Arizona republican., 1908-07-12

peared with message This interruption restored to Adrian sef-possession and self-confdence. Miss Messiter arose, drawing pair of carefully darn ed gloves.
 Must you really go? I shall want this" He indicated the manuscript
 "It is-zit is his, you understand"
 Certainly; it is by John Messiter, if you say .
 Her eyes fared.
 But" she held his glance. you don't believe me; you think me not mad"
 She had read his thoughts with uncanny subtle
 And that being so, I can only say goodbye, and thank you"
 May I-you will forgive me-but-as a flavor to me" He retreated to his desk and pulled out check-book from pgeon-hole. 'S-s-some- thing account-"
 No. Well, then-yes. l am in debt. My land lady is a good creature. But she, too is strug- gling."
 Adrian filled in check, thrust it into an lope, and begged her to say no more. She took him at his word bowed. ignored his outstretched hand and left the
 He sat down and plunged into the manuscript. Yes, yes; who could doubt that this was womans work? She was a genius-half crazy half starv- ing, and wholly charming; of fascination Adrian had found life simple. Now without gra-
  he was foundering, if not laundering in sea of speculation. Miss Messiter obsessed him. It had become plain to Adrian that he loved this Miss Messiter, with a 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 man willing to marry, on her own terms, a girl he had met only twice If she imposed silence he would ask no questions. He wrote a letter entreating permission to pay her his addresses. She sent one line in reply:
 Not till you can swear that you believe what told you"
 About four months later she called at the office for the third time. Adrian 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, Mir. Steele"
 He betrayed his astonishment by sharp intake of breath and the too quick How do you know? I've not told soul"
 And 1t is serious-very serious"
 50. you read minds, too? Yes it is very se- rious"
 The look or Dewtlderment on his clean-cut lace provoked a smile from her-a smile that puzzled Adrian more than anything that had gone before, for it 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 find this fragile woman elusive, intangible, became an insupportabe evaporation.
 You try me too;much." he exclaimed. "I tell you you partlys responsible for a misfortune which has overtaken me. I have been obsessed by your mysteries. I have neglected my work. And I must pay for such neglect. Well, I'll pay, if you'll own for inscrutable purpose you've tried to make fool of me. You have the satsfac- tion of Knowing that you have succeeded"
 "Oh!" she said faintly.
 At once he felt ashamed of this outburst She looked so ptifully small and weak.
 Its all right he said confusedly. "I take it back. I don't believe that you-you-could have deliberately deceived me-"
 And this misfortune of yours? Will you tell me what 1t is?'
 Adrlan nodded Her eyes seemed to suffuse a strange power of perception. He went on to say that he was the sole trustee for niece whose for une of fifty thousand dollars he held in trust Certain securities had been taken by him from his bankers to look with view to reinvestment. Adrlan recalled bringing the package rom the bank carrying it to his office, and thence to his apartment He could swear that him. self and the manager of the bank knew of its moval from the banks safety vault. And yet, within forty-eight hours, of the negotiable curites amounting in value to ten thousand dol lars, had been stolen or at least had mysteriousy disappeared.
 He stopped, confused, remembering that she had divned these troubles before he had declared them Then he burst out: How did you know?"
 She did not answer. Again it struck him that she horribly i'll. Her next words arrested his attention
 |, If could help you! If had the strength"
 ''The strength?'
 If I could ask-John,"
 It a supreme moment for both of them. Her brothers name quivered from her lips. mere sigh. Y0t it smote Adrian with inconceivable violence. lie trembling when he said: