Evening star., 1899-03-18
CHAPTER NV,

CHAPTER NV.
Confounded by this check and filled with
an anger that was nigh to dangerous he
fell back and then Immediately sprang for
ward.
What ara you doing here?" he cried.
Don't you know that it is IL o'clock and
that my father requires the house to be
closed at that hour"
And you?" was her sole retort; what
are you doing here?'' Are you searching
for flowers in the woods. and is that valise
you carry the receptacle in which you hope
to put your botanical specimens?"
With a savage gesture ne dropped the
vaiise and took her fercely by each shoul
der.
Where have you hidden my money! he
hissed. Tell me or
"Or WHAT" she asked, smiling into his
face in a way that made him loose his grip.
"OT-or, l cannot answer for myself he
went on, stammering. DO you think L
can endure everything from you because
you are woman? No: 1 will have those
bills, every one of them. or show myself
your master. Where are they, you incar-
nate fiend?"
1t was an unwise word to use, but she
did not seem to heed it.
.Ah." she said softly, and with a linger-
ing accent. as if his grasp of her had been
a caress to which she was not entirely
ayerse. Il did not think you would dis
cover its loss so soon. When did you go to
the woods, Frederick? And was Miss Hal
Hday with your
He had disposition to strike her, but
controlled himself. Blows would not avail
against the sOftness of this suave yet mer-
ciIess being. Only a will as strong as her
own could hope to cope with this smiling
fury; and this he was determined to show,
though. alas. he had everything to lose in
the struggle that could rob her of nothing
but hope which was but baseless fabric
at best. for he was more than ever deter
mined never to marry her.
"A man does not need to wait long to
miss his own said he. And If you have
taken this money. which you do not deny,
you have shown yourself very short-sight-
ed for danger lies closer to the person
holding this money than to the one you
may villify by your threats. This you will
find, Amabel. when you come to make use
Of the weapon with which you have thought
to arm yourself"
Tut. tut was her contemptuous reply.
do you consider me a child? Do 1 look
like babbiing infant, Frederick
Her face, which she had lifted to his in
saying this, was so illumined, both by her
smile which was strangely enchanting for
one 50 evil. and by the moonlight, which
So etheriaIizes all it touches, that he had
10 tnlnk OF tndt Otner purSr- truer lace he
had left at the honeysuckle porch to keep
down ii last wild impulse toward her, which
would have been his undoing, both in this
wcrld and the next, as he knew.
or do / look simply like u wOman?" she
went on. seeing the impression she had
made. and playing upon it. "A woman
vino understands herself and you and all
the secret perils Of the game We are both
playing If / am u child, treat me as a
child; but if / am woman
stand out of my way" he cried, catch
ing up his valise and striding furiously by
her. Woman or child, you shall know
that / Will not be your plaything to be
damned in this world and the next"
Are you bound for the city of destruc-
tiOn?' she laughed. not moving. but show
ing such confidence In her power to hold
self If so, you are taking the direct road
there and have only to hasten But YOU
had better remain in your fathers house;
even II you are something Of a prisoner
there in company with my very insignifi-
cant self. The outcome will be more salts
factory, even If you have TO share it with
me-"
And what course will you take" he
asked. pausing with his hand on the fence,
If choose destruction without you, rather
than perdition with you2"
What course? Why. 1 shall tell DR. Tai
bot just enough of what 1 know to prove
You 10 De as desirable a witness in the i'm
pending inquest myself. The result |
leave 10 your Judgment. But you will not
drive me to this extremity. You will come
back and"
Woman. l will never come back. / shall
have TO dare your worst in two weeks and
will begin by daring you now. l.
But he did not leap the fence, though he
made move TO do so, for at that moment
q party OF men came hurrying by on the
lower road. one of whom was heard to say:
Il Will bet my head that We will put our
hand on Agatha Webb's murderer tonight
The man who shOves $50 bills around so
heedlessly should not wear beard so long
81 leads To detection"
1t was the coroner, the constable, Knapp
and Abel en route to the forest road on
which lived John and James label
Frederick and Amabel confronted each
other and after a moments silence turned
as II by a common impulse toward the
house
What have they got in their heads?,
queried sne. Whatever it is II NAV serve
TO occupy them till the two weeks of your
prOba tion have passed
He did not answer. a new difficulty had
entered his already overcrowded life