Evening star., 1907-10-13

thing he was anxious to get back at an!
tpriee-even the price Of looking for 1t o.
a dead mans body. Well, I think know
what that thing was-I think l have It,"
| What do you mean7" / asked. aston
tished at her and at her manner-and he
words.
| I'm not going to tell you what mean
Only I'm sure of what I'm saying-a
least. that the thing is valuable: wortl
risk1ng great deal for. l found tina
out this morning, while you and you
aunt were thinking about hats"
| For an instant l was completely be
wildered. Then. suddenly. a strange ides
sprang into my mind:
That brocade bag you picked up I'm tn
Rue dHollande last night
1t was the first time 1 had thought o
1t from that moment to this-there hat
| been so many other things which seemed
| more important.
| Lisa looked annoyed | think she hat
counted on my not remembering, or moi
| connecting her hints with the thing she
had found In the street, and that she hat
wanted to tantalfze me-
| II won't say whether 1 mean the bro
cade bag or not, and whether. II l do
that believe Iver dropped it. or whether
there was another man mixed up in the
| lcase-perhaps the real murderer. If 1 dc
ldecide to tell what I know and what
suspect. 1t won't be to you-unless for g
| very particular reason-and it won't be
lyet awhile
I'm afraid that almost hated her for
a moment. she seemed SO cold so calcu-
lating and sly. l couldn't bear to think
that she was my step-sister. and l was
Il glad that. at least, not q drop of the
same blood ran in our veins.
'If you choose to keep silent for some
purpose Of your own" broke out, you
Ican't prevent me from telling the whole
[story. as 1 know it-how 1 went out with
You and all that
fror @nSr hr,f
I can advise you not to-for Ivor's sake. -
she answered
For his sakeT'
Yes. and for your own. too. If YOU care
for his opinion Of you at all. FOR his
sake. because neither of us knows when
he came out of Maxine de Renzies
house. You would go away. though
wanted to stay and watch. He may not
have been there more than five minutes
for all we can tell to the contrary. In
which case he would still have had time
to go straight off to the Rue de la File
Savage and kill that man, in accord
ance with the doctors statements about
the death. For your sake. because If he
knows that you tracked him to Maxine
de Renzie's house, he won't respect you
very much. and because he would prob
ably be furious with you. unable to for
give you long as he lived, for inturing
the reputation OF the woman he's risked
so much to save. He'd believe you did 1t
out of spiteful jealousy against her.
1 grew cold all over. and trembled so
that could hardly speak.
'Ivor would know that I'm incapable of
such baseneSs."
I'm not sure he'd hold you above It.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned
and he has scorned you-for an actress. y
1t was as If she had struck me in the
face. and 1 could feel the blood rush up
to my cheeks. They burned so hotly
that the tears were forced to my eyes.
You see I'm right, don't your Lisa
asked.
You may be right In thinking l could
do him no good in that way-and that he
wouldn't wish it. even If l could. But not
about the rest I said. I'VE won't talk
of it any more. / can't stand it. Plea Sc
go back to your room now. Lisa. l want
to be alone
Very WE'LL she snapped. you called
me In. l didn't ask to come"
Then she went out, with not another
word or look and slammed the door
could imagine myself compelling her to
give up the brocade bag. or Offering her
some great bribe Of money. Lisa Is a
strange little creature. She will do q
good deal for money.