The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1899-07-19
was as nothing to him. She felt her
heart grow cold and cruel and revenge
full as she thought OF her wrongs.

heart grow cold and cruel ana revenge
full as she thought OF her wrongs.
III.
Beautiful weather, Ella he said.
as they got into the second field. and
safely out of earshot OF the station.
Beautiful weather. She could have
laughed aloud. The plan which had
matured In her brain when she wrote
him the note which had brought him
hither required 10 her.
''Yes, the weather is perfect" she
said, calmly.
II never expected seeing you here"
he exclaimed. slashing the heads off the
big golden daisies with his cane.
Nor anywhere elseY"-cynically
ooh. won't say hat"-reddening.
She gazed at him from under her
long lashes.
What | can't understand" he con-
tinued irritably. lis why you have tax
en- up the position you have done"
II took the situation before / knew
that Miss Fallon was engaged TO YOU"
the girl answered gravely. 81 should
not have known you by your new name
or found you at all had not seen your
photograph at the hall"
''Since when have you taken 10 the
companion business for a living?" he
asked, with a short laugh that ended
in a sheer.
"Since l came out of prison and
found myself homeless, friendless. pen
niless, and deserted"
He clutched her arm, and glanced
around.
"Sh-h-h, Ellar' he calculated hoarse-
ly. Someone might hear you"
She freed herself from his grasp, and
walked calmly on. The man felt half
afraid of her.
He glanced through an opening in
the trees to where the hall stood
bathed in the slanting rays of the set
ting sun.
''You are reformed character,
then?"-lighting cigarette.
Yes"
But your note mentioned something
about necklace Y"-tentatively.
Yes"
"Confound it. Ella, don't be so mono
syllable. | could do with that neck
lace. I'm deuced hard up, and IL would
only be taking what would soon be my
own, in a sense. You must get ii for
me, that's a good girl"
You intend to marry Miss Fallon"
she asked.
why. of course That is foolish
question. Ella"
Perhaps il is"
"And you'll get the necklace. if pos
sible? You are clever. Ella. and can
manage it. If there is any contre-
temps, however, l shall trust to you
not to implicate me-" anxiously
Her lips curled with ineffable scorn.
81 will get it," she said; there is no
danger. You can meet me in the long
corridor tonight"
He slipped one arm around her waist
and tried TO draw her TO him. She re-
sisted for a moment and then, pushing
back the hair from his brow, she
kissed him once with burning lips. And
the kiss was the kiss of Judas.
But the man thought he understood
The creaking of door woke no echo
in the wide hall. A window at the end
admitted moonlight cloistral in its
whiteness. 1t Just touched a softly
stepping figure, dressed in black. In
black, of course. How could not tell
what trick a stray moonbeam falling
on white might playi
There was moonlight enough in the
small boudolr to see ones way TO the
curious cabinet of inlaid Japanese
woods that stood in one corner. A fra
gile thing in appearance, but not in re-
atty, unless you happened 10 know the
mechanism of its secret drawers
When you did. what more easy than
10 touch a spring and assist the hinge
that noiSeleSSly turned, exposing the in
distinct contour of the Golfer behind?
The box was OF light weight. despite
the value 1t represented. But those
swift. deXterous fingers had no thought
Of carrying 1t. Already they had
pressed the secret spring that opened
il. and lifted the padded tray. From
the delicately-scented satin of it's lin
ing the liquid fire of diamonds, the liv-
ing Wilderness of pearl detached
themselves.
Just then the moon passed behind n
cloud. But there was no possibility of
mistake in the touch Of those cold
chained stones, slipping like a snake
against the palm.
This was the wonderful Fallon neck
lace, enriched with gems scare any
where to be matched. The tray was re-
placed, the Golfer put back, the hinge
turned. The Japanese cabinet stood
in its corner as If no touch had vio-
lated it,
Inc uhTk uRuTe al the llgnt OF the
reappearing moon glided from the
room as noiselessly as 1t had glided in
Halfway up the long corridor a sec
ond figure Joined the first.
Let me see-have you got themT' a
mans voice whispered hoarsely. IL
must see them-be sure. Come to the
window. Ella; the moon will give suffi-
cient light"
His grip on her delicate wrist hurt
the woman painfully. Her breath came
in short. sharp pants.
Dazzling, bewildering in their beau
~, the gems lay In Francis Aspden's
palm.
Outside the moonlight shone in one
long, unbroken path, lighting up the
verandah which ran along this side Of
the house.
He turned TO her exultantly.
you have done WELL Ella. These
gems are worth a kings ransom! Let
US"
Gal-9 II etaoihrdlueaOp
ua stoDned suddenlv STARTLED no