The Washington herald., 1908-03-22

Z
was permissible where woman's honor
was concerned"
Wen, and viii not every man with a
sense Of honor toward a woman hold the
same opinion? You yourself. Max, for IN
stance, are not the man 70 give woman
away
4 know, know-only-"
Only what? Surely you do not disa-
gre with me-
In a sense I don't but I'm anxious to
clear up this matter as far as you your
self are concerned.
Rolfe saw that he had shaken his
/ friends fixed belief that he had seen him
! IN Cromwell road Max was now debat-
ing in his mind whether he had not sus-
pected Charlie unjustly. Ii Is so easy to
suspect and so difficult to satisfy ones
self Of the actual truth. The mind is,
alas. too apt TO receive Informed impress
siOns contrary TO fact.
! 1T is already cleared up. Rolfe an
swered without hesitation I was not
sides, my dear chap, why should 1 go
there when had been particularly asked
by Maud not to visit the house?"
When did she ask you?"
only the night before That very fact
is. in itself, curious. She urged me that
whatever might occur, was not TO go to
the house"
Then she anticipated something. chr"
1T seems as though she did"
And she told Marion something on the
night when she and her father disap-
peared'
Il know
you know what she told herr"
NO. Marion refuses TO tell me, wish
could induce her 70 speak. Marion
knows the truth-thats my firm belief
And mine also
THE two girls have some secret in com
mon" Rolfe said. Cant you get Marion
10 tell your"
-she refuses I've asked her half
dozen times already"
Il wonder whyl There must be some
reason.
"Of course there is. She is loyal to her
friend. But tell me honestly. Charlie. Do
you know the doctors whereabouts"
Il tell you honestly that I haven't the
slightest idea. The affair is just as great
a mystery to me as to you"
But why have you kept away from me
till to-day" Barclay asked. 1T isn't Ike
you"
Well" answered Rolfe. with slight
hesitation. Ito tell you the truth. because
changed toward me Of late"
why. my dear fellow. I'm sure il
never has"
But you suspected me of being in that
house on the night Of the disappearance"
"Of course. because I saw you.
Because you thought you saw me.
Charlie said, correcting hom. You sure
ly would not misjudge me for that"
mo. But your theory regarding false
hoods has. 1 must admit. caused some
suspicion in my mind"
"Of what?
We'll - of prevaricating in order to
shield a wcman-Maud it may be!''
Il am not shielding herr" he declared.
There is nothing 20 shiel6 / love her
very dearly indeed, and she loves me de-
votedly in return. Cannot you imagine,
Max. my perturbed state Of mind now
that she has disappeared without a
wOrd?'
Has she sent you no secret message
OF her safety Max asked. seriously.
Not a word.
And you 90 not know. then, if she has
not met with foul pIay?''
II don't. That's just II, Sometimes-''
And he rose from his chair and paced the
room in agony of mind SOmetimes-I-I
feel as If l shall go mad. love her-just
as you love Marion- sometimes / feel
assured Of her safety-that she and her
father had been compelled to disappear
for political or other reasons-and then at
others a horrible idea haunts me that my
love may be dead-Jhe victim OF some
vile. treacherous plot 10 take from me all
that has made my life worth bvingIn
Stop cried Max. starting TO his feet
and facing him. You love her. eh?''
''Better-ahi better than my own lifel'
he cried. in deep earnestness. his troubled
face being an index of his mind
''Then-then upon her honor-the honor
Of the woman you love-swear TO me that
you have spoken the TRUTH
He looked into his friends eyes for a
moment. Then he answered:
4 swear, Max, I swear by my love for
Maud that have spoken the truth
And Barclay stood silent-so puzzled as
70 be unable to utter a word.