New-York tribune., 1906-11-11

49,
am not in communication with anyone to
whom Your actions are of any interest DO
YOU doubt me4
Her eyes held mine. 1t was not possible for
me to disbelieve her Il cannot, | answered.
She drew a little sigh of relief And now,
she said about yourself Be as frank with
me as have been with you. Are you really
the legatee of Guests secrets"
You know that he told me certain things
before he died." | answered slowly.
Yes; but what are you going to do with
the knowledge Are YOU going TO be wise
and let fate take its course, or are you going to
meddle in affairs which YOU know nothing
about, Don't do it, Mr. Couragei" she ex-
claimed. with a sudden catch in her voice.
Leslie Guest was diplOmatist and a schemer
all his life and you know the penalty he paid
You have not the training or the disposition
for this sort of thing. You would be fore
doomed TO failure Don't do it
turned and looked at her. She was so
much in earnest that her whole expression
was transformed. The mysterious smile which
was so often upon her lips, half supercihOus,
half mOcking. was gone and with it something
of that eluSiveneSS which had so often puzzled
me. Her eyes met mine frankly and plead
ingly. her fingers were upon my arm, and she
was swaying little toward me with the mo-
tiOn of the boat. so that was tempted almost
beyond measure to take her into my arms, and,
with my lips upon hers. promise whatever she
would have had me promise. 1t was only a
moment of madness. The memory of other
things came back to me.
q" II is very good of YOU" said slowly. "to
warn me. know that | am not made of the
stuff that Guest was. 1t is possible that |
NAV
1t is true. them" she interrupted breath
lesSly. You are really meaning TO go on
with his sCheneS?"
You take too much for granted | an
swered.
oh. don't let us misunderstood one an
other" she begged. Tell me why YOU are
Your way to Americal Tell me why YOU
are on this steamer, of all othersf'
Il am going to shoOt-out West" I said,
"and | want to know something of Your Won
derful country people"
She let her fingers slip from my arm You
VIII tell me no more than that" she muir
INJURED
Il have nothing more to tell you." I an
swered.
Once more she leaned toward me. The wind
was blowing around US; she came closer as
though seeking for the shelter of nv body
| could smell the crushed viOletS, which she
was still wearing at her bosom; her eyes were
soft and bright; her ips were slightly parted
/ took her INTO my arms. She clung 70 me for
a moment. one long. delicious moment.
Il have given 1t all up" she whispered
"for youI If | had told the truth, if | had
told them that You knew, it would have
meant death! You must forget; YOU must
swear to forget"
| held her tightly. Dear Adele" whis-
pered, you are woman who understands
Life and death come to all of us: but a cow
ard could never deserve Your lOve-you could
never stoop to care for man who thought OF
his life before his honor"
You are Pledged" she cried
g | must do what | can" | answered.
She staggered away from me. God heIr
us bothi" She murmured.
| would have caught her to me again, but q
dark figure was coming slowly down the deck
A little yapping bark came from the deck at
her feet. Nagaski was leaping up at his mis-
tress. She stopped and picked him up. He
showed me his teeth and Snared
You really must make friends with Ma
gaski Mr.. Courage" she remarked turning
away. Come, we must go back to the others
my stepmother will think that | am lost"
To BE- Continued next SzrIzy