The Washington herald., 1908-03-25
CHAPTER xxx.
In which Marion i. Indi.creet

revealing the pale countenance OF his
visitor
The blanched face. with its apprehen-
sive. half-frightened expression, was
that OF Marion Rolfe.
We'll" he said In his thin. rather
squeaky voice. after he had closed the
door behind her and drawn forward a
chair so you have at last summoned
courage to come-eh?' and he smiled al
her triumphantly why have you re-
fused my invitation so many times? My
house. know. bears a reputation for
mystery, but l am no ogre. ] assure you,
Miss Rolfe. Whispers have come back
to me that I am believed by some TO be
modern Blue Beard or by others a
kind OF Sphinx; but I trust you will dis
believe the wild rumors put about by
my enemies. ard regard me as your
friend
She had sunk into the soft depths Of
the green sitk upholstered chair and,
with her motor veil thrown back, was
staring at the old man, half in fear. halt
in wonder. To his words she made no
response.
Il hope the car / sent came for you as
arranged" he went on, at once changing
the subject
Yes The man arrived punctually.
she answered al last. But"
But WHAT"
Il ought never to have come here" she
declared uneasily. Il shall have 10 go
before Mr.. Cunnington tomorrow for be
ing absent all night, and shall certainly
be discharged He will never hear ex-
In &.
the hard and fast rule"
Not in your case. Miss Rolfe," re-
piled the old millionaire. Remember that
il is not Mr. CUnnington who controls
Cunnington's. Limited. l have asked you
here IN order 20 speak 20 you in strIctest
confidence. Indeed. ] want TO take YOU
into my confidence, If you'll allow me.
Perhaps you will be absent from Oxford
street a week-perhaps a month. But
when you return you will not find the
vacancy filed.
His cold eyes were fixed upon hers.
She found a strange fascination in the old
mans glance, for he seemed TO fix her
and hold her imuiovable Now. for the
first time, she experienced what Charlie
had so often told her. namely. that Sam
uel Statham could. when he so desired.
exercise an extraordinary power over
his fellow-men
Absent a MONTH" she echoed. staring
at him. What do you meln?"
What 1 say. The car is awaiting you
at the Marble Arch. isn't it?'
u suppose so. The chauffeur put me
down there-at your orders believe"
Il told you to put on a thick coat and
motor veil. l see you have done as I
wished 1 want you to go on long
Journey"
She looked at the gray. immovabIe face
before her in sheer astonishment To
this man both her brother Charlie and
she herself owed their present happiness.
And yet he was a man OF millions and
OF mystery. Charlie had always been
reticent regarding the strange tales con-
corning the house in which she uoyy
found herself. a visitor there under
compulsion. Max. on the other hand.
had often expressed wonder whether or
not there was really any substratum Of
truth
As she sat there she recoIlected how.
only fortnight before. Max had told her
the latest queer story regarding the mys-
terious mansion and its eccentric owner.
What would he say II he knew that she
had dared TO go alone there-that she
was seated in the old mans private room
Dared II the truth were told. Sam
Statham had written to her fully half "a
dozen times, asking her to call upon him
IN secret IA the evening when her broth
er would have left. as he wished to speak
with her Each time she had replied
making excuses, for within herself she
could not imagine upon what business he
wished TO see her. She had only met
him once. on the day her brother took her
TO the city and asked his master 70 Sc
cure her a berth at Cunnington's. The
intervied only lasted nve minutes and
the impression he left upon her was that
OF peevish. snappy old man who held
all women in adherence.
Very well. very well. Rofe." he had
replied impatiently. I'm write to Cum
nington's about your sister. Remind NE
tomorrow. Then. turning TO her. he
had wished her hasty good-by. and
resumed his writing He had hardly tax
en- the trouble 10 look at her.
Now. for the first time. he was gazing
straight into her face, and she thought
she detected in his eyes an expression OF
sadness. combined with kindIiness. An
expert in the reading of character. cow
ever. would have noticed beneath that
assumed kindness was an expression OF
triumph He had brought her there
against her viii. She was there at his
bidding. merely because she dare not Of
fend TIE man to whom both Charlie and
ntIStl owed tAeF daily bread.
For "A long time she had held ont
against all his strongly expressed desires
70 see her. His letters had been placed
IN her hand by a special messenger. and
Mr.. Warner. the buyer" had on two
occasions witnessed their delivery. and
wondered who might be bis assistant 8
correspondent. He never dreamed that
il was Samuel Statham. the man who
held the controlling interest in the huge
concern
The writer of those letters particularly
requested her not 20 mention the matter
to her brother: therefore she more than
once thought Of consulting Max. But
Statham's instructions were that she
should regard, the matter as confidential:
so she had refrained. and at the same
time hid met ali his invitations with
steady excuses.
At last on the previous day came a
tersely Worded note, which made If plain
that the millionaire would brook nd re-
fuSai She was 10 purchase a motor can
and veil. and. wearing them. was. at
an hour he appointed. to meet a dark red
motor car that would be awaiting her at
Addison road station In it she was 10
drive back to the Marble Arch, where
she was 10 alight and walk along Park
lane direct TO the house where he him
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