The Irish standard., 1908-10-24

cDEAH MNH
mas gone to Greenfelds and we've sew
eral hours before us. Look here, little
woman, why don't you take a tumble
to yourself, cut out all this nonsense,
and look to your own interests?"
Il don't understand you," she fal-
tared, "but if"
I'm talking about this Maitland
affair. Cut it out and forget it. You're
too good-looking and valuable to your.
self to lose your head just all on &C.
count of little moonlight Irritation
with a good-looking millionaire. You
don't suppose for an instant that
there's anything in it for yours, do
you? You're nothing to Maitland
just an incident: next time he meets.
the baby-stare for yours. You can
thank your lucky stars he happened to
have a reputation to sustain as viii
lage cut-up, gay, sad dog, always out
for good time and hang the expense!
Otherwise he'd have handed you yours
without moments hesitation. I'm
not doing this up In tin-foil and tying
a violet ribbon with tassels on it, but
I'm handing 1t straight to you; some
thing you don't want to forget. You
just sink your hooks in the fact that
you're nothing to Maitland and that
he's nothing to you, and never will be,
and you won't lose anything-except
illusions"
She remained quiescent for a little,
hands twitching in her lap, torn by
conflicting emotions-fear of and aver.
sion for the man. amusement, chill
horror bred of the knowledge that he
was voicing the truth about her, the
truth, at least, as he saw it, and-and
as Maitland would see it.
"1llusions?" she echoed. family. and
raised her eyes to his with a pitiful
attempt at smile. "Oh, but 1 must
have lost them, long ago; else
shouldn't be"
Here and what you are. That's
what I'm telling you"
She shuddered imperceptibly; looked
down and up again. swiftly, her express
sion inscrutable, her voice a-tremble
between laughter and tears: "Well?"
"Eh?" The directness of her query
f1guratively brought him up all stand
ing, canvas Tapping and wind out of
his sails.
What are you offering me in ex-
change for my silly dream?" she in.
quired, trace of spirit quickening her
tone.
"A fair exchange, think-some.
thing that wouldn't offer you If you
hadn't been able to dream" He
paused, doubtful, clumsy.
Go on" she told him, family. Since
1t must come, as we'll be over with it.
"See here" He took heart Of
desperation. "You took to Maitland
when you thought he was me. Why
not take to me for myself? I'm as
good a man, better as a man, than he.
If do blow my own horn. You side
with me, little woman, and-and all
that-and I'll treat you square. I
never went back on pal yet. Why"
Frightening with enthusiasm as his
gaze appraised her, with your looks
and your cleverness and my knowl.
edge of the business, we can sweep
the country, you and l."
"Oh!" she cried, breathlessly.
We'll start right now," he plunged
on, mfsreading her; fright now, with
last nights haul. You'll chuck this
added sentimental pangs-of.conscience
lay, hand over the jewels, and-and
I'll hand 'em back to you the day we're
married, all set and-as handsome a
wedding present as any woman ever
got"
She twisted in her chair to hide her
face from him, fairly cornered at last,
brain a-whlrl devising hundred
maneuvers, each more helpless than
the last, to cheat and divert him for
the time, until-until-
The consciousness Of his presence
near her, Of the sheer strength and
might of will-power of the man, bore
upon her heavily; she was like a child
in his hands, helpless. She turned with
a hushed gasp to find that he had risen
and come close to her chair; his face
was not a foot from hers, his eyes
dangerous; in another moment he
would have his strong arms about
her. She shrank away, terrified.
mo, mol" she begged.
''Well, and why not? well?"-
tensely.
How DO I know? This afternoon
outwitted you, robbed and sold you
for-for what you call scruple. How
can l know that you are not paying me
back in my own coin?"
"Oh, but little woman!" he laughed,
tenderly, coming nearer. 1T is be.
cause you did that, because you could
hold those scruples and make a fool
Of me for their sake, that I want you.
Don't think I'm capable of playing
with v011-it fakoo q u,o,,ou ~ IL %h.%