The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-18
THE GOLDEN IDOL.
} Y FER GUS HUM e.

every onei Come and Dance" and
clutching Teddy, she whirled him round
the room; while Mrs Wharton shrieked
reproof and Norah slipped up stairs to
Leonard.
In a couple of days the "much-made-
Of one was strong enough to come down
stairs, and NOrah put him on the sofa
near the window. 1t was well curtained
with lace hangings so he could see out
without being seen. Many people passed
up and down the quiet street thinking
perhaps, to get a glimpse of him. On the
third morning Mrs. Wharton had gone
out shopping, Fancy was with Teddy on
the pier enjoying the sensation of being
lionizcd, and NOrah was alone with her
lover Then, and not till then, did she
tell him all that had passed at Oldport
and Fletmouth since he had been carried
away.
Il wouldn't tell you before. DEAR" she
said, fondly. 1 was so afraid you would
not be able to stand it,
"Oh, I'm getting all right, Norah. I'm
only run down bit. You are my best
physic, dear. 1t is just as we'll you
should tell ne. That Internal idol has
been the cause of all this trouble. / wish
I'd never seen the thing. No wonder
Wang-Ho is the god of ill-luck. He has
certainly acted up to his calling. Poor
old Burnley! Wonder who shot him.
Norah was sewing and bent over her
work as Jayne spoke. Leonard" she
said in Il low voice, do you know L
sometimes have a terrible feeling that
Philip did?''
impossible, Norah. I saw q great
deal of Philip when he was looking after
me at Gravesend. He has fallen very
low, he is degraded even brutal, but
don't think he would murder. Besides,' -
added Jayne, after a pause ''he did not
know enough about the idol-it's value
| mean. to risk his neck for it. No,
Philip isn't guilty of that 1 have my
| suspicious of Marks though"
1T seems strange the police are SO
helpless
THE police don't know what we know,
Norah."
How much are you going to tell
them?'
Leonard shook his head 81 am going
to tell them nothing he said
Norah was surprised. but Leonard.
dear, isn't it too serious matter to leave
like that?''
What, Burnley's murder?'
''No-I mean-your being taken away.
| Ii is criminal isn't it?''
81 hardly know. At any rate 1 don't
| fancy anyone prosecute but myself,
| and 1 don't intend to. In fact, if I say
| anything about 1t at all, 1 shall simply
| tell them that 1 took a boat and that
oilc Iul Hou over ana was rescued by the
| Fairy and taken to London. where I fell
| ILL., and only recovered the other dav TO
| come down here. It's no ones business
! but ours, and that's all they'll get from
| ME. l. don't want to be made a holy
| snow OF; [ hate that sort Of thing. And
1.-the public and our friends want to know
! about the blood and the locket and the
return of the boat, or any other details,
t they Wlll nave to make up story for
themselves, that's ALL"
But, Leonard, will your captain ac-
cept-''
on 1 must tell the truth to him and
make formal statement to the admiral
W. L intend to write this week Of
Ccurse' I've got to put myself right with
them But they will say nothing,
BUT the police? Inspector Dyke call
Let him call. You know the story
III gong 10 tell. Gasken is a black
guard; all the same he is nv cousin ana
yours, and I can't prosecute him 7
! can think what on earth made the
man do 1t. was never bad friends with
him. 'eii'iS Win
Norah paused in her work and delhi
| Grated as to whether she Should fell hin,
what was in her mind She hated the
mere mention OF it. Still. perhaps. if was
] right he should know. She decided Oh.
must tell him.
Leonard" she whispered, Rowland
was in love with me-"
Jayne half-rose, leaning on one elbow
ln--fove--with your" he repeated, slow
~. GOOD heavens! Why, that makes if
clear as daylight. see it all now. He
wanted to get me out Of the wav to
marry you"
II never should have married him. Len
Ii you had not come back l should have
dled. 0 Leonard, you don't think,
Leonard kissed the hand that crashed
his own. Think, dear? L thing nothing
Know nothing but that you are true to
me. So Rowland loved you? Poor dev,
Don't pity him. hate him. He might
have killed YOU
K don't think that was his idea. ]
was treated well enough. Probably he
intended to keep me there until he had
achieved his object
I would have died first, Len"
Il also-in captivity. Well he's q
scoundrel. Still, 1 can't help feeling a
bit sorry for him. You know. Norah.
the Easterns have a proverb that love
excuses all things. I'm glad anyhow,
he's had the grace to clear out would
not have prosecuted him, but I certainly
should have thrashed him.
"And he has gone for. a missionary. The
! hypocrite. Leonard, don't let us talk any
more about him. He's not worth it,
Go Be Continued Daily.)