Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1907-09-04
CHAPTER xxf-continued.


Your plea Of cowardice is convenient
subterfuge. Every fact points to your
being in league with these adven
turers. A coward wouldn't have taken
the risks you have taken. You saw
the man hiding in the stairway; you
saw him about to fire on helpless
girl; and you raised no hand. Am
talking plainly enough?"
looked into Locke's eyes, glaring
with rage and contempt, and laughed
aloud. 1t was actually relief to have
my weakness exalted to the plane OF
deliberate villainy.
Laugh, my friend, but am not to
be deceived by laugh"
"And now that stand abased in my
naked deviltry?"
81 give you five minutes to make a
full and complete confession. II at
the end of five minutes you still re-
fuse, shall have you promptly arrest;
ed for being a partner in the intrigues
of the Countess Sarahoff, for masquer-
aiding as Sir Mortimer Brett, and for
being an accomplice in the murder of
Miss Brett"
Five minutes! The time was not
long. 1 knew Locke would keep his
word; but more than ever was stub
bornly resolved to refuse taking him
into my confidence.
Could tell him my reasons for act
ing as had done? Could tell him
that I had set out on the romantic
quest Of saving a life for the life that
had been lost? Would he believe that?
At least without appealing to the wom-
| an who had set me that task? To
drag in her name was impossible.
The minutes passed swiftly. So
this was the end of my task! Disgrace
| and imprisonment! I had warned
| Helena that might be the case. 1
| looked across the valley at the pin
| pacles Of the Castle of Happiness
/ What fool have beeni
'Your time is almost up" said
Locke grimly, looking at the watch he
| had placed on his knee. "And Miss
Brett is walking in the garden over
there. Do you wish her to see you
marched off to PRISON."
On the contrary, it was she who
must set me free! would put her to
the supreme test. Now if she trusted
me as she had promised, might yet
escape from the awkward dilemma.
! 1 rose to my feet. 1 called to her,
Miss Brett!"
She came to u.s., My maneuver so
completely astonished Locke that he
stared at me speechless
Miss Brett" l said quietly, "Mr.
Locke has taken upon himself the task
OF bringing me to justice. He finds
me guilty of completely in the in
trigues of Madame de WARMER. He re-
fuses to believe that 1 am acting in
your behalf. 1 cannot blame him for
his suspicious. The facts are almost
wholly against me-the surface facts.
do not even deny most of them. But
he has woefully misconstrued my mo-
tiVes in every case. refuse absolute
ly to tell him what those motives are.
He has threatened me with arrest I'M
less 1 make to him a full and complete
confession without delay. Mr.. Locke,
as I have said, is acting on the behalf
of your mother and yourself Person
ally he has no right whatever to make
any complaint against me-"
Miss Brett will be the last person
to shield you from punishment when
she knows the TRUTH" interrupted
Locke, bewildered at my audacity in
appealing to her.
Among other things, Miss Brett"
I continued eagerly. he accuses me of
being an accomplice in your attempted
murder in the stairway
There are facts more tangible than
that" said Locke significantly.
But l refuse to listen to them"
said Helena, reassuring me with a
quiet glance. Il am not so ignorant
Of these facts, perhaps, as you mag.
Inc, Mr.. Locke. l have every conf
dence in you, Mr.. Haddon. AS to caus,
ing your arrest, that is absurd
Thank you," l returned, with a pas
sion OF gratitude in my heart. You
will hear from me before midnight II
at the end of that time you do not.
think it would be well for you to con.
suit Mr.. Locke. He knows a. great
deal OF which you are ignorant"
BE sure of this, sir, / shall not wait
until midnight to enlighten Miss
Brett" cried Locke, his face purnle
with anger and chagrin.
Mr.. Locke, let US understand each
other" said Helena, and even Locke
felt that her decision was irreyocable
Mr.. Haddon is my friend l refuse to
believe him guilty of dishonor. much
less OF deliberate crime 1 refuse and
my mother will refuse, to press any
charge against him. More than that
we trust him to help US in our DIFF
dculties."
Locke closed the face of his watch
with snap.
IF you have come to that decision. >
he said with assumed carelessness
there is nothing more to be said. Il
can be Of service to you, you viii
find me at the hotel at midnight a:
the chivalrous Mr.. Haddon has sug
gested."