The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-09-06
THE POWERS AND MAXINE
< M wnnamsons All RiEhts Re.erved

stared at her. feeling more than ever like one fin a dream.
 gave you the only thing brought, ! said. Tt was in my breast pocket. inside my coat. took 1t out, and put IL Tn your hands. There was no other thing. Look again in the sofa It must be there still. This red case Is something else--we can try to account for 1t later It all came through the lights not working. If it hadn't been so dark, you would have seen that I gave you dark, green leather letter case-duite different from this. though of about the same length--rather less thick, and -"
 Frahtically she began ransacking the creyise between the seat and back of the sofa, but nothing was there. We might have known there would be noth- ing, or the Commissary of Police would have been before us. With a cry she cut me short at last, throwing up her hands in despair. She was deathIy pale again, and all the light had gone out of her eyes, leaving them dull as if she had been sick with some long ill., ness.
 What will be come of me?" she stammered. The Treaty losti My God--what shall do? Ivor. you are Killing me. Do you know-you are killing meT'
 The word treaty. was new to me in this connection. for the Foreign Secretary had not thought it necessary that his messenger should be wholly in his secrets-and Maxine's Yet hearing the word brought no great surprise. I knew that had been cats- paw in some game of high stakes. But it was of Maxine I thought now, and the importance of the loss of hor, not the nationals disaster which it might l we'll be also.
 Wait" I said, don't despair yet. There's some mistake. Perhaps we shall be able to see light. when we've thrashed this out and talked it over. know I had a green letter-case It never left my pocket I thought of it and guarded 1t every moment. Could those diamonds have been inside 1t? Could the Foreign Secretary have given me the necklace, instead of what you expected?''
 "No. mo-" she answered with desperate impatience. He knew that the only think which could save me was the document I'd sent him. I wired that I must have 1t back again immediate iy. for my own sake-for his-for the sake of England. Ivori Think again. Do you want me to go madT/
 T will think" said. trying to speak feassuringly. Give me moment--a Iquiet moment--
 "A quiet moment" she repeated, bit- terly, when for me each second is an hour! It's late and this is the night of my new play. Soon, must be at the theatre, for the e.make-up and dres- sing of this part for the first act are a heavy business. l don't want all Paris to know that Maxine de Renzie has been ruined by her enemies. Let us keep the secret while we can. for a. . t.~ Aaw.1r ENws rF own, if all's not losf---if you believe still that there's any hope. Oh. save me, Ivor--somehow. My whole life Is in this."
 Let your understudy take your part tonight. while we think, and work, l suggested. You cannot go to the theatre in this stae."
 For an actress there's no such word as cannot, nshe said bitterly. T could play a part to the finish. and crawl off the stage to die the next in stant; yet no one would have guessed that was dying. I have no under study What use to have one2 what audience would stop in the theatre after an announcement that their Max ine's understudy would take her place? :? Every man and woman would walk out and get. his money back. No; for the sake of the man I love better than my life. or twenty lives--the man I've either saved or ruined-Tn play to- night, if I go mad or kill myself to- morrow. Don't think quietly, lvor. Think out aloud, and let me follow the working of your mind. We may help each other so. Let us go over together everything that happened to you from the minute you took the letter-case from the Foreign Secretary up to the minute I came into this room"
 I obeyed, beginning at the very be- ginning and telling her all, except the part that had to do with Diana For rest. She had no concern in that. l told her how I had slept with the green letter-case under my pillow, and had walked to feel and look for 1t once or twice an hour. How when morn ing came I had been late in getting to the train: how had struggled with two men who tried to keep me out or the reserved compartment into which they were intruding. How the man who had a right to 1t, after wishing to prevent my entering, helped me m the end, rather than be alone with inc pair who had forced themselves
 upon him. How he had stumbled al
 most into my arms in panic during | the confusion after the false alarm on i the boats gangway. How he had walked beside me and seemed on the
 point of speaking. later, in the Care 1 du Nord. How l had avoided ana los' 1 sight of him; but how l had many
 times covertly touched my pocket to | be sure that, through all, the letter | case was still safe there.
 Maxine grew calmer. though not.
 think, more hopeful as I talked; and
 at last she folded up the diamonds
 neatly in the red case, which she gave
 to me. Put that into the same pock- et," she said. and then pass your ] hand over your coat, as you did often
 before, Now, does it feel exactly as l if if were the green letter-case with which you started out?"
 "Yes. I think 1t does" I answered