The San Francisco call., 1904-02-14


ing to them.
other direction"
He was breathing quickly; he saw his
chance-if Jefferson Bareaud did not
come now.
You did not hear me come down
the stairs" He leaned toward her,
risking it all on that.
No"
All" A sigh too like a gasp burst
from Crailey. His head lifted little,
and his eyes were luminous with an
eagerness that was almost anSGlsh.
He set his utmost will at work TO col
lect himself and to think hard and fast.
Il came here resolved to take man
away, come what would he said. Il
found the door open, went TO the foot
Of that stairway; then / stopped. 1
remembered something; / turned, and
was going away when you opened the
door"
You remembered what?"
Her strained attitude did not relax,
nor. to his utmost scrutiny, was the
complete astonishment of her distended
gaze altered one whit, but hint OF
her accustomed high color was again
upon her cheek and her Lip trembled
a little. like that of a child about to
weep. The flicker of hope in his breast
increased prodigiously. and the rush OF
IL IOOh the breath lTOfli MS NlAiOol oAN
choked him. Good God! was she go
ing to believe him?
I remembered-youi"
"What?" she said, wonderingly.
Art returned with a splendid bound,
full pinioned, his beautiful and treach-
erous familiar who had deserted him
at the crucial instant; but she made
up for it now, folding him in protec-
tive wings and breathing through his
aI1xa ont Nx-f9i
pers hGpoured out the words upon the
girl in the doorway.
Il have a friend and 1 would lay
/, down my life to make him what he
could be. He has always thrown every
thing away-his life, his talents, all his
money and all OF mine-for the sake
of-throwing them away! Some other
must tell you about that room: but it
has ruined my friend. Tonight / dis
covered that he had been summoned
here, and I made up my mind to come
and take him away. Your father has
sworn to shoot me If / set foot in his
house or on ground of his. Well, my
duty was clear and I came to do it.
And yeti stopped at the foot Of the
-because-because / remembered
that YOU were Robert Carewe's daugh-
ter. What of you, If l went up and
harm came TO me from your father?
For / swear I would not have touched
him, You asked me not to speak of
personal things, and / have obeyed
you; but I must tell you one thing now:
I have cared for this friend of mine
more than for else under heaven, but
/ turned and left him TO his ruin, and
would Il thousand times, rather than
bring trouble upon you! A thousand
timesg All / swear il should be a
thousand times a thousand"
He had paraded in one speech from
v,r-fGn y
den. and her eyes were shining into
his like a great light when he finished.
Go quickly" she whispered. Go
quickly, Go quickly"
But DO you understand"
Not yet, but 1 shall. Will you go?
They might come-my father might
come-at any moment
DO you want to drive me quite mad?
Please go," She laid a trembling, ur-
gent hand upon his sleeve.
Never until you tell me that you
understand - replied Crailey firmly, lis
tening keeniy for the slightest sound
from overhead. "Never-until them"
when ! do I shall tell you; now 1
only know that you must GO
But tell me"
You must goi"
There was a shutting of chairs on the
floor overhead, and Crailey went. He
went even more hastily than might
have been expected from the adaman
tine attitude he had just previously as
sumed. Realizing this as he reached
the wet path. he risked stealing round
to her window:
For your sake," he breathed; and
having thus forestalled any trifing inn
perfection which might arise in her
recollection of his exit from the house,
he disappeared, kissing his hand to the
rain as he ran down the street
Miss Betty locked her door and pulled
close the curtains Of her window. A
numerous but careful sound of foot
steps came from the hall, went by her
door and out across the veranda. ST.
lentIy she waited until she heard her
father go alone to his room.
She took the candle and went in to
Mrs. Tanberry. She set the light upon
a table. pulled a chair close to the bed
side, and placed her cool hand lightly
on the great lady's forehead.
isn't it very late, child? Why are
you not asleep?"
Mrs Tanberry, want to know why
there was a light in the cupola-room
tonight"
WHAT" Mrs. Tanberry rolled her
self as upright as possible, and sat with
blinking eyes.
II want to know what am sure you
know, and what I am sure everybody
knows, except me. What were they
doing there tonight, and what was the
quarrel between Mr.. Vanrevel and my
father that had to DO with Mr.. Gray?"
| Mrs Tanberry gazed earnestly into
/ the girls face. After a long time she
said in a gentle voice:
Child, has it come to matter that
much?"
Yes said Miss Betty.
CHAPTER Kill
THE TOCSIN.