The San Francisco call., 1909-08-29


dome with passionate curiosity. He
knew why the press had been extin-
guished and what they were doing in
the dark. She knew where the sap
phire was-and where the culprit was
to be found. And to think that they
could tell each other, if they would.
each a tale the other would
hardly dare believe Amazing appear
ances! How far away, how foreign
from the facts they covered But Ma
jor Purdie had the best of ii. He at
least was doing his duty. He was
standing stiffiy on one side, while she
hesitated between, trying desperately
to push Kerr out of sight before she
dared uncover the jewel. But he
wouldn't move. In spite of all she had
done. he wouldn't
Across the room that very afternoon
she caught the twinkle of his resisting
smile. He had had her letter then for
two days, and still he had come here,
though he'd been bidden to stay away;
though he had been warned to keep
away from all places where she, or
these people around her, might find
him; though he had been implored to
go, finally. as far away as the round
surface OF the world would let him.
BY what he had heard and seen in
the red room that night, he must know
her warning had not been ridiculous.
And there was another threat less ap-
parent on the face of things. but evil
dent enough to her. 1t was the change
In Clara after she had begun her at
tack on the Buffers, her appearance of
being busy with something, absorbed
with, intent upon something, which, If
she had not secured il yet, at least
she had well in reach. And that thing
suppose 1t had to do with the Crew
idol; and suppose Clara should play
into Harry's hands,
For Kerr's escape Flora had been
holding the ring. lighting off events,
and yet all the while she had not
wanted to lose the sight OF him. Well,
now, when she had made up her mind
finally to resign herself to the dreari-
ness OF that, might he not at least have
done his part OF 1t and decently dis
appeared? So much he might have
done for her Instead OF smiling at
her across crowded tearooms, and
obliquely glancing at her down de-
corous dinner tables. and with the same
fatal facility he had displayed in get
ting at her. now keeping away from
her. out Of all possible reach.
He was playing her own trick
on her, but her chances for get
ting at him again were fewer than his
had been with her. She could not be-
siege him in his abode, and in the,
places where they met large houses
crowded with people, the eye of the
world was upon her. For how long had
she forgotten it-she who had been all
her life so deferentiaI toward himi
Even now she remembered It only be-
cause II interfered with what she want
ed to do.
For the eye Of her small society was
very keenly upon Kerr. She realized.
all at once, that he had become a per
sonage; and then, by smiles, by lifted
EYEBROWS, by glances, she gathered that
her name was being linked with his
she was astonished. How could their
luncheon together at the Purdies. their
words that night in the opera box. their
rev minutes talk in the shop. have
crystalilzed into this gossip? It vexed
her-alarmed her-how IT had got about
when she had seen him so seldom had
known him scarcely more than a week
II was simply In the air. It was in her
ATTITUDE and in his, but how far II had
sOhe she did not dream until in the
dense crowd Of some ones 'at home"
sne caught the words of a young girl
Eoice was so sweet and SO prettily
modulated that at its first notes Flora
turned involuntarily to gIinpse the
speaker. slender creature in a delicate
mist or muslin, with an fndeterminatA
chin and the cheek of pale peach.
just think" Flora heard her saving
ne went to see her three times in two
days, but today, did you notice he
wouldn't look at her until she went un
and spoke to him. I don't sec bov, =
girl can! Harry Cressy-"
She moved away and the words 49,
lost Flora looked after her. For ~
moment she felt only scorn for tba
creatures who had clapped that inter
pretation upon her great Reconnaissance
t- e people around her seemed poor.
IiIoeeo' absorbed only in petty consider
atoms and seeing everything doI.-,, -,
narrow vista of the .-corract7, Iyo eue
IoIlowed the young girls course tbroyeb
tne room, easy to trace by her shining
oiohoe mead and the unusual delicious
ness OF her muslin gown. She stonned
Desloe Two women, and with a certain
sense OF pleasure and embarras.-
.neht Flora recognized one of then--
WIS WIS herrick She caught the Iadv,,
ana bowed Mrs. Herrick smiled
with gracious inclination in wb,cb
her graceful shoulders had q mart
1t gave Flora the sense Mrs. NJ
TICK presence always brought her of
PIotection. or security, and the nossi
Dliity OF friendship finer than she had
ever known. She started forward R,,+
MIS-. Herrick, presenting instantly her
piohle, orew the young girls hand
through her arm and moved away
received
a blow The other people who had
neard the same gossip of her had heen
on account of it, all the more amused
and anxious to talk to her But Mr.
Herrick, though she bowed and smiled
oid not want her too near her
daughter; perhaps, herself. would
nave preferred not to speak to her.
She felt herself Judged-iudred from,
the outside, it is true-but still there
was Justice in It, She had been nvine
IN the face of custom, ignoring com.
mon good behavior, in short. sticking
to her own convictions in defiance Of
the worlds. And she must nav tba
penalty-the loss of the possibility Of
such friend
But IT was hard, she thought. to nav
the price without getting the thing She
had paid for. It was more like a gam
bic in which she had staked all ON a
chance And never had this chance an
peared more improbable to her than
now For If Kerr valued the ring more
than he valued his safety, what argu-
ment was left her? She thourbt-jf
only she had been a different sort Of
woman-the sort with whom men yalI
in love-ah, then she might have been
able TO make one further appeal to
\