The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-20

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His keen eyes searched her face earn estly, much more earnestly than their wont, as he asked her this pointed ques- ton. Anna, upon her part, knew that he had juggled cleverly with the admitted facts of the case and yet her interest in his confession waxed stronger every mo- ment. What an odd fascination this man exercised upon her. She felt drawn to- ward him as to some destiny sne could not possibly escape. And when he spoke of Alban, then he had her finally en- meshed.
 What do you know of MT. Kennedy?' she asked, sitting up very straight and turning flashing eyes upon him. He cer- tainly wouldn't write to you. How do you know what he is doing?"
 "A little fat bird fin black coat liv- ing down Whitechapel way. Oh, I don't make any secret of 1t. I know a man who used to be a parson. He began to stick needles into himself, and the bishop said-what hol They took of his pinafore and he is now teaching Latin outside A1dgate Station. He's in with the Polish crowd-I beg your pardon, the gentlemen refugees from Poland-who are sewing the buttons on our shirts not far from the Commercial road. Those people knew more about your friend than he knows about himself. Ask 'em straight and they'll tell you that he is in War saw and the girl Lois Boriskoff with him. Whether they've begun to keep house, l don't pretend to say. But it's as true as the east wind and that's gospel You ask your father to make his own inquiries. I don't want to take it on myself. If he can tell you that Master Alban Ken nedy is not something like the husband of the Polish lady Lois Boriskoff, then I'll give penny to hospital Now go and ask him, Anna-don't you wait min- ute. you go and ask him."
 Not until I've had that cup of tea, Willy
 She turned round as the charwoman entered and so hid her face from him. Light laughter cloaked at once the deep affront her pride had received, and the personal sense of shame his words had left. Not for a moment did she ques- tion the truth of his story or seek to prove it. As women all the world over, she accepted instantly the hint at mans faithlessness and determined that it must be true. And this was to say that her passion for Alban Kennedy had never been anything but a phase of girlish TO- nance acceptable for the moment and to be made permanent only by persist ence. The eastern blood flowing warm in her veins would never have left her long satisfied with the precise and strenuous Englishman and the restraint his na- tiopality put upon him. She hungered for the warm, passionate caress which the east had taught her to desire. She was drawn insensibly toward the man who had awakened this instinct within her and ministered to it whenever he ap- preached her.
 They drank their tea in silence, each perhaps afraid to admit the hazard of their task. When the moment came, she had recovered her self-control sufficiently to refer again to the question of the cheque and to do so adroitly.
 Are you going to return that money to my father, Willy"
 That's just as you like. When you come here for goodswe could send it back together"
 What makes you think that I will come here for good, Willy?'
 Because when I kiss you-like this you tremble, Anna"
 He caught her instantly in his arms and covered her face with passionate kisses Struggling for a moment in his embrace, she lay there presently acquies- cent as he had known even before his hands touched her An hour had passed before Anna quilted the flat-and then she knew beyond any possibility of ques- ton that she was about to become Willy Forests wife