Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-08-30

nIll,eu peIOre she came to the last
paragraph.
This she read over more than once
with puckercd forehead and a
changrful eye as cagcrness, reluctance.
hesitation and decision. shame and
pride whipped across her face like
shadows and Sunbeams Oh guSty day.
And suddenly she tore open the in
closure and felt as mean as Daintree
from that moment. though she barely
glanced ut what she found.
II WAS an obviously genuine letter.
addressed 10 Blaylcs 10y some poor
woman. hut that WAS all Claire allowed
herself To discover. \ feeling Of In
credible meannesS made her hot all
over, and she turned the letter upside
down to examine the method Of recon-
structiOn With aboninable ingenuity
Daintrec had pasted the scraps upon
a sheet \ few We're missing. Many
were black from the Goals. Claire shud-
dercd and glanced ut her own fireplace.
1t was laid and all ready for lighting.
A moment later it was lit, and the
dead mans letter was blazing In its
midst Then Claire breathed agcin and
took another look ut Daintrees warn
ing before burning it too.
IAN interesting revelation of char.
acter." said she when this was done.
IT shall never think the same OF him
again. or of myself either. But what
does that matter since l can never
think the same Of Tom? Nothing mat.
tiers except saving his life. And here
Is man who says he'll do anything
for me. Will he: We shall see"
She had word with Daintree be-
you with all my heart" said she. And
great was the change in her this even
Ing. 1t was no time for gayety, but
Claire was animated. Her eyes spar
killed. She cOnversed freely on the
topic Of the hour, and when Mr.. Hard
Ing was moved after all to give Dam
tree judiCious version of his attempt
TO provide fair play for dastardly
constituent, with the result, the girl
took her fathers breath away by look
ing hard at their guest and declaring
that she would finance the defense her
self If she had the money.
What on earth did you mean by
saying that:" asked Mr.. Harding aft
erv-ard. "Have you forgotten your
word of honor that nobody should ever
suspect what had existed between you
and Erichsen?"
This was when the girl had said
good night. Mr. Harding followed her
upstairs. 1t was his first chance OF
speaking to her, for Claire and Dain-
tree had been together in the garden
all the evening.
mo. papa" she replied. II have for
gotten nothing that l said to you. Mr..
Daintree, ut any rate. suspects nothing
at ALL"
you said enough to make him."
81 don't think did"
mot when you said you'd pay for a
defense II you had the money? Are
you aware that he thinks you were in
love with the murdered man.
''He thinks l was. but that some
thing has since caused a complete re-
vulsion Of feeling, as to which I may
as we'll explain everything" And she
told the incident of the letters without
hiding thing $50 he thinks 1t quite
natural that l should fly to the other
extreme and want no human creature
to hang for one so base. You see"
said Claire shrewdly, che Is a man of
extremes himself"
Then. instead Of undecciving him.
you have literally fooled him to the
top Of his bentT'
Claire blushed hotly. II cannot help
that. l may make up for 1t some day.
Any woman would do the same"
Mr.. Harding was slow to understand.
THAT he should never know what I
KNOW" said he. us right enough. But
why carry the thing so far? Why pre-
tend this revulsiOn?"
Claire hung her head.
Come, come" he cried. you prom
ised to hide nothing more from me.
You are hiding your chief motive.
What Is it!'
II would rather not say"
And insist on knowing"
Every we'll, then. 1t Is to give Tom
Erichsen another chance"
Harding turned livid.
THAT young
"Oh. don't be angry! You know you
thought Of 1t yourself. And 1 loved
him. Could leave stone unturned p
"But what can Daintree dor
what you thought Of doing your
self"
He has never cOnscnted?"
Eagerly. He Is going to have n So
llcitor at Marylebone tomorrow morn.
Ing"
Mr. Harding glared ut the girl. who
flung back her ringlets and met his
look unafraid and unabashed. Then
she went to her room.