Los Angeles herald., 1908-06-28

his brain. At the same moment the Office boy ap-
peared with message. This interruption restored
to Adrian self-possession and self-confdence. Miss
Messiter arose, drawing a pair of carefully darn
ed gloves.
Must you really go? shall want this" He
indicated the manuscript.
sit is--it is his, you understand
Certainly 1t is by John Messter. If you say So =
Her eyes hared.
But" she held his glance, you don't believe
me; you think me not mad
She had read his thoughts with uncanny subtle
ty.
"And that being so, l can only say goodbye, and
thank you"
May You will forgive me--but-as FLAVOR
to me- He retreated to his desk and pulled
out check-book from pigeon-hole. "S-s-some-
thing on ACCOUNT
mo. Well, then-yes. am In debt My land
lady Is good creature. But she, too is strug-
Cling"
Adrian filed in a check, thrust 1t into an enve-
LOPEZ and begged her to say more. She took
him at his word. bowed ignored his outstretched
hand and left the room
He sat down and plunged into the manuscript,
Yes yes; who could doubt that this was woman's
work? She was genus-half crazy half starv
ing. and wholly charming creature of fascination.
Adrian had found life simple. Now, without gra-
dalton OF any KIND II became complex ne IetI tnat
he was foundering, If not laundering in Of
speculation. Miss Messiter obsessed him.
1t had become plain to Adrian that he loved this
Miss Messiter, with love different from anything
of the kind experienced before. One measures ade-
quately the strength of this attachment by the
statement that this shrewd, cool-headed was
willing to marry on her own terms, girl he had
met only twice. If she imposed silence he would
ask questions. He wrote letter entreating
line in reply:
Not till you swear that you believe what
told you
About four months later she called at the office
for the third time Adrian was SO shocked at her
appearance, the attenuation of her features, the
pallor of her skin, that he exclaimed instantly:
what have you been doing?" She displayed
irritation which he rightly attributed to physical
weakness.
will you sit DOWN."
She refused the chair he offered. Her large,
clear eyes, fingered on his face.
you are in trouble. Mr. Steele"
He betrayed his establishment by a sharp intake
of breath and the too quick How do you know?
I've not told a SOUL" ,
"And 1t is serious-very serious"
80! you read minds, too? Yes, 1t is very
rious"
The look of bewilderment on his clean-cut face
provoked a smile from her--a smile that puzzled
Adrian more than anything that had gone before,
for 1t the smile of superior knowledge yet ten
der. plying and magnanimous. The smile pro-
voked him to unconsidered speech to almost brutal
frankness That he, who had grasped all he want
ed with sure, tenacious clutch, should fnd this
fragile woman elusive, intangible, became
insupportable evaporation.
You try me too much!" he exclaimed 81 tell
you you partly responsible for misfortune
which has overtaken me. have been obsessed by
your mysteries. have neglected my work. And
I must pay for such neglect. Well, I'll pay, IL
you'll own for some inscrutabe purpose you've
tried to make fool of me. You have the satisfac-
ton of knowing that you have succeeded"
"Oh!" she said family.
At once he felt ashamed of this outburst She
looked ptifully small and weak.
TITS all right" he said confusedly. 81 take 1t
back. / don't believe that you-you--could have
deliberately deceived me-"
And this misfortune of yours? Will you tell
me what 1t is?"
Adrian nodded. Her eyes seemed to suffuse
strange power of perception. He went on to say
that he the sole trustee for niece whose for
of some fifty thousand dollars he held in trust.
Certain securities had been taken by him from his
bankers to look with view to reinvestment.
Adrian recalled bringing the package from the
bank carrying 1t to his Office and thence to his
apartment. He could swear that no one save him
self and the manager of the bank knew of its re-
moval from the banks safety vault And yet,
within forty-eght hours, of the negotiable se-
curities, amounting in value to ten thousand dol
lars had been stolen or at least had mysteriously
disappeared.
He stopped, confused, remembering that she had
OWNED these troubles before he had declared them
Then he burst out: "How did you known"
he Apain ar that
she was horribly i'll. Her next words arrested his
attention.
IF could help you! If had the strength"
1.-THE Strength"
IF could ask-John!"
1t was supreme moment for both Of them. Her
brothers name quvered from her lips, mere sigh.
Yet it smote Adrian with inconceivable violence.
He was trembling when he said:
Have you heard from John lately?"
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