Los Angeles herald., 1908-06-28

He could not keep an ironca1 infection out of his
voice. sThis cursed John this Internal spirit raised
by weak woman's fancy to stand between. her and
her happiness and his happinessl She replied
meekly:
emo: did not dare I have not asked him, but
IL you" She faltered blushing, irresolute
turning aside her graceful head.
Ell ask you to ask him? Neveri"
His hatred of this imaginary brother was writ
ten plain upon his face She understood Instant
ly.
.How hard you are!" she exclaimed. "And how
incredulous of everything which you can't see and
feel and hear! Good-bye"
Their hands met; he noticed how her fingers VIZ
brated at his touch. A voice within struggled for
utterance. He wished to say: Christine, / love
you with all my heart and SOUL" The same voice
was not yet--too late.
They parted. After the door had closed behind
her, he sprung forward irresolute, his features
twisted by indecision. And then the habit OF
lifetime seized him. His face grew impassive his
relaxed muscles grew rigid; he returned ponder
ously to his desk. the obedient slave
of that tyrant, his reason.
For some hours he worked feverishly making up
the time he had squandered imposing upon himself
a pennance of unremitting labor, of undivided at
tention to the innumerable duties of editor. The
pile of letters to be answered dwindled to small
proportions. He heard his assistant leave the Of
fee; the boy. first to come and last to CO. on
whistling Doors slamming all the big
building stopped work for the day Soon
Adrian sensible that he and the hall porter we're
left alone. Still, he wrote on and on, trying to
blot out the pathetic face of Christine with ink
And then suddenly his telephone bell rang. He
picked up the instrument, astonshed and perplexed.
Who ringing him up at seven in the evening?
And how did they know that he In his office at
such hour?
who is it?" he asked. "I am Adrian Steele"
II am Christine Messter.'
Adrian recognized her voice at once The tone
of it seemed stronger, clearer. more vital. Yet ne
asked anxiously
Are you il?"
IT am quite WE'LL" came the reply. You are
alone. Will you go at to your assistants
desk? In the middle drawer you will find small
bunch of keys. One of them-a Bramah key-un-
locks the japanned box which you will find In the
lowest right-hand drawer. In the japapned box
are the missing securities Will you look at once7"
Eyes," said Adrian, COMPOUNDED; Out
: A faint voice murmured: Goodbye"
Adrian hesitated The obvious Questionable
how, and why. and when--rushed to his lips, but
never passed them.
Christine he said nassionately. "Christne-ars
you there?"
Eyes"
81 love you--do you hear? And am coming to
you Wait for me! Christine do you love me?"
"I-love-you. I--shaIl--wAit-for-yo And
then-silencei
Adrian shut up his desk and put on his hat and
overcoat before he remembered Christine's mes-
sage. Great Heaven, how had such knowledge
come to her? He rushed into his assistants room.
His desk was locked, but the middle drawer hap
pened to be open. The small bunch of keys met
his eye. He pulled at the lowest rght-hand draw
er--that. surely, would be locked No. BY
mischance the patent look Of the huted lid, which
ought to have locked the desk and all drawers in
1t, had failed to work properly. Adrian saw the
japanned box.
The securities were there.
With trembling hand, with beating heart
and throbbng brain, he thrust them into his pocket
and replaced the box and bunch of keys. He had
a strange look of awe upon his face as he went
down stairs
Passing through the hall he noticed the porter and
a couple of workmen, and paused to ask what they
were doing at such late hour. The telephone he
told needed adjusting The job however, was
nearly done.
"Is 1t disconnected now" Adrian asked.
Eyes, sir, and has been since six. You needn't
worry, Mr. Steele; 1t will be in good order before
business hours tomorrow.
Adrian rushed up the street and into Broadway.
whence hanson bore him swiftly to the address of
Miss Messiter.
The landlady-not the maid he remembered
opened the door.
Where is Miss Messter? She telephoned st0
me--not half an hour ago.
He was pushing by, when she clutched at his
sleeve Something in her stupid kind face arrest
ed him.
We have no telephone in the house sir Miss
Messiter come home about four. took her cup
of tea. I'm she's not gone out again; she's in
the second floor front"
Adrian was half way up the stairs before she had
finished her sentence. He knocked at Christines
door. inclining his head TO hear her quiet: Come
in" There was no answer. The landlady, breath
ing very heavily, Joined him, and opened the door.
BY the light of q lamp Adrian could see Christine
lying back In her chair asleep. The landlady and
he approached silently. The landlady touched the
hand which lay upon the arm of the chair. Then
she screamed out: