Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-28
The Spitfre
Continued from pags 10

phies. dashed to the station, caught train for
Dover, and arrved-too latei'
Nada sighed in irritated WEAKNESS. This
the weakest yet. 1t was past belief that
any sane man should tell such pack of nom
sense to any sane woman, with the hope of
being credited. Certainly, a customs house
"tficia. should compose a better story, unless
indeed, he took her for fool: and by the very
careless assurance of his tone she was forced
to believe that this was his present posture
Her own position was far from a pleasant one.
and she wondered how she could answer him
and remain lady: but he gave her opening
by his next remarks:
Il chartered a tugboat,-or. at least l
thought | did.-and was it when you
deigned first to observe me. That, | believe.
is all. | am open to cross examination. Take
the witness.
FOR full minute she regarded his finely cut.
patrician features through half closed.
angry eyes. Of course it was perfectly imma-
terial to her whether the man was liar or not:
vet, in spite of his strange mixture of art and
clumsness, the fact remained that he knew
something: otherwise he would not have taken
the trouble to board the yacht. Just how
much he did know was question: but, for the
ultimate safety of Marcus Girard. it devolved
upon Marcus Girards daughter to find out.
MIR. Morson," she said quietly, Il think |
shall adopt your suggestion for there are sew
eral points upon which | should like to be
hghtened.' She reflected moment, then Sc
lected vital issue. You claim to have lost
some property. Doubtless you can describe to
me the precise nature of your loss"
Naturally" he laughed. You will find.
unless the booty has been previously divided.
half handful of very pleasing pearls, about
the same quantity of uncut rubies, and a
whaling big emerald in a somewhat peculiar
setting. Of course | could be more exact; but
if you will kindly produce these baubles and
allow me to mark them Exhibit C"
"Sirl' She had started in spite of herself.
Al. L.
from chin to her dainty ears. How should this
devil know that the gems were in her pos
session, as his words implied? Perhaps it was
only suspicion of the truth. in which case it
was now her part to mislead the official vulture
as far as possible with conscience and her own
unpractised powers of deceit. His ability to
describe the gems was simplicity itself, for his
clients surely would have given him minute
description: but how should he surmise that
Ormond and Tracy had given them into a
woman's keeping?
Excuse me. said Morson. referring to her
naughty exclamation Il was merely thinking
how yellow covered novel ought to end.
Kindly proceed with the cross examination"
PUT for time she made no further effort to
confound him. She was thinking deeply,
harder than ever before in her young, clean
minded life. 1t was her father she wished to
shield, her father to whom she owed existence,
her bread. her every rag of clothing, from
the Saucy little yachting cap to the strings of
her fighting shoes. At the thought her spirit
rose up in arms. and she longed for the power
to crush this man before her, to condemn him
out of his own false mouth. to degrade him.
even he sought to smirch the name of her
dear old father And now in her brain a subtle
plan was born. and at its coming she smiled
and grew suddenly very calm.
Mr. Morson." she began, by way of leading
him gently toward the pitfall she had set for
him, awhile ago you thanked me for saving
your life
Yes" he answered simply. land 1 do so
again most heartily. If"
She checked him with lifted hand. az am
led to infer. then. that this life of yours was
actually in danger?"
"Imminently!"
The tone was odd, and contained a certain
bantering impishness; yet she failed to note it:
for now she had risen to her feet, furious from
lip to heel.
Nov that" she declared, "is positive un-
TRUTH
How so?" he asked, but without shadow
of contrition, or a fear that she had here en-
trapped him:
Because" she answered, and her quoted
words came cold and hard, "a drowning man
doesn't usually tread water and shoot at tug
boats with big blue gun"
The Southerner tilted back his head and
laughed.-a deep. rich laugh. filled to the very.
brim with keen enjoyment Did you notice