The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-13

from my MIND. 1t was Immediately APP
parent that all her suavity asa adula-
ton were mere sycophancy, assumed
! Tor purpose. She became in an in
slant as menacing and ugly as she had
heretofore been smooth and oily
supposed you'd refuse me-, she
sald But you're a fool; you might
just as well give when you're asked
as when you're threatened Then you
could save your pride, that you're so
considerate Of"
/ L remembered then, as she spoke
what l had till now forgotten-that
had commissioned my father to secure
her silence towards Lisa concerning nv
procession Now, with that exponent
or my neWly-formed resolution lying
open on my desk, ready for immediate
transmission, fear of exposure no
longer troubled me, and therefore /
could quite easily return her glance of
Would-be intimidation with a smile of
calm confidence.
I'm this case shall give neither
when | am asked nor if 1 am threat
! ened," l returned quietly. You have
delayed too long making capital of your
power to balk my wishes regarding
my daughter AS you entered, | was
! just finishing a letter to the mother
superior desiring her to send her to
me by the bearer of my note. But, that
you may not blame yourself needlessly
!
carrier execution, let me tell you that
at no time, nor under any circum-
stances, should l have been induced
! TO pay one penny more for the pres
ervation of my secret than the amount
had already assigned for that pur-
pose
She flung her head into the air with
a gesture of ineXpressible contempt.
"Oh, THAR she cried you don't
suppose | thought you paid twenty five
Thousand dollars to keep your girl from
finding out that you're an actress, do
you? We know, Picot and I, what
your little game is. We know our
business, we do. We had good laugh,
can tell you, over the way you put
it. AS if we didn't know that you
wanted these swells to be kept dark
I about there being a girl of yours in
| hiding, until you had got that young
chap to marry you! And 1 guess, al
though you try to brazen 1t out pretty
well, that my secrets worth about as
! much now as 1t ever was isn't it?"
l was about rising to my feet to or
der her out of my presence-for my
sorely-taXed spirit had borne about all
of insult it was capable of enduring in
one day-when the door opened and
Stone appeared, bearing a small card
upon his tiny salver.
BEG pardon, madame he explained,
to announce him. He thought it might
be inconvenient for you to receive him.
but he would be very glad if you would
see him for a few minutes on an impor-
tant matter
l had been stirred that day to the
| depths of my being. I was still all
tremble with fierce resentment of
! the indignitieS which had been so mer-
cilessly heaped upon me. Yet 1 could
have sustained a far greater burden Of
contumely with more equanimity than
l could summon to the mere holding
of that bit Of pasteboard. For the syl-
tables upon it, Richard Elton Quin-
tard," had magic power over me, and
1 could not withstand their influence
ASK Mr.. Quintard to wait few
moments in the reception room" 1
said. II shall be almost Immediately
disengaged." Then I turned to my de-
| spised visitor. IT have no more words
! to waste upon you" [ said. Il cannot
| believe that you really imagine that
would lower myself to attempt to re-
! flute such an Infamous charge as that
! you have brought against me. There
is my door, 1t is. WISH which 1 shall
/ be careful to repeat to my servant,
that you never enter it again. That
i is all l have to. say to you 1 turned
my back deliberately upon her, and left
her standing there, with baffied hatred
y -.
1 think she, still did not believe but
| that it was my earnest desire to con-
ceal the fact of Lisas existence from
the world until 1 should have matured
the ambitious designs she attributed to
! me, but she did feel assured that she
could not by any possibility eXtort fur
Their financial concessions from me-
Hence her rage.
gave no more thought to her at the
| moment. One all-important considera-
ton occupied my mind, to the exclu-
sion of taunts, threats, Objurgations
and insult. 1t was enough for me to
| reflect upon as I stood before nv mir
ror and sought to restore something
Of composure to my appearance, that
there waited in the other room the man
| for whom l would gladly, even in the
hour of my bitterest resentment
against him, have laid down my life.
| What had he come fer? What necesisty
could force a man who had once been
| forDidden Woman'S house to expose,
| himself again to her inhospitality? Had
| he, perchance. come to bargain with
! me for his sons liberty? Had his
| wife, perhaps, hidden him invade the
absurd privacy within which the act
ress attempted to shelter, and offer
| such terms for the surrender of her
prey as would tempt her natural and
| professional cupidity? The little laugh
| which the silent room gave back to me
was so hollow and mirthless that |
| shivered.
l took lovely fleecy wrap of white
man about and soft blue silk, and threw
| it over me, for 1 was in truth cold
| from prolonged nervous strain. [ glanc-
ed into the glass to see if the delicate
color in any measure dispersed the look
of age and suffering that seemed sud-
denly to have been craven on nv
countenance. Alas! no. My own face.
| the face that it was the fashion To
laud and commend for it's youthful mo,