Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-09
THE MALEFACTOR go
E. Phillips Oppenheim,
AUTHOR OF THE TRAITORS"

she said. for heavens sake call me Ruth
You found it easy enough once"
You are very kind he answered. Ruth
by az means"
Now VIII you answer my question:" she
SAID. -@Do You mean-to help use
yes!" ho added.
Then she looked at him, and found herself
puzzled by tho perfect impasslyity of hts
features. Surely he would drop the mask
now. He had insisted upon her coming,
Perhaps" she repeated. What then
are the conditions"
He bent over toward her CurIpusly
enough. there was mingled with many 9TH
er sensation, certain sense Of triumph
In the thought. ii was almost hope, that
at last he was going to bCtray himself that
he was going to admit tacitly, OF by imp.-
tation, that her power over him WAS not
wholly dead. II was terrible situation In
her heart she felt So but II had it's ,om-
pensations. Wtngrave had been her rou-
slant attendant for months. lie had seen
her surrounded by men, all anxious 10 Sc
cure smile from her; he had seen her play
the great lady in her own house. and sle
played It very well. She knew that sha
was past mistress In the arts which fas-
climate his sex, she understood that quiet
| speeches. the moods, every trick ot tho
gamAster In emotions from the iiUttcTlUg of
! eyelids to the unchaining of the passions
| And he had loved her. Underneath II all
| he must love her now. She was determined
| excitement which throbhed in her pulses. a
genuine color which burned I'm her checks.
The conditions" he repeated You be-
| lieve. then, that l mean To make Condi-
| tions?"~
She raised her eyes to his. eloquent cves
she knew. and looked at him. The mask
! was still there-but he had moved littl9
nearer to her.
Il do not know she said softly. You
| must tell me-"
There was a moments silence. She had
| scarcely given herself credit for such ca
pacity for emotion. He was on his feet
| Surely the mask must go now! And then
she felt that 1t must be a nightmare. 1t
was incredible. He had struck n match
| and was calmly lighting a cigarette.
One" he said coolly, is that Made
| moiselle Violet employs no more amateur
| assassins to make clumsy attempts upon
| my life"
She sat In her place rigid-half frozen
with a cold. numbing fear. He had sent
| for her, then. only to mock her She had
| failed! They were not even to have the
! money Speech was quite impossible.
| Then he continued.
Il will take your assent for granted"
he said DO you know how much you re-
| quire to free yourself2'
About eight thousand pounds"' she an
| swered mechanically.
| He sat down and wrote a check which he
laid before her
You will have to indorse that" he re-
marked in a matter-of-fact tone. Your
| "A
| ceipt."
She sprang to her feet
Keep your money" she cried. 81 viii
not touch It, Please open the door for mel
l am going
BY all meansIif you wish it," he an
| swered undisturbed AT the same time, I
am curious to know why you came here at
| all. .if you did not intend to accept 1T"
| She faced him, hot and angry
Il did intend to accept it," she declared.
1T IS that or ruin. But you are too cruel!
| You make 't-impossible."
You surprise me-" he answered: II sup
| pose you know best"
| For heavens sake tell me-" she cried
/ passionateiy what has come to you. what
once! Now. even. after all these years, you
| cannot deny it--You have gone out Of your
way to be with me. to be my companion
wherever we ARA People are beginning to
| smile when they see US together | don't
mind. 1Efor- Gods sake tell me, Wlngravei
| Why do you do 1t? Why do you lend me
this money? What can 1 do for youG
What do you want me to be? Are you as
cold as a stone? Have you no heart-no
| heart even for friendship
Ill would not Sack he answered, ito buy
| your friendship with a checkr'
But 1t is yours already" she cried, hold
| Ing out her hands. Give me little kind
ness. Wingrave! You make me feel and
| seem perfect idiot. Why I'd rather you
| asked me anything than treated me like
! this"
| II was under the impression" wingrave
| remarked. that / was behaving rather
WELL; I wonder" what would really satisfy
your
ITO have you behave as you are doing,
and want. to behaye differently" she cried.
You are magnifcent-but it is because you
| are Indifferent. VIII you kiss me, VIM
grave?"
! with ,pleasurer he answered
She drew away from him quickly.
rs it-another woman" she asked. Tho
marchioness?"
/. Her eagerness was almost painful He
did not answer her at once. She caught
| hold Of his wrist and drew him toward her.
Her eyes searched his face.
THE marchioness." he said. is a very
beautiful woman. She does not. however,
affect the situation as between you and
me-"
"If she daredr' Lady Ruth murmured.
"Wingrave, won't you try and be friends
with me?''
Il will try-certainly." he answered,
you would be surprised. however If yo9
could realize the effect Of q long period Of
enforced seclusion upon man OF my"
''Dont"' she shrieked stop"
MY temperament. I was about to say.'
he concluded There was a time when I
am afraid I might have been tempted,
under such circumstances as these, to for
get that you were no longer free, to forget
everything except that we were alone, and
that you-are as beautiful as ever you
were"
''Yes!' she murmured. moving impercep.
tibly a little nearer toward him.
He picked up the check and gave 1t to
her.
Il am no actor" he said. looking al her
steadily. AT present L make no condi.
tons. But
She leaned toward him. He took her face
between his hands and kissed her on tho
lips
Il may make them later" he said. Il re.
serve my right"
She looked at him for a moment and
dropped her veil.
please take me down to my carriage"
she asked.
(To be continued next sunday)