Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1907-10-11
fhouph abe oeriured her soul for the

.
price. But this was not necessary =
was only necessary to act the lie, ano
Claire scorned herself for the sligh'
comfort that mean distinction gave
her against her will. The honest lie
was unnecessary because she was deal
ing with man of extremes. VINO neg
lected many things, but did nothing by
halves. and whom every passing
breath left cold or burning. A breath
from Claire could have but one erect
and Daintree was already white hot
for the defense. He had caught fire al
a word and from that moment made II
the business of his life to rescue that
of an obscure homicide. He could talk
Of nothing else. His passionate zeal
chilled Claire with the thought of what
It might turn to should he learn the
| truth.
Within twenty-four hours OF the
committal he came In brimful OF news
and self Importance. Claire was dis
covered in the garden and Informed
who had been retained for the defense
in a meaning voice which conveyed no
special meaning to her. The name
was a big one, but the girl was not a
great reader OF the newspaper, and she
had never heard 1t before. She looked
grateful, therefore, but not grateful
enough for Daintree, whose greed for
her admiration was such that In the
next breath he must needs tell her
with what figure the big mans brief
had been marked. And ther, he beamed,
for the girl stood thunderstruck at his
words.
give hundred guineasw she repeat
ed slowly. "You are never going to
find Observation-Disclosures"
"And why not?" said he. with ready
pique. "Do you think that that colos-
sal sum is beyond my means"
"For man of whom you know moth
ing-who has no claim upon you? Yes.
dor
"Pardon mew replied Daintree In his
most elaborate manner. 81 know at
least as much Of the young man as
does Miss Harding. His case has al
ready excited her sympathy. He has
therefore the very strongest claim up
on mine."
ooh. but you must not do itP' cried
Claire impulsively. ut Is too much
for you to dream Of doing. am sorry
ever said word about 1t. You are
too noble. too generous. too goodv
He hung his head moment and
then exclaimed. with the extraordinary
passion Of the man, that there was
nothing he would not do to win such
words from her lips; that she had re-
paid him already a hundredfold.
"And, remember, 1t is all for you"
he added suddenly. as though he had
caught her candor. "Let there be no
mistake about that between you and
me. Whatever may do is not done
for yonder prisoner, but for you. and
you alone"
"Tor met" whispered Claire. And
she could say no more. thinking her
voice had already betrayed her.
"Yes: every bit for you
"But how can that be? He Is moth
ing to us either. We did not know the
family. You heard Of the quarrel?
And the young man was very seldom
there. never once In our house." So
she still swerved instinctively at the
lie direct and despised herself more
than If she had told dozen. The sit
uation was intolerable to her. She
was on the brink Of a rash confession
and such an appeal to Daintree's mag
nanimity as should move stone, when
he took the last word and left her time
to think.
"Aiiss Harding" said he earnestly. II
care not a jot what you may think of
this case on mature consideration. l
know how It appealed to you the other
night. before your great heart pulled
you two ways. as 1t is doing now. But
that's not the point. No: the point Is
that you asked something Of me, and
mean you to know that what you
ask of me that you shall receive Ii 1t
is in the power Of mortal man to give.
IL I do not rescue this young fellow
from the rope. then 1t Is not In the
power of mortal man to do so. But !
shall. never fear. and then you will
perhaps see that your lightest whim is
more to me than the commands OF
God or man. And that's all the re-
ward ask"
She knew his fowery speeches and
what to allow for his habitual rhetoric.
On this occasion, however. he rang only
too true. Yet as she looked at him
pensIvely his eyes fell, as they had
sometimes fallen before. 1t was as
though, with all his passion for her.
there was a something sinister and dis
honest underneath, and he felt 1t when
he looked long enough In her eyes.
Claire did not connect honesty with
herself at present, nor did she view
the question at oil from this point, but
she found herself specializing upon the
origin Of the quarrel between Daintree
and bis people. and she thought OF the
flowers that had come back to MIN
from his mothers grave.
Later I'm the evening she worked out
her own position, shuddered at the
passing impulse to confess, which had
long since passed, put Toms life be-
fore her self respect and determined
to act better from that hour. So the
play went on before an audience OF
one who had been taken behind the
scenes, but who now looked on with
eyes that saw not, so absorbing were
his own affairs. In very truth, how
ever, there was an audience Of two,
and but little was lost upon the unseen
onIooker.