The San Francisco call., 1907-03-31


me his confident
What do you think. Guy? You ale
only boy. but you are of her age, and
you have seen o little OF her lately.
YOU are only boy. but then only boys
and novelists understand women. Speak
up and tell me what is in your mind"
Z viii tell you this" j answered
hotiy. II were you. and Lsdy-Angeia
had promised 10 be my wife, ] would
not sit and hatch scruples about mar
rying her. ] would marry her first and
make her happy afterward. and as for
the rost--for the questions which you
have asked me. and yet not put into
words have never heard or seen in
Lazy Angela tho slightest sign that
you were not her lover as wei as the
man whom she was engaged TO marry.
As Tor my own folly, since YOU seem
10 have noticed it. no one knows
better than 4 that il is the rank
est. most absurd presumption. But
wiUa me IL begins and ends. That is
z most absolute and certain fact"
Ray raped his pipe upon tho table.
Listen" he said Il found you
nsmeless and practically lost. Yet you
have powerful relatives, aud your fam
iy is equal to the Dukes. There may
be money, too. some day. Bear these
things in mind. Can you repeat what
you have said?"
Il was a wild droam--a wonderful
one. But before me i saw the stern
white face OF the man, eager FOR his
share OF happiness after ali these mag
niaoent years OF dauntless service. I
forgot my own distrust of him. his
coldness. his brutality. ] remembered
only those other and greater things.
Even were ] ia such a position,
] said, 1T would make no difference.
J. am sure that Lady Angela is loyal
She had no idea-and il is not worth
while that she should have"
You would have me marry her,
then?" he asked slowly.
There is only one thing. I said.
taking my courage into my han6s.
And thaf?i he asked sharply.
That answered. lies between
YOU and your conscience
lie rose to his feet.
Wait here" he said "and ! will
show you my justification"
heard Rays heavy footsteps ascend
ing the stairs TO his room. In few
moments he returned. bearing in his
hand letter.
Guy" he said thOughtfully, Il am a
man who is slow TO place trust in any
one. For that reason, and perhaps be-
Gauge ignorance was better for you,
have told you little Of the events Of
that night Now my first opinion Of
you has undergone some notifications
You are stronger than ] thought. you
have shown faith in me, too, or should
not be here practically a guest under
your roof tonight Listen, The man
whom you found dead in the marshes
was not your father"
] was not surprised. Always I had
doubted IL.
Who was he. them" ] asked calmly.
when your father went mad at
Gibraltar" Ray said, "he needed help.
A--T man. ~A'A 4 He A6iaits HDEHiltQ L
When I knew them both he was your
fathers valet Since then he has been
his confederate in many schemes. Your
father on many occasions manifested
the remnants Of a sense Of honor. This
creature set himself deliberately
and successfully 10 corrupt it. He
was parasite, a nerveless, bloodIess
thing without a single human attribute.
He and that woman were alike respon-
sible for your fathers ruined life"
once before" Ray continued, after
moments pause, 4 had told him that
n ever we should meet where his life
woulo cost me nothing. would XIII him
as ] would set my heel upon an adder
and he only smiled as though had paid
him some delicate compliment And
that night, Guy. hundred yards from
your cottage he sidled up to me in that
lonely road. and bade me direct him 10
the abode Of Mr.. Guy Ducaine. A mo-
ment after he recognized me"
A grim smile parted Rays lips but ]
could not repress a shudder. Invaria-
by az any reference to that awful night
the old fear came back
He seemed at first paralyzed with
fear" Ray continued. He tried to slip
away into the marshes but j caught
him easily. and held him 70 that he
could not escape He admitted that he
had come to find you with q message
from your father lie denied at first
having letter. but searched him un-
III ] found it As you see. IL IS ad-
dressed 70 you. Nevertheless I struck
matches. opened it. and with some dif-
ficulty managed TO read it. All the
time this creature was doubling about
like an eel trying 70 get away. Read
the letter"
] drew IL from the envelope. It was
dated from the Savoy Hotel.
MY Dear Son: do not deserve thai
you should read beyond these three
words 7 have as little right 10 cal,
you my son as you can have desire tc
cleim me for your father 7 am here
however. purely on en- crrand OF jus
rlce. I have learned that you have
been robbed of the sum set aside 10 give
Won a start in life. I am here 20 en-
a. g., .f.l