The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-03-23

between his forefngers and thumb while
he spoke-was talking.
My dear Cyril'-it was the voice of a
Sentleman-"there must be no more de-
lay. L am getting too oid-really, you
know, l am SOTO be as impatient as a
youth. Still, l am not stagnant With
age"
IL tell YOU" said Cyril, interrupting
him, that l must get the other sigma
ture. Victoria Marie is no good. We
must have Victoria NJ, as you know
Inc mention of her name was a sur
lie about the signature Victoria, in her
hiding place, gasped with astonishment
,, very well, my dear friend,' replied
the stranger, twirling his mustache still
more vigorously; Il shall trust you till
the eighth day; this is the fourth We
know each other, dear boy. We are COM
rades IN sorrow. friends in need-what is
the proverb, eh? But if you play me
false-well, do not like double dealings
between par,ners-it is as if a man
struck me in the back. l should feel JUS
tined in retal iating in the same way \
tooth for a tooth, eh?-that's in the BIZ
ble.' Yes, better to wait in dark road
how would this do?-wait till he passed
you, and then! It is very SIMPLE 1t is
code of honor l learned in the service
~.
Lie elgnt1 day mentioned by the
stranger, and not forgotten by Victoria,
for at 8 O'Clock in the evening Cyril and
Victoria were in the billiard room, appar-
emily engrossed in scoring the required
hundred. Cyril bad earlier in the even
ing made several attempts to leave, but
Victoria, with unusual denseness, had re-
fused to understand the plainest hints
WhlGh he let drop, and had at last prac-
t5caily commanded him to follow her to
the billiard room, thus escaping the sleep
ing espionage of Mrs. Lisle in the draw
ing room. The game was finished, Cyril
had run out with break of thirty-tive,
scoring far more rapidly than in any pre-
vious game with Victoria.
lie put his cue carefully into the rack
and Ticking some chalk stains off his
be off, l have an appointment
with the tall gentleman with the big
mustache?' said Victoria gently.
How do you know?" cried Cyril in as
tonishment
For answer Victoria mcthodically put
aside her cue, and sitting down on the
settee patted the seat at her side with
a qmetly-suggestive motion.
.1om will come and tell me every
thing she said.
lie sat down, leaning forward with his
elbows resting on his knees and his hands
clasped.
1T is better not" he replied moodily
eyclng the pattern on the linoleum car
peting.
She leaned forward, and taking his
hands i'll hers, unclaSped them: then,
releasing one, she held the other in both
Of hers.
Their heads We're close together. and
her wavy brown hair-her one pride and
beauty-brushed his temples.
There was no need to speak loud
You will tell me everything" she re-
iterated softly.
You know part Of it," he answered
huskily; ''you've guessed somehow that
l love you (she pressed his hand), and |
wish you hadn't. You see. Tm-I'm a
scamp. Il rogue and a cheat
He pulled his hand from hers almost
roughly and continued excitedly: I'm
| not tit for you to TOUCH I've been in
| Jail. I'm Il hardened criminal. l ought
not rightly to be able to love anyone. and
no one should love me. My name isn't
| FitZherbert. It's Brown-Cyril Brown ~
I'm glad it is still Cyril she inter.
rupted Il love CYRIL"
"Oh, that is nothing-not the name
| he went on. paSsiCnately: Il came here
to swindle you, to rob you. Look here. .
He took something out Of his pocket
| and handed it to her without turning his
head.
1t was piece of folded paper. and
| when she opened it she disclosed Il check
IA check on her bank for 100000. The
signature. unmistakablc and clear, was
hers-Victoria- Marie McKoy.
This is not a forgery" she said. hest
tating over the ugly word.
"No." he replied. dropping his voice
to whisper. ''you signed it in that birth
day book
Il understand" she said thoughtfully
She understood his hesitation at last
his regret on that day, and she remem-
bercd the lie he had told to the stran-
ger.
She held the check in her hands for a
moment, regarding it thoughtfully; then,
bidding him wait for her, she hurried
See here" she said speaking hurried
ly, as one who wishes to pass quickly
over an unpleasant tale. i've put my
private mark in that thing like a tad
pole They will cash it now; they would
MT have before. You will 20 halves with
you can leave him and-and live honest.
ly. OF course IL will never tell.'
She leaned against the table, looking at
him with an expression of expectation
rather than of the fnality her words con
| veyed.
He looked at the check she held out tc
him quite carelessly. hardly as one would
small fortune thus absolutely offered te
him. Then taking it III his hands. he
tore. it into tiny pieces and threw then
on the floor.
You forget that I love you,' he said
He moved toward the door. but though
her eyes followed him, she never stirred
AS. he opened the door he turned anG
IN0 JyHI h1r, fs,I kl, e. ill.,
time during that talk.
1T was q repentant rogue that loved
YOU" he said, sadly. "Goodby."
She nodded her head with gesture OF
parting just as if it had been one of the
preceding uneventful nights.
'.Au revoir,' she said.
She listened to him walking through
the hall, and not tin she heard the noise
of the closing of the front door did she
move. Then OH tiptoe she ran after him.
As he passed along the dark road she fol-
| lowed-as she had listened that night-in
the shadow of the fence. Underneath
! the solitary lamp the Stranger was wait
ing. twisting his mustache and tapping
with his foot on the ground as if he grew
| impatient.
"Ah!'' he said, sharply, when Cyril
joined him; you are an hour late. Nc
matter. Have you got it "'
not"
'Why?'
Because she gave me the money-f1O,-
OO0-and l gave it back to her,
"Ah, you mean that you have doubled
on me-"
''No, mean that we will part"
every we'll"
She could see the heavy mustache lift
and disclose the Strangers teeth. She
knew the sign; the dog meant to bite.
Every well, go! Go, my dear Cyril. to
the devil. ! will watt
Cyril held out his hand.
:'Let. us part friends, MAXWELL he
said with some emotion. IL cannot for
get what we have gone through togeth-
err" >
II cannot forget the kiss of Judas" re-
piled the Stranger, smiling again in his
peculiar, 'woltish way.
Cyril turned on his heel, and almost in