The San Francisco call., 1909-12-26
SHE Began vith an
s&d Effort to Resist the
memorable Laqv, but Ended
BY Fulfilling Its Conditions
10 the Last Word - -


) a could not blind myself TO the IN
science of the glance she bestowed
upon me as / passed her table.
My anger was at white heat, and |
chalked up another lscore against her.
A few nights later. about midnight, L
dismissed my maid and was just re-
firing when low and persistent
knocking attracted my attention. For
a moment / could not locate the sound,
and then as I riveted my attention |
knew that it came from curtained
door that led into an adjoining room.
Sweeping aside the curtain, 4 asked
what was wanted mans voice, call
ing me by name, implored me to open
the door. I threw back the bolt and
discovered a New York man whom /
knew only by sight. His face was
CHASTITY and he was speechless with
agitation.
Luckily for him he knew I was the
occupant of the room for In his suite
an overpowering tragedy had taken
place. AS pushed open the door l saw
there was another occupant OF the
rooIn-a huddled mass of silk and lace
lay upon a couch. Before l could
collect my wits the man had picked
up the lifeless form and was on his
way to my room. / gathered what was
wanted Of mel was to protect the
woman's good name. followed, closed
the door and hastened for restorat1Yes
while he laid the woman on my bed.
AS her head fell back | saw that 1t
was Mrs. Blank.
oh, the sweetness of that moment,
when I thought that her opening eyes
would meet mine and we would be
quits! Truly it would be revenge with
a vengeancel But, thank heaven, the
thought perished at it's birth. for
though we forced brandy between her
rigid lips and resorted to every means
to restore her. there was no vestige
of life.
Saving Her Name
Half frantic with fear, I still retained
sufficient wit to get the horror stricken
man back into his own room, bolt the
door, draw the curtain, unlock my outer
door and then I set my bells to peal
for aid. To my maid, incoherently
enough, I said that Mrs. Blank, feeling
i'll, had come to my room in search or
air. She passed the story on and there
was no one to contradict II.
Mrs. Blank was dead when the physiz
clan arrived. He said death had been
instantaneous caused by heart failure
The husband was found at some be-
lated club affair, and l turned my back
on his pitiful grief He came TO me
later to thank me, and / sent him away
cherishing in his heart the memory
Oh H6F SlHieSS Ire anu pSdCClui CAtd.
Troubles came my way about that
time. Although the tragedy was no
particular affair of mine, 1t was a great
shock and the cause of my missing q
steamship. as I had to remain over for
the inquest. This delay threw me in
the company of man | had known
on the continent. He was companion
able and persuaded me to remain until
he had finished some business.
The business apDAared to ba a three
cornered deal of some kind in which
wealthy British peer, another man and
my friend were engaged, This last man
was working as a partner with my
friend, and some inadvertent remark
passed between them aroused my sus-
picions. I set myself to work to find
out the nature of the deal, thereby un-
earthing beautiful scheme for black
mail by which the peer was to be forced
TO give up 100000.
did not care to get mixed up in any
affair of that kind, and, pleading a
hurry call to New York, I prepared to
depart. Before leaving I had a very
interesting interview with the. noble
man. / went to him in a disinterested
spirit and laid before him the authentic
information 1 had received of the at
tempted blackmail. He was Immensely
grateful and very gallant. When
reached my vessel I found in the box
of flowers bearing. his card a check
for $4,000, substantial gratitude which
1t would have been churlish to refuse.
/ had accumulated comfortable for
tune, as my investments had been sue
cessful, and when landed in New York
the outlook was a pleasant one. / had
a splendid wardrobe, beautiful Jewels
and l was handsome enough to have
every eye turn in my direction when
entered room.
I settled myself at smart hotel and
gathered together some congenial
friends. Then l prepared for my next
campaign. / had fully decided to marry
a millionaire of social position.
So She Was Married
My maneuvers to meet the man failed
when l found that he was leaving for
the other side on a certain steamer so
hurriedly packed my trunks and pre-
pared to go, too. The two of us were
on the ship when 1T left, but luck was
not with me--in fact 1t was dead
against me. The millionaire took to his
cabin after the first day out and was
not visible again. Aftertmy maid found
that he was really i'll and that there
was no immediate prospect of his re-
covery, / sought diversion. There were
some persons on board whom 1 knew,
and they introduced me to some of their
new friends.
One evening the lot of US adjourned
to my cabin-I had a suite de luxe
and sat in at poker game. Poker is
a good clean sport if the game is
straight, and we had jolly evening,