The Irish standard., 1906-07-21
The Man on
the Box
4 By HAROLD MacCRATH
Author OF " The Grey Cloak, 1.-THE
Puppet Crown"
CHAPTER XVll1.-CoNrlSuEp.
Copyright, 1904, The sobb..Mesrill Company.

CHAPTER XVlll.-CoNrlSuED.
During the music Karloff and Col
onel Annesley drifted into the latter's
study. What passed between them
gather from bits recently dropped
by Warburton.
Good God, Karloff. what net you
have sprung about mel" said the
colonel. despairingly.
"My dear Colonel you have only to
step out of it. 1t is the eleventh hour:
1t Is not too late" But Karloff
watched the colonel eagerly
"How in Gods name can step out
of it?'
Simply reimburse me for that $50 900
l advanced to YOU in good faith. and
nothing more need be said" The
counts Slavonic eyes were half-lidded.
ITO give YOU back that amount will
leave me beggar an absolute begsar,
without roof to shelter me- ! am too
old for service. and besides. am
physically incapacita,cd. If you should
force me, could not meet my note
save by selling the house my child was
Will IldNS Sou uIStouulSu IL
mo. Why should present ii at the
bank? 1t does not mature till next
Monday, and | am in no need of
money"
what q wretch | ami"
Karloff raised his shoulders resign
eddy.
MY daughter"
"Or my ducats." whimiscally quoted
the count. Come. Colonel: do not
waste time in useless retrospect He
| stumbles who looks back. have been
thinking of your daughter. love her.
deeply, eternally."
"You love herr"
Eyes. love her because she appeals
to all that is young and good In me:
because she represents the highest type
, of womanhood With her as my wife.
why, l should be willing to renounce
my country. and your Indebtedness
| would be crossed out of existence with
one stroke of the pen
The colonel's haggard face grew light
with sudden hopefulness
II have been" the count went on.
studying the ash of his cigar, It'll
this night what the world and my own
conscience consider an honorable man.
/ have never wronged man or woman
personally, What have done on the
order of duty does not agitatc my con-
science. l am simply a machine The
moral responsibility rests with the
car. When | saw your daughter. !
deeply regretted that you were her
father"
The colonel grew rigid in his chair.
''Do not misunderstood me- Before
saw her, you were but the key to
what desired AS her father the mat
ter took on a personal side. could
not very conscicntiOusly make love to
your daughter and at the same time"
Karloff left the sentence incomplete
And Betty?"--in half a whisper.
"Has refused me, quietly But |
have not given her up; no. ! have not
given her up
What do you mean to do?'
karloff got up and walked about the
room. Make her my wife, simply.
He stopped and studied the titles of
some of the books in the cases. lie
turned to find that the colonel had
risen and was facing him with fam
ing eyes.
II demand to know how you intend
to accomplish this end" the colonel
said. "My daughter shall not he
dragged into this trap"
Tomorrow night I shall explain ev-
erything; tonight, nothing. "-imper-
turbably.
"karlOff, tonight stand ruined
and dishonored man. My head, once
held so proudly before my frllow-men,
IS bowed with shame The country
have fought and bled for / have in part
betrayed But not for my gain. not for
my gain. No, no! Thank God that |
can say that: Personal greed has not
tainted me. Alone, | should have gone
serenely into some poorhOuse and eked
ont an existence on my half-pay. But
this child of mine, whom love doubly,
for her mothers sake and her own
would gladly cut off both arms to
spare her a single pain, to keep her
in the luxury which she still believes
Tightfully to be hers. When the fever
Of gaming possessed me. | should have
told her. did not therein lies my
mistake. the mistake which has
brought me to this horrible end Vir-
ginius sacrificed his child to save her;
! will sacrifice my honor to save mine
from poverty. Force her to wed a
man she does not love? No. To-mor-
row night we shall complete this dis
graceful bargain. The plans are all
finished but one. Now leave me:
wish TO be alone
"Sir, II is my deep regret"
eco; there is nothing more to be
said"
| Karloff withdrew. He went soberIy
There was nothing sneering nor con-
temptuOus in his attitude. Indeed,
there was frown Of pity on his face.
He recognized that circumstances had
dragged down a noble man: that
chance had tricked him of his honor.
How he hated his own evil plan! lie