The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-06-23
AMLION
h HudeoND ouslas

the window she was gazing from
and SO extreme was her alarm In
consequence that she could only
point to 1t, while her lips moved
without sound. The girl and
she had Just returned from their
excursion to the Avenue Marceau,
had been discussing the advisable
ity of flight from the Rue des
Trois Freres because of their I'M
fortunate encounter with Dirck
Arendsen.
That individual had introduced
himself to them, even as Miss
Sophia had observed, first as a
elbow passenger of theirs upon the
steamer, in which guise they had
already recognized him, and then
as a dear friend of the self
styled Stephen Quaintance. who
WIS. he averred, searching the city
high and low for his errant cousin.
He had proved so determinedly in
sistent that the girl had at length
complied with his request for her
present address, and she felt glad
that she had not yielded to the
to mislead him, when
Fanchette, looking back as they
turnd in at the street door, saw
that he had followed them thither
at respectful distance. He had
set off hot-foot Immediately he
was thus satisfied that Ii was safe
to do so, and might now be back
at any moment with one of the
two men they were most anxious
to escape. And, in the meantime,
came the other.
at is monsieur" the girl said
listlessly, after she had found out
what had so frightened Fanchette.
The hour she herself had been
for so long had come,
but 1t found her with senses dull
ed by anticipation.
1T is monsieur. You must be
brave now, Fanchette. And do not
leave me for an instant. See, /
have something here which will
speak for us If our own voices are
not loud enough"
She slipped one hand into a
pocket of the coat she was still
wearing and brought out the re-
volver which had served her in
such good stead on the occasion of
her night journey from New York
to Stormport.
She herself threw the door wide
and motioned to monsieur that he
might come in. He did so, defer
entially, hat in hand. speaking no
word until his sharp-eyed guide
had once more been shot out. And
then,
"Dagmar!" he said imploringly.
She scanned him closely for a
moment, and saw that he had not
changed. Almost a twelvemonth
had gone by since that dark night
on which she had fled from him,
leaving him behind, in token OF
her desperate resolve, the wedding
ring which he had placed upon her
finger an hour before. All! Had
she but known in time, had her
eyes not been so innocently blind
to the brand she could see sc
plainly now on his smooth fore.
head. She had once thought him
handsome-and believed in him
and trusted him implicitly. Ar
insight into his true character had
come to her only an hour toe
late!
She was no longer the unsophis.
|ticated girl whom he, with his
wide knowledge of the world, hat
thought he might still bring tt
book for her behavior. She was {
woman now, and altogether love
ly, this, his as yet unkissed Ouch
|esse.
"Dagmar." he said, II hav,
come here to plead with you. An
/ not your husband?"
WAS what that woman tolt
me at the church door true?" sh,
asked him, in a tone at which h,
WINGED as though 1t had been {
whiplash.
He bit his lip, counting tn,
chances that lie might pass, bu
knew that nothing but the trutl
would serve him.
at was true, to my shame" h,
said. But listen, Dagmar.
was no more than a boy then, ant
she entrapped me. That hap
Opens to so many of us.
mo, do not seek to excuse my
self at her expense. / only pra,
you to be lenient with me. 1t wa
mot altogether my fault, and"
1T WAS true" she broke In, no
lscornfully, but in voice whicl
hurt him more than would hav
the scorn he deserved, "and I an
glad that you do not deny it, els
/ should have to count you COW
lard as well as But, neve
mind. have no wish to judg
lyou. 1t was true-and yet yo,
call yourself my husband"
He would have spoken, but sh,
held a hand up and so silencet
him.
'.You were a poor man when
married you." she went u swiftly
I"I did not know that you woult
lone day be Due des Reeves, and l.
God help neil believed yo,
loved me. In that / was content
You married me believing m,
to be rich mans heiress, and fol
the sake of what you might get
with me-"
He would have cried denial Il
he could. but remained speechless
with bent head.
81 could have told you then that
he was dead, and that his millions
would all go elsewhere IL should
marry you, butt believed you
loved me!
II went to you, on impulse and
in haste. There was no time for
explanations. And, on the church
steps / found out
you are my husband, as you
say-but In name only, and be-
cause it was too late then to rem
edy our mutual mistakes. And
there the maftar rasfa III ahal]