The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1908-01-09
CHAPTER xxI.-contlnuea.


You don't deceive me, let me tell you.
Your plea of cowardice is convenient
subterfuge. Every fact points to your
being 10 league with these adven-
turers. A coward wouldn't have taken
the risks you have taken. You saw
the man hiding In the stairway; you
saw him about to fire on helpless
girl: and you raised no hand. Am
talking plainly enough?"
looked into Locke's eyes. glazing
with rage and contempt, and / laughed
aloud. II was actually a relief to have
my weakness exalted to the plane of
deliberate villainy.
Laugh. my friend, but am not TO
be deceived by laugh"
And now that stand abased in my
naked deviltry?"
Il give you five minutes TO make a
fun and complete confession. If at
the end OF FIVE minutes you still re-
fuse. 1 shall have you promptly arrest
ed for being a partner in the intrigues
OF the Countess Sarahoff. for masquer-
aiding as Sir Mortimer Brett, and for
being an accomplice In the murder OF
Miss Brett"
Five minutes! The time was not
long. / knew Locke would keep his
word: but more than ever l was stub
borniy. resolved to refuse taking him
into my confidence.
Could I tell him my reasons for act
ing as I had done? Could l tell him
that I had set out on the romantic
quest of saving a life for the life that
had been lost! Would he believe that?
At least without appealing to the wom-
an who had set me that task? To
drag in her name was impossible.
The minutes passed swiftly. So
this was the end of my task! Disgrace
and imprisonment, had warned
Helena that might be the case.
looked across the valley at the pin
nacles of the Castle of Happiness.
What a fool have been,
your time is almost up" said
Locke grimly, looking at the watch he
had placed on his knee. And Miss
Brett is walking in the garden over
there. Do you wish her to see you
marched OF to prison?"
On the contrary. it was she who
must set me free, l would put her to
the supreme test. Now If she trusted
me as she had promised. might yet
escape from the awkward dilemma.
rose to my feet 1 called to her,
Miss Brett!"
She came to us. My maneuver so
completely astonished Locke that he
stared at me speechless.
Miss Brett" I said quietly, "Mr.
Locke has taken upon himself the task
of bringing me to justice. He finds
me guilty of completely in the in.
trigues OF Madame de WARMER. He re-
fuses to believe that ! am acting in
your behalf. / cannot blame him for
his suspicions. The facts are almost
wholly against me-ths surface facts.
l do not even deny most of them. But
he has wcefully misconstrued my mo.
tiyes in every case. i refuse absolute
ly to tell him what those motives are.
He has threatened me with arrest I'M
less make to him full and complete
confession without delay. Mr.. Locke,
as have said, is acting on the behalf
OF your mother and yourself. Person
ally ne has no right whatever to make
any complaint against me-"
Miss Brett Will be the last person
to shield you from punishment when
she knows the TRUTH" interrupted
Locke. bewildered at my audacity in
appealing to her.
Among other things. Miss Brett"
continued eagerly, "he accuses me of
being an accomplish in your attempted
murder In the stairway"
There are facts more tangible than
that" said Locke significantly.
But 1 refuse to listen to them"
said Helena, reassuring me with a
quiet glance. Il am not so ignorant
OF those facts. perhaps, as you mag
ine. Mr. Locke. / have every conf
dence in you. Mr.. Haddon. AS to caus-
ing your arrest, that is absurd"
Thank you" returned. with pas.
sion Of gratitude in my heart "You
will hear from me before midnight. II
ct the end of that time you do not,
think It would be well for you to con-
suit Mr.. Locke. He knows a great
deal Of which you are ignorant"
BE sure of this. sir. shall no. wait
until midnight to enlighten Miss
Brett" cried Locke, HE face purple
with anger and chagrin.
"Mr- Locke. let us understand each
other" said Helena, and even Locke
felt that her decision was irrevocable.
-Mr. Haddon is my friend. refuse to
believe him guilty of dishonor, much
less Of deliberate crime. l refuse and
my mother will refuse. to press any
charge against him. More than that,
we trust him to help US in our diff
:hcuities."
Locke closed the face OF his watch
with q snap.
III you have come to that decision Z"
he said with assumed carelessness.
there is nothing more to be said. II
j can be Of service 10 you, you will
md me at the hotel at midnight. as
the chivalrous Mr.. Haddon has sug-
ecsted." ---
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