, 1891-10-17
"wha had you against rrentr ION

Nothing in the world. Quite the CON
trary. | met him first in Ceylon, where
he had gone to buy some jewels that
one of the native princes wanted to sell.
/ knew India, and l knew the princes. l
acted as a go-between and got the Jew
els for Trent at forty per cent. off. He
made me a present of that forty per
cent. as commission, and from that time
in one way or another / was his agent.
! understood gems as well as he did, and
that is saying a good deal, and 1 was
often able to do things and to make bar
gains that would have been impossible
for him. No n knew of our relation
that would have spoiled my usefulness
but l put him in the way of many a
good thing, and he always paid me well
for it. No; Harry Trent and 1 were the
best OF friends, but the best of friend
ships a be ruined by a woman"
ID you mean to say you plotted with
her against himY'
81 would have done it without a
doubt If she had asked me-" Garcia re-
piled. YES, 1 would have taken that
numbering contract off her hands if she
had let me known she contemplated it.
But she didn't know it herself till the
time came. She went over to have a
serious talk with Trent that night, about
the rumor that he was going to marry
another woman. His explanations were
not satisfactory; the dagger happened
to be lying handy, and she took the hint.
So far / find no fault; it's human nature
feminine nature anyhow. But from
that point on her course is indefensible.
After inducing me to aid her in securing
Trent's plumber by ~intimating that she
would marry me as soon as she got fast
hold of it she clapped me in Jail on
a trumped up charge of stealing her
jewelry. 1t broke my heart; 1 made no
defense; h had everything ready to
choke me off in case l attempted to turn
the tables on her, but she might have
spared herself the trouble. / went to
Jail and staid there two years think
ing it over. By the time 1 came out /
was ready for action, and thanks to our
friend, the count, who gave me a ten
dollar gold piece, a broken leg, and the
use of n capital of a couple of hundred
of millions, more or less-I have put in
my first blow. l am ready to follow
it up"
well, Mr.. Garcia" said Tom, cross
ing his legs and scratching the back Of
his head, "they say confession is good
for the soul, but I'll tell you frankly, in
the presence of Count de Lisle, that your
story puts me in mind of an old prov,
erb"-
when thieves fall out honest men
come by their OWN" Garcia i~nterposed.
"Yes, sir; that is what l meant"
II acknowledge the impeachment"
Garcia interposed. "Once / was an hon
est man, but better men than l might
lose their virtue If they fell in love with
q woman like Sallie Matchin."
Count" said Tom, "you found me a
poor man, and you have made me a rich
one. / owe you everything. But three
years ago, when you bore another name,
you were a needy artist. Now scarcely
a man living has wealth to compare with
yours. Before l knew that you were
Keppel Darke l never bothered my head
about how you came by your money.
But things are different now. You
couldn't have made your fortune. Mercy
knows it's my interest to believe every
thing good of you! But my wife and I
would rather go back to what we were
before than profit by anything that isn't
Ahhi AIN oboNc pOdAu. ~ 1ou MdlO W
say anything about it,"
What l have, L found" said Count
de Lisle. mo crime was involved
in my taking possession of it. 1t never
had a legitimate owner. 1t never can
have n more legitimate than l..
Some time after 1 discovered it l met
the man who had called it his. / told him
that / had it, and how and when / got
it. He acquiesced in my ownership,
and SO far as he could made me his
heir. The time was gone by when it
could have been of use TO him, and it
was his wish, for reasons that he
thought wise, that none of his descend
ants should learn of its existence. Ithad
caused only disaster SO far, he said; he
bade me, If it were possible, to do some
good with it. That is how the matter
stands, Bannick. l tell it, not for my
sake, but for yours; for 1 comprehend
your scruples, and wish you to feel at
ease in the enjoyment of what you
have. / am glad, too, hat you should
understand what l could not explain at
first-that what l have done for you was
a simple act of gratitude. You did all
you could to save my life, and / in.
tend to give you reason to be glad that l
am alive"
otis a strange story, count" said
Tom gravely.
at is the truth, Bannick. Some day
perhaps l will give you the names that
will confirm it, but not now; and you
are not the first to whom they must be
told"
~ see, but you have told her nothing
at all as yet?'
mo; that is a difficult problem. If ]
fail there, all is a failure. l am jealous
of myself, and she must be faithful by
being u%nfaithful. But let that pass. Arr
you satisfied?'
he held out his hand as he spoke. Ton
rose and stuck his own into it. 81 be-
heve you are a true man, he said. "You
have bleached your hair and beard, and
You wear eyeglasses and a title; but
there's nothing wrong with you inside
/ never thought there was; but I'm GLAD
to here it out of your own mouth. Now
what are you going to dor
ITO speak of personal matters. Their
are three principal ones: to settle my &C
count with Mrs. Matchin, to get MAJ