; ho
I kota tho kad lott kaavUy at fom
bltng, Watt, rapuiaad in a propotal of
tnarriaga to Maria, names Brock at hit
rural. Mario it bafflad by har jaOaro to
toaka a friand of Brack.
SIXTH DfSTALLMKNT.
The Truth About Brack.
MAIUB caught bar breath. " Monsieur
Wct boot to klM bar and Maria
recaptured her usual alnatvani,
Sha left tba muff to tua hand and put tba
road botweun than.
"X prefer thai we walk mora apart," aba
said, poised for flight, her manner half grav.
half mischievous. " I think I krr thla Kent
House g really, bat whether I lore Dun-barton-Kent
of that I an moat uncertain.
And I do not klaa when I am aaked unices
I wUh to."
I am In eeraeat. Marie," West said de
eidedly. "But you are tn earnest too suddenly, mon
sieur." "I'm usually sudden when there's some
thine I really want" .
"And I am most unsudden. The thing I
wish for at this moment is my muff my
hands grow cold." and she ahlvered with a
mock chill, her small feet patting the ground,
about as tantalizing an object as man could
look upon. ,
West eyed her utumiUngly; then, suddenly,
he relaxed. ""Well, be 'unsudden' if you
want to ItU he all the same tn the end
you'U go with me wherever I want you to go.
Tou were a quaint thing when you were a
little chauffeur ess I thought about you all
the time I was In "Washington, and the other
night In the garage, when you were crying,
I didn't know whether I was In love with
you or not. But, when you were hurt, I
knew. In skirts, you're a formidably lovable
person and the prettiest thing on earth. Now
here's your muS-Hprlll you come for KT"
I think not, monsieur." '
The half serious laughter In her eyes had
lodged tn his. "May I bring It across the
road to youT" i
" I think tt wffl be best for yon to throw It
to me."
" O, very weB catch! "
Marie secured her muff. "Now we walk
! to the house, but, please, you on your side of
the road and I on mine," and she walked off
resolutely but with the earner of her month
.rebellious.
. West looked both exasperated and amused.
"You're pretending," he asserted. "At this
moment you're thinking about as hard as
you ever did In your life." t .
It was true. Marts was walking jauntily, .
but tn her muff her hands were tightly ,
gripped. " Indeed, monsieur! Of what Is tt
I think so prof oundtyT " she asked with deter
mined lightness.
"Mostly of the great mystery, my black--browed
cousin, Breck."
- It was so correct a guess that Marie
caught her breath. She was embarrassed
beyond words, and they walked in alienee up
the driveway to where the lawn touches the
park and again they were tn sight of the
house. Then West came determinedly to
herald. ' -: ,
"Walt a moment. Marie," he said, earnest
ly. "Tou must 'listen to me. I'm not de
pendent in any way on my aunt, I can
marry any -one I please and whenever I
please, and I love you. I think you are the
unsudden' sort I'm glad you are. Vm
goii.g to make you love me.
"As for Breck Marie, don't wonder so
much about him. There are things I cant
tell you, but the girl who lets him take hold
ea her Imagination la Is tor serious trouble.
Don't misunderstand me, Marie Tm not
Baying this because I'm Jealous. Vm not in -the
least jealous of your interest In him, for
h you knew the truth about Breck and you
wQl In time you couldnt even pity him. I
understand perfectly why Breck is a tantalis
ing mystery to you: It's because you are
tender hearted. It's a quality I love you're
sweet clear through. But, Marie, if Auat
Bulah suspected for a minute that you have
any particular Interest In Breck she would
be ruthless.
"I'm telling you because I love you. I
want you to stay here and win out with
everybody. I want you to feel that you
have a home and such a woman as my aunt
devoted to you; Aunt Bulah is a power, in
a way she can do a great deal, either 'or"
you or against you. Tou know that rm
speaking for your own good, don't you,
dear?" ;
There was forceful earnestness In every
word he had uttered.
Marie had grown white. " I must believe
that you speak for my good, monsieur."
"I do, Marie, rm a Dunbarton-Kent; It
hurts to have to say what X have about a
; ember of my family, but I love you too
mock not to war you. Will yea try to
love tne, Marie r
Marts looked at the hand be laid on her
arm, tho up into his earnest fare, " I Use
you very much, and X am grateful, but to
love you I do net know. I I must think,"
she said unsteadily, ,
Ills brows earns together, then suddenly
be smiled. "That's somewhat doubtful so
eouragement. little Maria, but Z must abide
by IC Z suppose. Tou think, and IH try t
help you to think. We'll leave It that way
for the present, but, Maria, X never P
anything I've set my heart on, so think
hard, sweetheart-"
There was bo coquetry In Marie's answer,
and she withdrew from bts touch gently.
" Z will, monsieur. At the same time Z am
proud that you cars for me, f or I am so un
important a person. I wish nuw, please, to
go to the garage alone."
" Very well; well say au re voir here. But
you 11 find fresh roees In your room they'll
help you to think kindly, Z hope," and, rais
ing his cap gravely, be went off across the
lawn to the house.
"Mon Dteur " "e whispered to herself
as she went on up the drtveway. "Moo
Dleul Now I do not know at all what
to do."
8be was so exerted and troubled by her
thoughts that even so odd a thing as Mrs,
DunbartoB-Kenfs sending to the garag for
the little dress Marl had worn that morn
ing scarcely stirred her Into surprise. She
gav Qlbbs the dress and went on with her
thoughts, or, more correctly, her loo gin ga.
After lunch WllletU came to the garag and
took out the limousine. He said be was go
ing to drive Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent, but h did
not say where she was going.
" How are you f eellng? " he asked, evident
Jy desirous of lingering as long as possible.
Marie looked flushed and vivid, a tempttng
vision.
"I feel quite tired," Marie answered.
" This afternoon I think I shall He down be
cause of my head."
"That's right," Willett said approvingly.
"Ill tell Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent you're being
sensible. Tou want to take good care of your
self." Then West came to take out his roadster
and Marie fled to her room. She was thank
ful that he did not try to talk to her. Bhe
lay down and told herself that she would
remain lying down until dinner time, that tt
was the right thing to do.
But when the sun begun to slant through
her window the urge was too much for her.
She got up and began to dress hurriedly.
Why should she not do as she had planned In
the morning? What barm could It do? She
would be so much happier If she knew.
With nervous baste she arranged her hair
so that It fluffed out becomingly beneath her
toque, and her furs she left open In front so
as to show her pretty blouse. She pinned
one of West's roses on her blouse, then quick
ly removed It; the red color was becoming,
but wearing It made her uncomfortable. She
compromised by wearing a string of red
beads which a French soldier had given her,
and when she remembered what he had said
her face quivered Into a smile, and suddenly
she kissed the beads:
" It Is the color that draws love, tnsrtomri
selle." Then Marie went down Into the garage,
but not out by the front way. She went
through the storeroom and rapidly across the
shrub dotted space behind the garage and
Into the far end of the park. To reach the
road to the farmhouse she must either semi
circle through the park or go straight
through the park and walk along its outer
edge until sbe came to the road, a consider
able walk and two fences to climb. She -chose
the latter way.
" They all speak 111 of him, not one person
Is his friend. He Is not allowed any longer
even to come to the garage!" she breathed
passionately. " I do not care If I try to dis
cover for myself! I cannot bear It any
longer!" and she mastered barbed wire
fences without any great difficulty.
First there was a plowed field, then the
farmhouse pasture. Marie kept close to the
edge of the park, where there was under
growth, until she came to where the road
to the farmhouse emerged from the park.
Theh she chose the stump of a tree and sat .
downt From her position she could see the :
farmhouse and barn, but she was well hid
den 'from the park by the undergrowth be
hind her and by the big oak tree. Marie
knew that feeding time was over; she sat still
and waited.
She did not have to wait long; Breck came
out of the barn and started down the road
to the park. He walked slowly and with ob
servant eyes on the semi -circular sweep of
park. When half way down the road he
bent as If taking something from the ground
and his backward glance swept the farm
house and what could be seen of the high
road. Then he came on deliberately as be
fore. It was not until he came quite near
that Marie noticed he was carrying some
thing white in the bend of his arm. She
saw it only vaguely, for in her excitement
everything but his face looked blurred.
His face she saw with peculiar distinctness;
Its almost carven Immobility, and the shad
owed eyes. .
From the first moment Marie had seen
Breck Dunbarton-Kent she had thought him
the handsomest and the strongest look
ing man she had ever seen, and now, throb
bing with excitement and scarlet from em
barrassment, she felt rather than saw his
splendid physical perfection, his well carried !
head, and wide shoulders.
She felt a quiver of delight oddly commin
gled with the fear that he would simply lift
his cap and pass her by without a word or
the slightest change of expression. His eyes
were fixed on her, but a marble face would
have shown 'as little recognition. When he
came to within a few feet of her, without
knowing in the least what she was doing,
Marie stood up.
He stopped close beside her. " I saw you
coming," he said. "I brought you some-
thing."
Marie changed from red to white with
alarming suddenness, for she was swept by
the discovery that he did not smile simply
because the muscles of his face were unac
customed to smiles, and that his eyes were
shadowed and watchful because of habit.
His voice was gentle.
" Yes monsieur " she said with diffi
culty. She did not know why, but she wanted
to cry,
Seer he said.
I:
MSsbbbbWMss'
I 't
' Sho atno distinctly tma persons in tho room, Allan Colfax, standing fav
ing tho louwfoao, and, with arma about hla nook, m woman.
Marie's misty eyes followed his glance
downward to the curve of his arm In which
was cuddled a spaniel pup, a fluff of white
with black splotches. From between Its
long, silky ears It was staring roundly at
Marie.
" She' a cocker spaniel," Breck explained,
bis voice soft, his expression changeless
" They're affectionate and little trouble."
"O " Marie said unsteadily. Sho was
trying to wink the tears out of her eyes.
The result was that they hung on her lashes
and she crimsoned with confusion.
Breck looked down at the foreshortened
view of wet lashes and quivering lips, and
the muscles In his cheeks twitched, whether
with a 'desire to smile or from some other
emotion it would be difficult to tell.
" Suppose you sit down and take her in
your lap," he suggested quietly. "Shell
soon make friends with you."
Marie was glad of the chance to hide her
face. " It is a most beautiful dog," sbe said
with greater composure.
"This baby's weaned; you can feed her
almost anything now. Shell be amusement
for you."
Marie lifted her wide eyes. "Tou mean
you give her to me?"
" Tes to take with you when you go away,
If you want to." After a keen survey of the
park, Breck had backed against the twin
tree. Its trunk hid him from any one who
might bo t the park and he could see any
one who might be about the farmhouse or
on the High Road. He looked down at
Marie. "I've named her, but perhaps you
wont like her name."
Marie's mouth began to curl upward at
the corners. . There was a circle of warmth
about her heart. If she could make him
smile, she would feel like dancing because of
joy. "I think I guess the name," she said,
eyes laughing.
" Well?" "
" Miss Angora Lamb."
-' Marie saw the smile dawn In his eyes, then
creep slowly over his face, as If struggling
with stiff muscles. " Poor Gibbs! No
guess again."
" I think I shall call her Dorothy, which
means a gift of God."'
"I called her the Little Detective." His
face had become immobile again.
"But why such a name, monsieur?" she
asked puzzled.
, "What do you think the most vicious
crime in the calendar?" he demanded ab
ruptly. " But, monsieur? Why, to murder Inten
tionally -or intentionally to injure a helpless
creature
"And next?" he asked in the same even
way.
"I think to steal and lie." Marie felt
chilled, for his face was like stone; again she
felt like crying. ,
" There is a sin which is like unto it," he
said with even bitterness; " to give a child a
bad inheritance." He touched her shoulder.
" Marie Angouleme, go away from here." He
spoke low and yet emphatically. " Go back
to Canada. Go at once, and forget Kent
House and ever one in it."
" Monsieur ?" In her surprise and dis
tress, Marie stood up, the dog clutched close.
" I beg you to go," he said profoundly.
West was right Breck had taken hold on
Marie's Imagination and, except to the mere
animal, that is the beginning wf love. Mrs.
Dunbarton-Kent's stern disapproval of her
nephew and West's warning had . merely
deepened her sympathy and Interest.
It was love and sympathy which had
brought her to them. The urse In her was
y. ' MT ',. -II
!
too strong to be governed by warnings or
' fears. She wanted to see him and talk to
him. She wanted to win him. She wanted
his explanation of why he was treated as he
was. His plea was a part of the mystery
which surrounded him. He must explain.
But to question him was not easy; she
held the dog closer. " Monsieur why do
you make of me so strange a request?"
" Because you are In danger."
Her eyes dilated. "In danger? What do
you mean?" ,
'"Will you please believe me, and go? I
" cant explain. There are those who do not
' mean well by you. There is real trouble in
this family, Marie Angouleme. The storm
will break one of these days don't let It
catch you. You walked. Into it knowing
nothing about It go, and try to forget us."
. Marie took her resolution In both hands.
"I do not know who could wish me harm,
yet I am not afraid. I do not wish to go, for
I have learned' to care for for members of
your family. I could not forget I do not
know what this trouble Is that distresses
your family. Monsieur, I wish to be honest,
so do not be hurt with me, because I came -today
purposely to talk with you. ' Perhaps
I am wrong, but it has seemed to me that
this family trouble circles about you. But
In my heart, I have felt a great sympathy
with you I have felt that you were un
happy. Is it not so, monsieur?" '
The color surged Into Breck's face. He
looked down, but he said nothing.
In her earnestness, Marie put her hand on
his arm. " Monsieur, tell me what this
trouble is? Why do they treat you as they
do? I ask not at all from curiosity Indeed
I do not but but because I have such sym
pathy. Tell me and, if you wish it, I will
lock it in my heart no one shall know."
Breck looked down steadily at the ground.
He was silent a long time It seemed to
Marie, until the color slowly left his face
and the muscles in his cheeks began to
twitch, as If he were setting his teeth tightly.
He continued to stand with head bung, until
Marie began to feel 111; a guilty man would
look like that
Then the little spaniel began to squirm;
she was holding It too tightly. Marie drew
back from Breck and put the spaniel down.
Her throat ached; why did he hang his head
like that?
Then, suddenly, he straightened and looked
at her in the shadowed way that set her miles
apart from him. " It's best to leave things
as they are for the present" he said evenly.
" Tell me do you love my cousin. West?"
It was an abrupt question, shot at her
from beneath keenly observant eyes, and
Marie flamed scarlet Out of her confusion
of feelings, sickness at heart, pain, and sur
prise, she answered swiftly:
" He at least is kind. I think I shall not
leave Kent House immediately, monsieur."
" I judged as much, from what I have ob
served," he returned as coldly as Marie had
ever heard him speak. " 111 wait a little and
see," he lifted his cap. "Thank you for
coming, Marie Angouleme, and I am sorry
you think I'm not kind. I hope you may
never think anything worse of me than
that," and he replaced his cap and strode off.
Marie looked after him until the welling
tears dimmed everything. "I should not
have told him that he was not kind," she
said in sorrowful regret " I should not have
questioned. It is worse than if I had not
come nothing is plainer to me than it was
before."
But Marie was not telling herself the
exact truth. What hurt her most was the
way In which Breck had hung his head.
' It was some time before Marie thought of
the spaniel. She was feeling wretched
enough; the ache in her had become a tor
menting pain. Ht did not know which hurt
her the most the determined way In which
Hrer It had urged her to leave Kent House
or the way In which he had hung bis bead
when ah questioned him. When she thought
that possibly the neglected dog was following
Breck she felt deaprrato. Ureck would think
she cared nothing for hi present
Bhe thrust through the undergrowth which
mad a hedgerow of the fence and anxiously
scanned the field behind Colfax Hall. At the
rear of the house were tall trees and a tangle
of shrubbery, but the field was fairly open,
patched here and there by weeds. To Marie's
relief, half way between her and Colfax Hall,
she saw the lnlcL The little animal was
nosing the ground and going tn the direction
of Colfax Ilo.lL
Maria climbed the fence and started down
the field to pursuit before It occurred to her
that the spaniel was in danger. Colfax's
fierce huge dog would with on snap end the
life of anything so tiny and helpless as the
spaniel. It was probably the scent of Col
fax's dog that the spaniel was nosing. And
there was danger to her, too. She and her
little dog were trespassing.
Bhe looked everywhere for the animal. It
bad not gone up the road to the farmhouse
nor down the road Into the park. Marl
searched the park for quite a radius. The
high park wall ended at the edge of the park;
then there was a fence which ran along the
road to the farm and up to the high road.
It divided the Kent House property from the
neglected grounds of Colfax Hall, and finally
It occurred to Marie that the spaniel might
have wandered off beyond the fence.
Terror gave speed to Marie's pursuit but
the spaniel was in search of its own kind,
and, having reached a well worn path, was
running toward the bouse. Marie did not
think of stopping it was Breck who had
given her the dog. For his sake she would
have faced both Colfax and his mastiff.
When the spaniel disappeared In the tangle
of shrubbery she plunged after It, praying
fervently that Colfax and his dog might not
be at home. She tore through the shrubbery
just in time to see the spaniel maneuvering
with difficulty the steps of a side porch. There
was a blanket beneath one of the windows
on the porch, and the dog hastened to it and
nosed it eagerly; evidently it was the resting
place of the mastiff when the animal was at
home.
For a paralyzing Instant Marie was certain
of It for the woman wore a hat with a flow
ing veil, which hid her hair, and her face
was hidden by Colfax's bent head. They were
clasped in each other's arms, cheek to cheek,
a passionate embrace. Marie stood aghast
an instant too long, for Colfax lifted his head
suddenly and the woman turned and looked,
revealing not Mrs. Smith's rich bued face,
but the flaxen fairness of Bella Dunbarton
Kent In the instant before Marie fled she
bad the queer impression that Mrs. Smith
must have transformed herself into a blonde,
bleached lashes and brows and hair, for the
long, strong, graceful lines of the body were
so like Mrs. Smith's and yet the woman was
certainly Bella Dunbarton-Kent. Allen Col
fax was looking at Marie over Bella's shoul
der, brows raised and lips parted in blank
amazement which lowered on the Instant
, Into a look-of rage.
Marie tiptoed up the steps and across the
: porch. She seized the spaniel, intent on
' getting away as rapidly as possible, and sbe
' did not think about the window, but as sbe
lifted the dog she glanced In apprehensively,
' and what she saw held her fast for a brief
space of dumb astonishment She looked into
a large and high cellinged room, carpeted In
red and furnished In heavy old mahogany.
The evening sun streamed Into it, so she saw
distinctly the two persons In the room, Allen
Colfax, standing and facing the window,
and, with arms about his neck, a woman,
the long lines of whose body were terrlfy
ingly familiar to Marie -the woman of the
train, Mrs. Smith.
' Marie sprang off the porch and ran Into the
shrubbery and straight up the path which
led to the highroad. She heard Colfax on the
porch; she knew he was running after her;
then she heard him call, 44 Come back here! "
She ran for her very life.
But It was Impossible to outdistance him.
There was a stile giving on the high road,
and Marie scrambled over It Colfax cleared
it at a bound. He was within a few feet of
her then, and Marie whirled and stood at bay.
"I came only to get my dog she
panted. " If you touch me I shall scream
I shall scream! " she said wildly. She was
holding the spaniel tightly to her heaving
breast; her eyes, and her voice, and her
cheeks were afire.
Though he came close, Colfax did not
touch her. "Keep quiet! I'm not going
to hurt your he commanded. He looked
at the dog; be was hot panting, and scarlet
" A likely story!" he said angrily.
. "It is quite true. My dog ran away to
your house and I was afraid your dog would
kill her. She ran up on your porch so I
went to get her. I could not help seeing
In your window."
" How long were you there? ' You better
tU me the truth."
" I wish to speak only the truth. . I was
there only a moment"
v " What did you see?"
"I saw the woman who was there."
"What woman?"
" I thought at first it was some one else
but it was not."
" Indeed! Who was it?"
"It was Mademoiselle Bella Dunbarton
Kent." "You're mistaken," Colfax aald more
quietly. " It wasn't Bella, but some one who
looks a good deal like her." -
Marie knew she was not mistaken and
that he was not telling the truth. If only
she could get, back safely to Kent House
with her dog! She was afraid of Colfax; he
was a big, reckless looking creature, as broad
shouldered as Breck, but he did not have
Breck's clean look. On that first day when
she had gone to his house by mistake and
he had frightened her, he was so drunk he
had been scarcely able to keep his feet He
seemed to be sober now, but flushed and
angry. One of his eyes was blackened
Marie remembered his fight with Breck
and it made him look ugly.
Marie was frightened, but she tried to be
tactful. " It does not matter to me who the
lady was, monsieur, I am sorry, I did not
mean to see into your house. It was acci
dental. All I wish Is to take my dog back
now to Kent House, so I say good-by," and
she backed away from him.
"No you don'tl" Colfax said roughly.
"They call you 'The Little Detective at
Kent House. I haven't believed it you look
like a little innocent to me but blamed if
I don't believe It now. TouTl not go a step
until you've given me a promise you'll keep
that you won't tell Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent
or any one else about what you saw today."
Marie flamed first into anger. " I am not
a tattle-tale! I would never run to Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent
with stories of her niece!"
Then, stung by the thought that when Breck
bad named the spaniel he was making fu
of bar, sh flared ahneet Into tears. " I At
not undrtand why I am Insulted! Why
am I railed a detective? I do my work, sad
am honest! Why's Utile detecuv T
Colfax eipreasion changed; he ockd
anxious rather than angry, " Vou won't
carry (his to the old lady ihea?"
I would eertalnly not teU Mrs. Dunbar too
Kant that I saw you snd her elect em
bracing," Marl retorted hotly. "Of what
business of nun is it? If otj wish thai
promise, I give it"
Colfax looked so relieved that Marl wa
not afraid of bim. It occurred to Iter sud
denly that sh could make bim tell br why
alt wa called a detective. Then It riubod
over her, her great opportunity.
"But I aaic something In return,'' h
added promptly. "I wish to know what la (
the trouble in this Dunbarton Kent family
that makes them all so Strang. Why do
they treat Mr. Breck Dunbarton Kent as
they do, and also why due be act so
strangely?"
Colfax looked nonplused. Then b col
lected himsnlf. "O, it's just an abominable
mesa I tell you. Marie Angoulem. 1 really
haven't a bit of bard feeling because you
used your fists on me that first day. I wa
drunk I'm a fool when I'm drunk. When
I get worried I drink, and then I do fool
things. You're not a little detective or any
of the rest of it I take that back. I know
you were not spying on ui. I think you're
a nice little thing; that's why when I heard
you scream the other night I went for Breck
there was no telling what he was up to.
So I'm giving you good advice; there's going
to be a worse state of things at Kent House:
It' sure to come, and the less you know
about it the better. Don't get mixed up la
It Just quietly clear out"
Marie eyed bim for a moment He did
not look angry, but he had a dissipated,
reckless appearance. He was quite the kind
who, when drinking, would not care what
wild thing he did, an Irresponsible man, as
Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent had said. Evidently
he and Bella were lovers a secret affair
for when driving Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent and
Bella they had passed him often and Bella
had looked over his bead always, just as
Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent did. They were de
ceiving Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent
Marie distrusted Colfax utterly. Sh felt
he was trying to be pleasant simply because
he was afraid she would tell Mrs. Dunbarton
Kent about his affair with Bella, and, nat
urally, he would want her to leave Kent
House as soon as possible. But It was
strange that he should say to her almost
exactly what Breck had said. Breck had
refused to explain, but this man would have
to tell her what he meant by such advice.
She would make him do it
Marie's little face was set hard. " I have
no Intention of leaving this Kent House un
less Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent should teU me
to go," she said firmly. " I like this family
there are those who have been kind to ma
But there is a thing I am determined to
know why is it that even you speak 1U of
Mr. Breck Dunbarton-Kent?"
Colfax looked down. His hung head re
minded Marie painfully of Breck's; he looked
so like Breck, all but his slight mustache
and the dissipated lines In his face. " Con
found if' he muttered. Then he shrugged.
" ' Curiosity killed a cat it never kiUed a .-.
woman.' I bet it's killed many a man, .
though. Look here, it's dangerous for me to
tell you. I'd rather not tell you, Marie
Angouleme. Hang it! My mother was a
Dunbarton-Kent1" He looked thoroughly dis
turbed. But Marie was immovable. " I will teU no
one," she promised firmly. "Of it and of
your secret I will say nothing to anybody. I
promise you, and I keep a promise."
For a moment Colfax looked at her as
keenly as Breck might have doros. "You
will, I guess," he said finally. "Perhaps
Breck's the one you like. But you're making
a big mistake. West's a gentleman he's
straight He's been courted all his life, but i
it hasn't spoiled him. He loves artistic and
unusual things he's clever. He has his own
fortune, too, and he doesn't have to wait for
his third of the Dunbarton-Kent money.
West wont quarrel with any one he's
always treated me like a cousin I like West
Everybody likes West West and Breck and
Bella, the Dunbarton-Kent money la to go to
them; Mrs. Dunbarton-Kent has only the
Income from it during her life. But there's
a proviso in Mr. Dunbarton-Kent's will that
if either of hla heirs should commit a crime,
come under the law, he, or she, will
lose his or her portion. It's a queer thing
not that you're not a fascinating girl and
good enough for anybody that West has
fallen in love with" you. If you're wise,
you'U leave Kent House and let West court
you somewhere else and marry you and keep
you away from aU this family trouble. That's
my well meant advice, so don't ask me any
more Just take It
"It Is not advice for which I asked,"
Marie flung at him. "Iam not In love with
anybody and least of all with any person's
money. More than ever I wish you to tell
me the thing I asked."
"WeU, hear it then!" Colfax said in ex
esperatlon. "You have me in a corner. 1
cant afford not to tell you. Breck was born
and reared a thief. Before he was twelve '
years old he was a skillful pickpocket When
he was fourteen he took to porch climbing.
He spent his fifteenth year in a reformatory.
Then an old New England preacher took
him Into his family. ' He stole a roll of bills
from under the old man's pillow while he ,
was asleep and started out west with it and
was caught and that time Breck went to
prison "
He was Interrupted by Marie's gasp. Sbe
was dead white and staring. Her arms had
grown lax and the spaniel slid to the ground.
"It's true, every word of if Colfax said.'
" It happened away up in Maine, but Has- "
lett, Mr. Dunbarton-Kent's lawyer, heard
of It for there was a trial and Breck gave
his right name, Breckenridge Dunbarton
Kent; the police had always known him as
Ken Smith. Then Mr. Dunbarton-Kent went
to Breck's rescue. He did all he could to get
Breck a short sentence they gave him two
years. Mr. Dunbarton-Kent was an awfully
good sort, a good business man, too. He'd
made a lot of money and he'd helped West's
father to make money. Bella's father was
no account and when he died Mr. Dunbarton
Kent took Bella Into his family. When
West's father died, he gave West a home,
too, and looked after West's money.
" That was the kind of man Mr. Dunbarton-Kent
was. He had faith In Breck, for
there was something to be said for him.
Breck's father had been the black sheep of
the family, crooked as he could be the
Dunbarton-Kent had lost track of him
years before Mr. Dunbarton-Kent hadn't
even known that his brother had a son.
Breck's father was about as low down the
scale as a man could get when he died and
left Breck to shift for himself. Stealing
came easy to him; he'd been raised among
crooks; you couldnt blame bim so much."
(Continued Jsext Sunday.)
tCopyrlfht, 1K2.)
V.