The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-10-21

quietly on without turning her head
being absorbed and charmed by Kra
linsky's conversation.
"You may as well read the news
paper cutting now" Margaret said
when they had begun to walk again
"That cannot attract attention, ever
If she does look round, and it explains
a good many things. It's in the thin
ner envelope, of course"
Van Torp fumbled in the pocket oi
his jacket, and brought out the sliI
Of newspaper without the envelope, Z
precaution which Margaret noticed
and approved.
She watched him intently while hi
read the printed report, but his fact
did not change In the least. At that
short distance she could see every
shade of his expression through the
white yelling, though he could not SET
hers at all. He finished reading
folded the slip carefully, and put in
into his pocket-book instead Of return
ing it to the envelope.
1T does look queer" he said slowly
Nov let me ask you one thing, but
don't answer me unless you like. til
not mere inquisitiveness on my part.
AS Margaret said nothing, though he
waited moment for her answer, hl
went on. "That ruby, now-I suppose
it's to be cut for you, isn't it?"
Eyes. He gave it to me in Versail
les, and kept it some days. Then he
asked me to let him have it to take
to London when I came here"
"Just so. Thank you. One more
question, if may. That stone gave
you, I swear don't know that it's not
glass-anyhow, that stone, does IL
look at all like the one that was
stolen?"
"Oh, no! It's quite another shape
and size. Why do you ask? I don't
quite see."
What I mean is, If these people
are around selling rubies, there may
be two very much alike, that's ALL"
well, If there were? What of it?'
Suppose I'm only supposing,
mind, that the girl really had another
stone about her good deal like the
one that was stolen, and that some.
body else was the thief Queer things
like that have happened before"
Eyes. But old Pinney is one of the
first experts in the world, and he
swore to the ruby, ..s,s-.............
That's So" said Van Torp thought
fully. Il forgot that" .
"And II she had the other stone,
she had stolen 1t from Mons. Logo
theti, have not the least doubt"
II daresay," replied the millionaire.
I'm not her attorney. I'm not trying
to defend her. I was only thinking" I"
"She was at his house in Paris"
Margaret said, quite unable to keep
her own counsel now. TT was when
I was at Versailles"
"You don't say so! Are you sure Of
that?"
"He admitted it when I was talking
to him through the telephone, and I
heard her speaking to him in Ian
guage I did not understand"
did you really? Well, well!" Mr..
Van Torp was beginning to be puz.
Eled again. Nice voice, hasn't shsr"
"Yes. He tried to make me think
he wasn't sure whether the creature
was a boy or a girl"
Maybe he wasn't sure himself"
suggested the American, but the tone
In which she had spoken the word
creature" had not escaped him.
He was really trying to put the case
In a fair light, and was not at all
maneuvering to ascertain her state OF
mind. That was clear enough now.
How far she might go he could not
tell, but what she had just said,
coupled with the way in which she
spoke of the man to whom she was
engaged as Mons. Logotheti," made
it quite evident that she was pro-
foundly incensed against him, and Van
Torp became more than ever anxious
not to do anything underhand.
Look here" he said, I'm going to
tell you something. l took sort Of
interest in that Tartar girl the only
time I saw her. l don't know why. I
dare say was taken in by her
just ordinary taken in,' like tender
foot. l gave her that fellows ad-
dress in New York" He nodded to-
wards Kralinsky. when I found he
was here, I wired Logotheti to tell
her, since she's after him. suppose
I thought Logotheti would go right
away and find her, and get more
mixed up with her than ever. 1t was
mean of me, wasn't it? That's why
I've told you. You see, didn't know
anything about all this, and that
makes it meaner still, doesn't 1t?
Possibly If he had told her these
facts 48 hours earlier she might have
been annoyed, but at present they
seemed to be rather in his favor. At
all events he was frank, she thought.
He declared war on his rival, and
meant to fight according to the law OF
nations. Lady Maud would not be his
friend II he were playing any double
game. but she had stuck to him
throughout his trouble in the spring.
he had emerged victorious and rein
stated in public opinion, and she had