Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-04-14


"I'H tell you," I said. keeping my
hand on his shoulder, almost caressing
ly. "Pd listen attentively, if L were I'm
your place. What you can 90 is to
make clean breast of your story from
beginning to end. I'm willing to pay
you more for confessing than wildred
did for plotting. Then you must GO
back to England with me, and stand
by while the thing is made public"
When / had finished he sighed and
dropped his head. His own hair which
was very closely cut, was OF a beauti.
full reddish color, much the shade of
Karine Cunningham's, as the light fell
on 1t from above. / Thought of her
with great wave of passionate love,
and more OF hope than l had dared to
feel for many a long day.
Perhaps il was the recollection of
her lovely face and the wonderful halo
Of her hair which caused me for an
instant to relax my grasp. | only be
came conscious OF having done SO
when the fellow twisted himself from
under my hand. and spriugly lightly
to his feet, would have darte1 through
the swing door had L not sprung after
him like a tiger.
We fought together as the car sway
ed and bounded along its track. Once
most out of my clutches, but l caught
him by the collar with so fierce a grin
that the linen OF his shirt tore. and the
garment ripped open to the waistcoat.
Something which he wore beneath
snapped as he still struggled to escape
ME and bright object flashed under
my eyes as 1t fell and dropped with q,
slight metallic noise to the floor.
Wi flw~ q II -
of value. Impulsively he stopped, for
getful for second of the object which
had animated him, and thLs the adj
vantage became all mine again. 1 had
him plnioned fast.
At our feet / now had time to. OBJ
serve, lay a gold broken chain and
locket.
Twisting my hand firmly "a his col
lar, i bent over and picked up the
ornaments. Allow me-" l said smiling.
And as l was about to put the 1ocket
in his hand l could not avoid seeing
the portrait that it framed. 1t was an
| open-faced, old-fashioned thing, set
round with rim of pearls. The crystal
had been cracked across in the fall,
bat the delicately painted ivory minia-
ture within was intact and gave a
| slight exclamation as l saw that it re-
A
! ''Give it back to mer' he CALCULATED,
| forgetting his evident fear OK me for
the first time, and speaking with .
| certain manly fierceness that thawed
the chill of my contempt for him. I'll
| I've got a right for nothing else on
| earth, I've got right to that. It's a
| portrait of my sister"
Here is the locket." said. 1T came
| from England to California to serve
i Miss Cunningham's interests, and
will not lay my hand upon hel
| brother"
81 don't know what you mean," he
j said sullenly.
I'm tell you,' 1 returned, ''if you'll
sitdown here and listen to me for &
4 few minutes longer. After that, as fal
as | am concerned, you are free to d'
as you choose. You look surpIised-hu
whatever may have been your fault,
and your offences. 1 would stake m,
u life you love your sister,"
;, "She is the only thing on Garth L d.
love" he replied, still half dazedIy.
Then he sat down, his eyes furtivel,
on me, and l seated myself beside him
'She is sacrificing herself for som
one" remarked. II think / begil
dimly to understand now who tina
some one may be, | think, TOO, tina
circumstances have given me th
2 right to be inquisitive, as I can sti
further explain to you later on.
Miss Cunningham going to marry Car
! son MILDRED to save you from any III
pleasant consequences of the past, 70
inStanceT'
He started almost as though he ha
a been struck.
"She is not going to marry Carso
Wildredp' he exclaimed.
4 "Oh, yes, she is, unless il can be Or,
! vented. 1 see have even Crore to tie
you than / thought. Is it lon.s may
ask since you have seen your sister!
Last November" he said, droppin
. his head, and bringing under my eye
a again the hair that was like hers.
y / e"Ah, that explains your Ignorance
ell The man had not shown his hand 8
that time. Now, am going 10 trust I
your affection for Miss Cunningham