The San Francisco call., 1905-08-20
bUE.WHORNUNG

moment she said she d1dn Z believe
was so black as I painted myself, and
then there was the balcony scene you
missed
So that was ALL I could not help
telling him that he had got out Of IL
better than he deserved for ever get
ting in. Next moment / regretted the
remark.
IF have got out of it," said Rafhes
doubtfully, I'VE are dreadfully near
neighbors. and I can't move in a min
ute, with old Theobald taking a grave
view of my case. I suppose had bet
ter lie low, and thank the gods again
for putting her of the scent for the
time being"
No doubt our conversation was car
ried beyond this point. but IL certainly
was not many minutes later, nor had
left the subject, when the electric
bell thrilled US both to a sudden ST.
lence.
The doctor" I qusried. hope hSht-
Ing with horror.
1T was single ring"
"The last pOSt?
"You know he knocks, and it's long
past his time"
The electric bell rang again, but now
as though it never would stop.
'You CO. Bunny" said Rafhes. with
decision His eyes were sparkling. His
smile was firm.
What am to say?'
IF it's the lady let her in"
1t was the lady. still in her evening
cloak. with her fine dark head half hid
den by the hood, and an engaging con-
tempt of appearances upon her angry
face. She was even handSomer than
had thought, and her beauty OF a bolde
type but she was also angrter than u
had anticipated when / came so read
lily to the door. The passage into which
it opened was an exceedingly narrow
one, as I have often said, but never
dreamed OF barring this woman's way.
though not a word did she stoop 70 say
to ME. 1 was only too glad 10 tatten
myself against the wall, as the rust
ling fury strobe past me into the light
ed room with the open door.
so this is your thieves Kitchen she
cried in high-pitched scorn.
was on the threshold myself, and Raj
fles glanced toward me with raised eye
brows.
Il have certainly had better quarters in
my day" said he. "but you need not call
them absurd names before my man"
Then send your man about his busi-
ness" said Jacques Saillard. with an un-
pleasant stress upon the word indicated.
But when the door was shut I heard
Raffies assuring her that ] knew noth-N
ing, that he was real invalid over
come by a sudden mad temptation. and
all he had told her Of his life lie TO
hide his whereabouts, but all he was tell
Ing her now she could prove for herself
without leaving that building. 1t seemed.
however, that she had proved 1t already
by going first to the porter below stairs.
Yet I DO not think she cared one atom
which story was the truth.
$50 you thought I could pass you in
your chair" she said. "or ever in this
world again, without hearing from my
heart that it was youH'
II.
Bunny" said Raf1es. I'm awfully
sorry. old chap, but you've got to go"
fho
timely visitation of Jacques Saillard. but
there had been many others at all hours
of the day, while Raffies had been in
duced to pay at least one to her studio
in the neighhortng square. These iptru-
sions he had endured at first with an air
of humorous resignation which imposed
upon me less than he imagined The wo-
man meant well, he said after all and
could be trusted to keep his secret 10y
ally. 1t was plain to me, however. that
Rafies did not trust her, and that his
pretense upon the point was a deliberate
pose to conceal the extent to which she
had him in her power. Otherwise there
would have been little point In hiding
anything from the one person in pos
session Of the cardinal secret OF his iden-
tity But Rafies thought 1t worth his
while to hoodwink Jacques Saillard In
the subsidiary matter OF his health, in
which DR.. Theobold lent him unwilling
assistance, and. as we have seen, to I'M
press upon her that 1 was actually his
attendant, and as ignorant Of his past
as the doctor himself. $50 you're all
right, Bunny" he had assured me; she
thinks you knew nothing the other nigs&
1 told you she wasn't a clever womMn
outside Of her work But hasn't she a
willT' 1 told Raf1es 1T was very con-
siderate of him to keep me out OF II.
but that it seemed to me like tying up
! the bag when the cat had escaped His
T reply was an admission that one must be
) on the defensive with such woman and
/ in such case. Soon after this. Rafies.
I looking far from WELL fell back upoj
. his own last line Of defense, namely his
! bed; and now, as always in the end. I
could see some sense In his subtletteS.
since it was comparatively easy for me to
r turn even Jacques Saillard from the door.
with DIR. Theobald's explicit injunctions.
and with my own honesty unquestionsd.
So for day we had peace once more.
, Then came letters. then the doctor again
) and again, and finally my dismissal in
{ the incredible words which have neces-
STATED these explanations.
Cor 1 echoed. Go where?'
, It's that ass Theobald." said Rahiss.
He insists"
He nodded.
/. ''And you mean to let him have his
way?"
> had no language for my mortihca-
tion and disgust. though neither was
= as yet quite so great as my surprise.
D I had foreseen almost every conceiv-
/ able consequence OF the mad act which
brought all this trouble 10 pass. but
voluntary division between Raffies and
me had certainly never entered my
calculations. Nor could / think that
il had occurred to him before our
egregious doctors last visit. this very
: morning RafIes had looked irritated
as he broke the news to me from his
r pillow, and now there was some sym
pathy In the way he sat up in bedcss
though he felt the thing himself.
7 am obliged to give in to the fel-
n low" said he. Hes saving me from
my friend and I'm bound to hunor
e him. But I can tell you that we've
. been arguing about you for the last
!! half hour Bunny. 1t was no use; the
n idiot has had his knife in you from the
: first, and he wouldn't see me through