Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1907-12-19
CHAPTER XXI,
Am Trusted Until Midnight.


snow, Haddon, what Is the gamer"
Locke had seated himself. He had
selected with care a cigar from his
case (Which he did not offer to mel.
and was regarding me with the brutal
amusement of one who has come
across a snake summing in the white
road, and who heads off its desperate
attempt to escape with a walking
stick.
was silent. I refused to be cate.
chised like a scboolboy. Had I met
Locke, his mind still unprecedented
against me. I should gladly have told
him everything, eve at the risk Of
making myself ridiculous in his eyes
But his mind was so evidently made
up regarding me, his interference had
been so fatally ill-timed, that I could
not bring myself to the humiliating
position OF one who beseeches-of one
who explains, only to be doubted after
all.
The episode in the porter's lodge
was even now far from clear. | have
already said that | knew that Helena's
escape was not due to any heroism Of
mine.
DR.. Starva had concealed himself be-
hind the glass partition of the porter's
lodge in the landing. Unobserved, /
had stood fiat against the wall, watch
ing him.
] had e e Helena coming up the
stairs; | had seen DR.. Starva level his
revolver at her; | had heard the crash
of glass and the report of a revolver.
] had supposed that Starva had fired
and missed.
Now it appeared that Locke's shot
had shattered the glass of the lodge,
while Starva had not fired at all. But
why Locke should have been in the
stairway-why he should have been
concealed there-was not so clear.
Certainly | had no intention OF humil-
Eating myself further by asking for an
explanation.
Come: I'm waiting" he cried
sharply.
you are waitlng-for what?" | de-
manded with an assurance | did not
feel. | was playing for time. Should
. VI Sbouiu i holt tg W lHdht all
clear to Locke? That was the ques-
tion | was asking m, self over and
over.
You remember | warned you. ]
told you you were a pawn In the
clever hands of Countess Sarahon.
prefer to think that you are her tool
rather than her accomplish. But II
pnn hova boon fnnI A-,, to
yourself to be caught In the net of her
intrigue, II you have made our inter.
ests at one with hers, you must expect
to pay the piper as well as she"
81 see You are Nemesis logging
me to justice?"
had decided. No matter what han
pened | would keep my own counsel
for the present. | was not to be bull.
lied into a confession.
so yon admit that the law has its
terrors for you" cried Locke quickly.
And are you Justice or the Law in
disguise? BY heaven. you are assum-
ing a rather high-handed manner.
What the devil is your right to play
the part Of inquisitor?"
Gently gently. ! said nothing about
my right"
Then l might ask what is your
gamer"
Il make no p~retense to any right.
] happen to hold the cards. That's
all"
by that you mean, I suppose, that
you have put two and two together
and made the sum of five. Well, per-
haps say your arithmetic Is at fault,
and perhaps ! don't choose to enter
into an argument to enlightsn you"
I'VE shall see." said Locke quietly.
Now, Haddon, don't think that | am
simply amusing myself. I am only
too willing to give you every benefit of
the doubt. You are an American; you
have been at the same university as
myself; you have suffered from an
unpleasant notoriety the past week or
Two. ! went to your hotel at Lucerne
and offered you my friendship"
And you come as a friend now?
Scarcely. you will admit that"
y! offered you my friendship. III