Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-08-07
By E. PHILLIPS oppENHEIl

Author of The Master Mummer "A siuner.''
 Sabin." Anna the Adventures" Etc.

| Ou, ! au uITdlU. sue murmureQ. VI wish had taken my chance. I ought not to have burdeaed you for mo ment with my affairs. I have given you the right to ask me questions which cannot answer"
 He was perplexed.
 If you have given promises to these people, he began.
 "Oh, there i no question of prom ises," she interrupted. T am here o1 my own free will. I refuse to answer any questions. pray only if you would be generous that you ask me none, that you keep me until tomor row and let me go not only from this place, but out of your life. Then in, deed will be grateful to you"
 He took her hand in his, She yield ed it without any attempt at resist ance, but it lay in his palm cold, dead thing.
 T am only concerned for your good, T he said gently. Tt is your happiness only that am anxious for You were not born or trained for life of lies and crime. I want to save you from il 1 before it is too late"
 "What I do,' she said slowly, T dc of my own free will"
 Not quite, think" he answered 'but let that pass. Listen! If you will not talk to me about these things, will you talk to my friend, Jarvis Spencer l He is a gentleman and a journalist by profession, but he is also one of the cleverest amateur detectives in Eng land"
 She held up her hands with little gesture of horror. Her eyes were alight with fear.
 "No! she cried. ''No! A thousand times no. Don't let him come near me please! Oh, I wish I could make you understandw she continued helplessly You yourself in Paris only few weeks ago were in terrible danger. A girl who only gave, or meant to give you, information about my brother and me was murdered. You, too, would have been killed if you had found any | thing out" 5i. 's1" l
 He would have answered her lightly, but the memory of Mile Flossie lying dead upon the bed in that gloomy little room suddenly rose up before him, and tho words died away upon his lips. He was silent for q moment and glanced again at bis watch. It wanted only five minutes to 12. He came and leaned over her chair.
 Phyllis" he said, "what am I to do I about you? I cannot let you go out of my life like this. No, you must listen ] to me for moment. When Pelham sent for me after you had disappeared he showed me your picture. l am not exactly the sort of man of whom knight errants are made. l have never gone a mile out of my way to meet any woman in my life. My life here has seemed of all things the best to me- am dull, unambitious sort of fellow, you know, since I settled down here, and expected to go on for the rest of my days pretty much in the same way. And yet when Pelham showed me your picture 1t was different I made him give 1t up to me. told him-llar that I was-that could not carry the mem- ory of your fa'.e in my mind when it was already cngraven in my heart And went of to Paris, Phyllis, like the veriest Don Quixote, and I came back very sad indeed when I could not find you. Then you came to Runton House and the trouble began. I did not care who you were, Phyllis Poyn- ton. Sibyl Fielding or anybody else. I let the others dispute. You were your self, and I love you, dear Now do you understand why I cannot let you go away like this?"
 He had both her hands in his now. but her face was turned away. Then, without any warming, there came a soft rapping at the door which led into the library.
 Duncombe reached it in a couple of
 
 found Spencer standing there.
 '1 thought it best to let you know" he said, that a carriage has stopped in the lane. If I can be of any as- sistance I shall be here-and ready"
 Duncombe nodded and closed the door. The girl was sitting upright in her chair with the old look of fear in her eyes.
 "who was that?' she asked quietly.
 Spencer" he answered. He dis covered your presence here. but he is perfectly discreet He knocked to tell me that a carriage has stopped in the lane outside"
 She was white with fear. but he only laughed and. stoOping down. would have taken her hands once more. But at that moment an unexpected sound intervened. The deep silence of the house was broken by the ringing of the front dOorbell
 Duncombe started back. The girl half rose to her feet.
 The front dOor!' he exclaimed ''The servants will have gone to bed I must answer 1t myself"
 She clung to him with a sudden abandon. She was white to the lips
 T am afraid.- she moaned. Don't leave me alone
 He glanced toward the window.
 By love. it may be Q trapr' he ez claimed. Let them ring. I'll stay here with you"
 They stood hand in hand liste1iEz His head was turned toward the doJ. but the gentle pressure of her finger drew him round Her face was up S,.--,y5 e. hs- -r .a -