The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-09-01
{ | II

It was. Keep to the facts man. You
i bring her to us: she Is put on to this
business and told something about It:
and that something gets known to the
/ people against whom we are working.
What then, Is the probable inference?
Why. that she herself told them ana
then faxed this story in order to get
| out of the house and retLrn to find
out some more"
TITS q liev" shouted Kari, violently.
/ y am not going to sit here and listen
to It. either
Then you had better go away" re-
piled Merridew colby. I'VE arc not all
in love with her. You're not in a fit
state to Judge"
At this Rosenstein laughed. "she has
bew!tched him." he sneered.
<Karl swore at him Hercely. 'This Ia
your doing. you fool. But I'll square
| 1t up with you, never. fear"
"rhat'1I do" said Merridew, sternly.
! Silence both of you Well. when I
| find out somebody has beeen giving
us away. OF course, ] question her.
find that her story is impossible OF
confirmation except in this one particu-
] iar--the name Of the people who sent
her, SO she says. to the Hartmanns.
And that she won't tell. OF course she
/ won't She doesn't know. Have YOU
understood all we've been saying?" he
/ asked Olive.
/ "Oh yes" she nodded
Then you'll understand also that
you had better tell us the name OF
those people. and be quick about 1t.
II tell not" she answered doggedly.
! "1hey say they go to live honest ana
make me swear. l tell not. ! betray
no one"
ooh, don't give us any more OF your
/ fairy tales. have made up my mind
4 for one,' he declared 10 the others.
"she's done It"
Kari interviewed again at that. and a
pretty quarrel followed. I'll answer
| for her as for myself. no cried; dis
regarding all the protests OF the others
land the authority of Merridew. and con-
| t,nuing to champion Olives cause lust
| lily.
Every attempt either to argue with
him or to silence him only increased
his rage until at length he sprang
hack from the table. white OF face and
louiverins with passion. II won't have
LIT, won't have IT." he shouted with
n violent oath. You know me, all or
you. and that what l say mean. L
swear that if this Internal thing is car
/ ried any further I'll blow on the whole
of youIand tell everything I know.
" a pause of conformation followed
this unexpected deveiopement, and dead
4 silence. Then they turned on him
and rose as IL TO attack HIM no
drew n revolver and leyeled It at
/ Merridew. You'd better mind" he
said overwhelmingly. This. has got to
stop right now"
i Merrldew was very calm. "Is needn't
I come TO that, Hartmann. Put that
weapon away. Well talk 1t out"
mo. I'm through with the talking
and he moved away as II TO cross to
lOlive. But a chair stood in the way
and, not seeing 1t. he stumbled, and
1.-the next instant the revolver was torn
out OF his hand by Franks, who was
nearest to him. and Karl was seized
and had mis- hands tied behind him.
4 Now. perhaps you ca see the mis-
chief you've done by your obstinacy.'
said Merridew to olive. when order
had been restored in this summary
J fashion. DO you mean to perslst?"
olive meanwhile had been thinking
busily. The empowering of Karl left
iher absolutely defenseiess and at the
mercy OF them all. That Merrdew
Intended to push matters to extremes
AGAINST her was clear. He disbelieved
her story and was convinced that she
was a spy Rosenstein shared that
view, and. probably Franks also.
II will tell" she said But not all
of you. Only Mr.. Mawford. al can
also tell some other things that will
convince. They are very important"
He sent the rest out OF the room.
They were left alone, and he signed
, Ito her to take the chair next to
him.
When she was thus quite close to
/ him, he stared hard at her face, and
gave a start. She saw his eyes glance
around >as If searching his memory
for some forgotten likeness, and then
he looked again at her Very piercing
ly.
;. He did not speak for the. moment.
but she noticed that the color began
: slowly to recede from his cheeks.
!, He leaned back in his chair and pass
ed his hand across his brow, closing
his eyes the while in thought.
!, With tho same slow deliberateness
he bent forward again. his face as
dark as a thundercoud.
Then he broke the silence--his voice
low, tense and rather husky.
Take off those glasses he said.
Olive obeyed Laying them on the
!, table. she raised her head and met
. his gaze steadily and without CULVER.
!. And. SO they sat in si1ence, staring
). straight into each others eyes.
CHAPTER XVII.
8 olives Victory.
During the tense silence in which
!; Olive and Merridew sat staring thus
fxedly into each others eyes. the line
, !, which she should take With him came
: to her like a flash OF Inspiration.
:, His growing fear. born OF his recog-
: milton of her, prompted the thought.
: 11i q tva a
:. white as his fingers as he pressed them
Inertously together, and the expression
. of his eyes changed from doubt to sur
+ prise, from surprise to anger. from
anger to concern, and then Were filed
With unni stakable fear.
!, She understood the transition Of the
thoughts beneath. He was beginning
!, to realize something OF what the dis
Z covery meant to him.
Suddenly he made q, strenuous eff
fort to free himself from the apathy
: which enchained him, and to decide
r