The Washington herald., 1906-10-12

Oeltjen was standing Just within the
threshold. Il shall show you TO your
room now, &c you please"
Very well. my lord, said Oeltjen. Il
should, however, tell you that 1 have
been listening 20 your conversation
Indeed and you approye?" Crossing
/ ham spoke very loudly hoping that Miss
Elliott would hear. he had conceived the
sudden Wild hope Of attempting 10 exeul
pate himself In her eyes thus
Il think that you went little too far.
Your acting. however, was on the whole
superb.
Thanks" drily. MY fear is. however.
for the morrow
You fear what?"
That in a colder moment she viii
know better how 90 guard her secrets.
Even tonight she was careful to disclose
no name. She said, my father only my
/ father
( True"
Cressingham thought for a while. 1T is
a terrible part for me to play" he said at
last. do you know. Oeltjen. although
I know the woman is bad. feel an awful
rufian at t-icking her like this.
"Ach Himmell she loves yOU, that Is
plain. But (in a Whisper where is the
other woman. the first. my lord. the one
that warned your
( Cressingham turned pale THAT is my
( businessi" he said Curtly.
I 7 beg your pardon"
/ CTessiBgham bowed. Let US CO." he
! said.
/ But loud knock sounded on the door
as they approached it. Cressingham push
F ed aside the latch. and his servant. in
I slippers and pajamas, entered. letter in
+ his outstretched hand; he seemed half
4 asleep.
For you. my lord"
Who brought it?"
- cabman."
wait a moment. John. and you can
show the count TO his room He opened
I the letter, and presently passed It In ST
/ lence TO Oeltjen. It was a card inscribed
with certain hieroglyphics
/ The count glanced at il, and whispered
meanlngly: Already the path grows
dangerous, my lord. It is perhaps my
+ turn next"
/ Cressingham shrugged his shoulders and
pocketed the card. Perhaps. Good
night"
"sleep we'll" said the German. and
+ smiling satirically he departed in the
/ servants wake.
T Cressingham shut the door, and turned
TO face his greatest task. Miss Elliott
stood between the parted curtains OF the
+ dressing-rOom, her face pale, but self
( possessed and calm.
1T was, on. so cold in there. and dark"
she muttered, shivering q little.
/ He pointed 10 the fire. You had better
wait moment and warm yourself. Pres
entity the passage will be clear"
She crossed the room and spread out
her hands 10 the blaze her back turned 10
( the man. He stood irresolutely a mo-
ment. neTvously gnawing at his under
/ lip, then, growing desperate at her silence.
/ spoke.
Miss Elliott"
She slowly turned her head, and looked
at him across her shoulder.
You heard?"
She nodded Everything.
What can you think OF me?"
Il scarcely know just yet. indeed.
haven't really thought OF you. I am try
ing stl to realize how it is that a woman
can so degrade herself. How she threw
herself at YOU"
Spare me-" he grOaned.
She gave a little ripping laugh L al
most begin to fear you. Lord Francis.
YOU must possess some dangerous magic
fatal 70 my sex And yet. how deaf you
were TO her cntreaties; but that was be-
cause you had an audience, perhaps"
Miss Elliott, 1 assure you on my hon
Or
Spare me, my lord, she interrupted
icily; Il have already seen you act to-
night. What time is that?'
a clock was chiming somewhere in the
city, its tones reaching them in muf-
fed melancholy. Cressingham glanced al
his watch. "Half-past two,''
Luckily / have a latchkey." said the
girl Don't you think the coast is clear
by now?"
"One moment" He hurried into the
( dressing-room and a second after came
out with hat and coat. The girl re-
garded him with much contempt
Do you think / should accept your es-
cOrt farther than the street?" she
queried bitterly, His lips frightened. but
without reply be opened the door for her
TO pass. and in mbroken silence fhev
trod the passage and descended the
stairs. There he paused, but she passed
on and stood by the door. attempting her
self to open il. With a hopeless little
laugh he assisted her, and she glided
through into the street Two men, stand
ing not yard from the door, peered
rUdely into her yelled face She drew
back with little gasp. an involuntary
cry for help. Cressingham sprang out
It once, but the men skunk off quickly
down the street
was nothing. but seeing them so close
and suddenly, they frightened me for a
second"
AT least, let me put you in a cab" he
said, imploringly. Really. the streets
are not always safe at this hour II
may be the last favor I shall ever ask
of you"
Very well, then"
He walked with her a few steps down
the street and whistled. Instantly a four
wheeler standing in the shadows Of some
houses not far distant moved out into
The light and came quickly toward them
To CreSsingham it seemed that the cab
must have been waiting by appointment.
so swift was its response. but another
matter now engrossed his mind. A few.
very few seconds remained to him dur
Ing which he might fight for hts happl
ness. Silence might be more digniied. but
at any rate he could not possibly hurt
himself more by speech than he was
harmed already
'Francine" he muttered suddenly. won
wrong me in your thoughts. I'm not so
black as you think me I'm in an awful
mess, and the curse Of il is I can't ex-
plain. But on my honor. Franclne. I'm
not the loose fellow you think me. i
couldn't be, for I love you, you. you. with
all my soul, and that alone would keep
aHa