Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-09-26

beginning TO tell. More than once she
was within an c OF breaking down
at a telltale moment. And Just when
her nerves were at their highest pitch
and the situation hardly to be borne
there came the new development which
we'll nigh turned her brain.
1t began with a comparatively small
matter, the unprovoked %insolence Of
Claire's maid; but this was the growth
OF days, not a sudden thing, though 1t
was only when her tangled nerves
could endure it no longer that Claire
whipped out her purse, put a months
wages on the dressing table and babe
the woman begone.
Hannah, the maid, put her thin,
strong arms akimbo and burst out
laughing in her mistress face.
This instant, eh? And you think
you'll get rid Of me for two-pound-fve?
That you won't then, nor yet for 20
guineas. So now you know"
I'VE shall see," said Claire, moving
over to the bell.
Il wouldn't ring, miss, If I were you.'
"Then will you go? You have been
insolent beyond words; force me to do
1t, and shall send for a policeman to
turn you out"
II wouldn't do that, miss, either, or
I may tell the policeman something
you won't like"
"What do you mean?"
"What l say, but I don't mind saying
it palmer to oblige. I shall tell him
who you were with on the night of q
certain murder and what he said to
you and what you could tell against
him in the witness box If they like to
put you there! That's all, Miss Hard.
ing. You look faint. 1 wouldn't ring
just yet If 1 were you. Here's a glass
Of water In the MEANWHILE"
Claire had indeed turned white as
paper. Instinctively she took the
glass, but it slipped through her fin.
gers and fell into the fender with q
crash. The TO- seemed full Of pale
faces, low brows and venomous black
eyes set close together, all spinning
round in nauseous whirligig like de.
mons dancing. She sank into a chair
and hid her face, but started and re
coiled from the touch Of cool fingers
wet with rosewater, upon her temples
"Keep away from met" she cried
family. do not dare to touch me-
again. So it was you at the gate thai
night? l remember now!'
at was me. miss"
"You shut it,"
II did"
"And, pray, how do you know who be
wasp and her voice was stronger
"You never were at Winwood in your
life"
perhaps not, but I can put two and
two together a. we'll as most. Be
sides, I'm not that hard Of hearing
Come, let's be plain. You've confessed
to the master, miss, and you've con
fessed to me-"
There was a pause for proper com
prehension; then said the young lady
with ineffable scorn, "And to how
many more-through your lips?"
"Never a soul! That vas too good {
one not to keep. No, 1 just seen hin
first and then set to work to find GU
who he was. But 1 never said 1 seer
him to a SOUL"
"And why not to me until today?"
"Why, because 1 wanted to know
your game. And it wasn't that easy tt
find out. You see, miss, you're a pretty
deep one yourself"
Claire sat still in her chair. She wa:
now perfectly calm and even expert
encing an odd n of relief in facing
an overt crisis after so many secre
tremors and hidden shocks. "And wha:
is your object, Hannah?" said she a
last. Suppose they put me in the wit
ness box, what would you gain by it
You probably think 1 would do any
thing to avoid the exposure. On thu
contrary, I would tell everything to tn,
whole world If I thought it could d.
any good. But the case is so black al
ready that, on the other hand, it coul(
do very little harm. Your threat is les
terrible than you imagine"
els that SOP" with an evil smile
"Hey-day, but it's an artful one! Sup
pose 1 told that there Daintree instead
Of the police? What them"
Claire had suspected this, yet it tool
her breath away when it anne "S'
you are a professional spy" she gasp
ed. II might have known it all along
you vile woman, from your face!' T,
be sure she might have known it then
for the sallow face turned a deepe
yellow. The black eyes came as clos
together as the nozzles Of a double bar
relied gun, to blaze as though both trig
gers had been pulled at once
"Ah, yes! We don't all show it II
our faces, do WEI" Kissed the woman
"And which is the worst, 1 wonder