The Washington herald., 1907-11-23
CHAPTER XIV.
First stroke for a Fortune

Please 20 away"
Listen 20 me- then. Hiss Vida, I love
you. yes. with ali my heart only say
that you Will accept me. and 7 VIII ask
your adopted fathers permission tO-mor-
row. He will not. I know. refuse me.
have helped him in the past-you know
that In the future. shall make il my
business 10 reward all those who have
been kind 70 my wife,r
oh. please hush-go away, l have
answered you a score of times before.
Can YOU not believe me? There is no
more TO be saidr'
you love another. II so. let him be
ware the anger Of james"
Hush. l tell YOU ] ask you 10 only
go away. l have no wish 10 burt your
feelings. I do not love you'll never shall
love you. 1t is an hnpossibility. There
is-there is--a bar between us"
All" said James Kahn. hercely, Il
know-Vic Norris
Ne. no: something quite different. -
said Vida. eager that she should bring
no harm TO her friend-or. rather her
good old Dicks friend. Though, indeed.
We would have thanked her little for
the denial. He would gladly have af-
fronted all the possible engers of James
Kahn. including the dagger in the Serbs
waistband 81 he had known of it for
the privilege OF being that bar" which
shut of forever the love OF Vida Bryan
from Jacob Romer's chief Of staff.
Not Vic Morris" said James Kahn;
then who?'
No one" said Vida. breathlessly; I
/ do not love you-that is all
But you will learn. he pleaded. Il
viii be your slave I will make YOU love
me. II Is in. our race. Life and death
are little 10 us compared with the woman
we love. II any man comes between US
let him have a care for his life, He shall
never live 10 marry YOU l viii watch
you day and night
A brilliant illumination suddenly sprans
| from the window of the garret chamber
used for visitors. and situated immediate
I ~ above Vida's II flickered, increased
! in power concentrated with a sudden
click. and revealed James Kahn standing
! in his long cloak blinking beneath tn,
shelter Of the Douglas pine.
Come out O. that. ye hulking Dago
/ see YOU ana your -loiAtI IlADDdlu. ;
mortcloth. Come out like a man, anc
! say what We have 10 say 10 Billy Bryan
| instid av completing wild a poor mans
only daughter-and only the half av hel
! hisr'
James Kahn stopped. turned, and woulC
/ have fed But a couple of full-siZet
navy revolver buIlets-One of which tore
| through the pine branches overhead. anC
the other went howking like a trenchinl
mole in the needle covered earth-inducec
him to change his mind
He stopped where he was.
| Stand We there. me pretty moonligh
boy. said Billy Bryan Vida, honey
shake up Dick. and tell him to come
here a minute, If pistol shots won't fetcl
him. Don't move. you. have you GOV
cred. and I'll tunnel We like the Straits
o Dover Faith, ye will never be sea
sick again.
In a minute old Dick came shutting OH
In loose fOotgear and hastily wrapped il
long sea cloak which he had used whel
the mists were thick and chill about tn
Mickle Rose. and the glasses Of the Ian
tern grew blurred and uncertain with tn
ccngealing of the fee crystals
What Is il. Bily?'
"HOuld away, don't We toggle my arm
Dick, cried Billy; this navy-leagu
might go off and make a hole in a Ger
tain kind gentleman down there-a gen
tIeman who. BY his own tale. wants L
speak with you and me. Dick-about tn