Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-09-21


gested. and took the earliest opportu-
atty Of mentioning this proposal to Kate.
To my surprise she at once expressed a
decided dissent from the arrangement.
and indeed seemed so much perturbed
by it that at oneo relinquished the
IDEA but | begged her to tell mo the
reasons ~ her objection
"Not now" she said hastily; IL hear
papa coming; wait till after breakfast
and then you shall know"
We wefe standing at the gate Of the
courtyard, breathing the fresh morning
air. She left me and returned to the
house. whence Dir Birchmore almost
Immediately issued aud saluted me with
more tlfaR his usual cordality | won
dered what his behavior would have
been had he known Of the transactions
" the past night or Of what was IN store
for us during the day. He began to talk
about Kohlstein, aud related several
anecdotes OF the bandits by whom it was
said formerly to have been inhabited
"a have been W there more than
once. he remarked. "and Tire traces Of
their occupation are siiu visible. re-
member onS feature that particularly
impressed me-a n;rrow cleft OF chasm
Of considerable depth. into which tho
o. 4 fellows are said to have thrown their
prisoners when they became refractory
Would the fall kill them"
ii SHOULD say not; the bottom seemed
full Of chopped brushwood and other
such rubbish. Bat no human being
could have got out unaided, and proba-
bly, day OF two's lonely sojourn there
would bring the most rosolute madcon-
tent TO terms. 1t would DO a CHASTITY
fate to fall in there nowadays. and have
ones skeleton f5hed out again the fol-
lowing year perhaps. and sensational
paragraph in the newspapers You
young folks must pick your steps care
fully today"
"Forewarned is forearInedl" rejoined
[, with short laugh Further CONVEX
sation was cut short Ny summons to
breakfast. On this occasion Slurk wait
ed. at table, and / observed him with
more than usual attention and tolera.
ton, as one with whom | was soon q
try desperate conclusions. He was Ger.
tainly q viliainous looking character
but he appeared to be, for reasons besi
known to himself, in excellent spirit.
this morning--a circumstance which
stirred up an unwilling kind OF compass
sion within me. rejecting whata speedy
and inai end was going to be put to ali
his possibilities of enjoyment. Vile
though his life had been. it was the
only one no had.
Kate likewise had the semblance o.
unusual gayety, but | could sec that 4
was either feigned OF the result Of nerv
Gus excitement. And my Judgment wa
justified when after breakfast she over
took me as | was on the way up stairs Z,
my room to make my final preparations
and said, in voice unsteady with emo
! ton;
tom. dear, you asked me why yo'
} might not beaye your diamonds wit
Christina You do not know wha
danger You we're in last night On IA,
way back to my room heard two pee
pie talking together, aud they msntione
J your name, SC I stopped and listened
One said, The bolt is all right; ha
} better go in and risk il; he'll be certai
J 70 be asleep by this timer Aud then ia
other said He has his revoivers leave
10 me: he believes be can trust me. Tc
} morrow. when he goes.out. I'll get hil
10 lesfvs Them with me Tor safety an
: then they both laughed Ny darling
ibis house is a den Of thievesl'
; "Were the persons you heard-wh
: were theyg"
christina and that creature she cal
J her father. Hushl There she conei
, She must not see Us together, and in
I moment Kate bad glided AWAY. weI
on up the stairs with heavy heart
D would almost rather not have heard tn
. last revelation. My confidence in IN
penetration had received a humiliatin
shock To think that Christmas inn'
5 cent face and modest. maidenly air COZ
D | cealed the heart of a thief, or. wor:
e ( still, Of decoy duck. was a blow to m
4 | vanity as well "a 10 my Riith in huma
( nature How artful she had been who
J. { fancied her most Ingenious and kind
h And then it all at once flashed upc
b me-what If Heinrich Rudolph himse
o were in the plot? What if he had write
b chem to be on the outlook for me, m
what if Slurk, being secretly in leagI
s with him, had contrived to get Il
q Birchnores and INC along with the
t INTO this house. intending to divide Il
e spoil with Herr Rudolph and Christin
e Many signs seemed 10 point to this as
4 true deduction from the circumstance
: and even rs was rather grimly consi
b sring the matter, a new confirmation
d Hates discovery awaited me. Chrisfil
] was standing at my room door, and as
u anne up she courtesied and said;
ii was wishing to speak moment
Herr Gainsborough. II he would pe
y init me"
e "What do you wants" asked som
2 what roughly.
s docs the honored Herr rememb
n what said yesterday"
, That you wished me 70 give you II
Il diamonds for safe keeping? Yes; and
i lave to answer that | am not quite
n .rustful as you seem to Think
,e The scornful and severe tone in whi
i spoke evidently startled her, but 81
b | till affected not to understand
Q 1T was for Herr Gainshoyoughs ov
o AXE she began, bat interrupted b,