Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-12-23

fcnWEck SOnOrOuS SlulnDef: still ooZed through the chinll of his bedroom door, while a
 tine farther end of the hall another
 closed on the sleepless Mir Richard Williams.
 The young man had heard the clock
 strike 3 and was still pursuing his train of tangled thought when it oc
 cured to him that perhaps if he reaG
 for half an hour his mind might be
 come composed enough for sleep. He
 remembered a partly finished booE
 which he had left in the billiard room and started downstairs to get it. With
 a natural disnclination to disturb the
 household, he tipped very cautiously
 through the hall, down the flight of
 carpeted steps and approached the billiard room, which, like the library
 was separated from the lower hall by heavy curtains. These he was about to draw aside when his outstretched hand was suddenly arrested by the sound of voice within. It was mas culine and belonged to no inmate of the house that he could recognize also it was subdued, as one who fear ed to be overheard. What he heard assured him that some rascality was afoot.
 Its money I'm in need of," the voice was saying. "and that's why l took the risk of coming here alone in the middle of the night"
 Richards hand slid instinctively to his hip before he remembered the ab- surdity of fashionable clothes. Clear ly there was some one in the room who had no business there. Yet to whom was he talking? If member of the household, why this secrecy ? He must investigate, of course. But first he had better arm himself, as he did not know who or how many he might have to deal with.
 His mind once made up, the Texan removed his slippers, crept softly up the stairs to his room, then down again, pausing once more outside the billiard room, but this time listening deliberately.
 Mir Fitzgeorge," woman's voice was saying, my patience is exhaust ed. Why all this talk? Your scheme is blackmail- nothing else. Give me the letters, take your pay and go"
 With q stab of pain the Texan recog- I,n a and it came with a double pang at the thought that she was meeting some unknown rascal in the dead of night-that she was buying letters from him.
 What letters:" his heart questioned jealOusly. He longed to rush in and kill the miscreant in his tracks, yet wisdom held his mad design in abey through the heavy pOrtieres and spied two female figures on one side of the billiard table. while that of a man was on the other side, with his back to- ward the library door, but with his face half turned toward the spot where the Texan waited
 Very we'll" whispered the man again. T guess you are playing fair. all right He took a package from his inner pocket. Here are your let ters. Have you got the money"
 Yes" said Harriet softly: "I have But wait. must see that the letters are all here. Imogene. look over them as quickly as you can. l am afraid tO turn on the light but perhaps Mir Fitzgeorge will he kind enough to lend us his lantern
 Well, say" chuckled the visitor quietly. "yOu've got your nerve with you. all right. I'm sorry I didn't meet you before" Again he laughed noise Iessly. produced his bullseye and threw a blaze of light on the pile of letters which he laid upon the table. Look 'em over. Imogene. my dear" he con tinued. with unblushing familiarity. That's every one you ever wrote me"
 With a thrill of pleasure the Texan caught this last remark. The letters. then. were not Harriet's. after all. and she. brave girl. had dared to face this scoundrel in order to shield a friend. He could wing the fellow as he stool But no That would alarm the house and undo everything which this spIen- did woman had striven to hide. He could wait. and if the fellow offered no afTrout he would let him go rather than mortify Miss Renwyck by his Dwn appearance on the scene When the man was safely gone the Texan cOuld then slip quietly to his room. and these two courageous girls would 7ever know that a sentinel had stood Zu7rd outside the door
 Miss Imozene opened each letter to make certain that fl was there. counted he pie and looked ID tfnEd1y.
 -sThey-they are not all here" she Fl wrote fourteen. and lere are only twelve
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