The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-01-14

I looked at Sir Charles. He was
biting his under lip and curiously
regarding me.
"Whose?" I demanded.
"Yours and Lady Dagmar's!" he
replied with a sheer.
1 looked at Marion. She was
calmly eating her breakfast.
"This is some CHASTITY Joke"
cried.
Marion glanced up and smiled
Say cynical, monsieur" she muir
INJURED quietly. my good friend
Sir Chas. Venner persists in be-
lieving that we love each other
you and lin spite of the fact
that scarcely a month ago I desert
ed you in order to marry Sir VIM
.Dagmar."
ION his death bed, madame!"
cut in Sir Charles, in tones of ice
you forget that you are now a
rich young widow"
"Well, sir?"
"And that you have steadily re-
fused to account to me for his
money, which should have been
placed, long ere this, at the dis
posal of our order"
"Sir VIM. Dagmar bound me
with an oath as he lay dying
"You have told me that story
BEFORE" interrupted Sir Charles
Marion shrugged her shoulders
and put into her mouth morsel
of bread. h..
Go on! someone" I cried impa-
tiently. See! l am utterly in your
power. Why not enlighten me?"
Beudant placed beside my plate
a cup of coffee.
Sir Charles coughed behind his
hand.
1--WE shall see," he rejoined.
."You have a nerve, I know, but
keep on eating while talk, II you
cant"
nodded.
Sir Charles laughed. "Jussieu
is here" he said, "and we know
now that you have no connection
with the police. We were fools in
deed to allow you to fffghten us
away from the Rue D'Engheim."
do you intend to kill met"
eyes"
"When?"
AFTER breakfast"
Elm broad daylight" I asked,
much astonished.
"Ah! Mr.. Hume" he replied, 81
read your mind. But this cha
teau is placed in a wood and is
distant seven miles from the near
est human habitation."
"Then I have not long to liver"
GAS one measures time
"And-Mar-Lady Dagmar?"
you will die together. In each
others arms, IL you choose to be
romantic"
I turned to Marion. We gazed
at each other for a long silent
minute, and then, broken by some
strange emotion. i muttered bro
kenly, "Is it possible, after all,
that l have wronged your"
you have" she replied.
"Can you forgive me?" asked
hoarsely.
est is late to make amends"
They will not kill you, Mari
on?" I asked In English. Surely
they are testing"
"Yes-and no." she said. Last
night they forced me to make a
will leaving them my money. They
tortured me-"
Howl" l gasped.
"They dragged me to the room
where you lay bound and sense
less. II I had refused to obey
they would have cut you into
pieces before my eyes"
my God!" / cried. "And that
broke your will. But would
have deserved 1t all for doubling
you"
! mot quite" she answered, and
she smiled in exceeding sadness.
Marion. dear Marion" / whis-
pered, you love me STILL
She looked up at me and her
eyes filled with tears.
How could you treat me so?"
she muttered.
] felt the blood rush of q sud
den through my veins, singing a
poem of joy and triumph.
We were both about to die. but
loved me, and by that
knowledge l was transformed on
instant from weak, half-brokepl
creature into q life-loving and
most desperate man. glanced
about me.
While DIR. Vernet ate his
he watched me, but
without manifesting suspicion
Beudant stood behind Ills chair.
Sir Charles and Fulton were mi
converse 80 paces off.
/ thought to myself: n May
never get q better chance. Only Fl
coward Wall permit himself e ~