The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-06-26
sAMLLION A11FEJE
Or Hud9oN pouslAe.
cabyrasvz fs>s m kzstysrns

She did not know how utterly
her simple words had dashed
hopes on which they had been
building so assuredly that these
had come to assume the shape OF
Icertainties in their eyes.
You did that-on purpose to-
prevent me getting my share of the
lestate!" said Seager In a choked
Isnarl, his fingers working. "You
lined your own nest-and shut me
|outside to starve!"
81 did what self-respeet dictat.
Ied," she answered boldly, anger
against his obvious baseness lend.
ing her courage.
Curse self-respect of that
|sort!" he cried holly. "You've
robbed me of my birthright. that's
what you've done, Amt 1 better
man than the damned Due des
Reeves? You've cut your own
throat. to spite me. that's what
you've done. And you know it as
well as l do"
He raved and ragged, almost be.
side himself. till Arendsen, less
noisy IL no less dangerous, came
forward and roughly sileneed him
Fanchette's eyes turned longingly
to the door, but he saw that, and
dragged the other toward 1t with.
out loss of time. Seager was toe
bewildered to object, and present
ly the trembling women heard the
key turned in the lock outside, the
outer door was also made fast
and shuffling footsteps died away
on the stair. They threw them.
selves down on the couch, and
cried forlornly in each others
arms, so heavy had the strain
upon their nerves been.
Seager and Arendsen fought
their side of the question out by
|candlelight in one of the lower
rooms. The latter was less down
cast than his ally by the disclos
ures they had listened to, ant
whose sincerity neither of then
could doubt. He had already 6
fresh move to counsel, did no
despair entirely of late success.
p. mo, the games not up yet, yor
fool" he interrupted, after listen
ing deafly for time to Seager's
futile imprecations.
What can we do now?" asked
the other ENORMOUSLY.
why don't you think, instead
of talking" Arendsen asked angri
lily. whats to hinder us finding
Tout whether this due of hers won
stand in with us. There are ter
millions to go round, and most Of
those fellows would sell theil
lsouls for a third of that. We
might upset the marriage, get him
Ito fiisown it-there are half c
dozen cards left to play. Now
what was she doing ali by herself
|in<America, Ell? Had they separ.
|ated already? There might be
netting in that!"
Seager stared at him, with the
|dawning of renewed hope in his
eyes.
g Cad! you're great. Dirck,'
|he, said. wen go straight up and
ask her. Then well tackle the
due. If he'd only sit in with us
1t would be easy money all round. .
When they knocked at the stu
do door again they found their
prisoners safe enough, and both on
their feet, defiant.
Pm sorry / spoke 500 sharp
ly just now" Seager said, address
ing himself to the duchesse, "and
Mr.. Arendsen has almost con-
WINGED me that you are really the
Duchesse des Reeves. But what
were you doing alone in America,
SO after your wedding eh?"
He looked at her cunningly, as
though that were weak point in
her story, and she fell into the
trap, flushing painfully as she ex-
planned the reason which had led
her to leave her husband within
an hour of her marriage. She was
hopeful that once they were salts
fled of the validity of her position,
they would release her and give up
whatever wild project they had en-
tertained. But in that she was
doomed to quick disappointment,
for Seager informed her with
much assumed sympathy that she
must stay where she was until he
should have absolute proof in sup
port of her statements, alleging
|solicitude for her welfare as his
moving impulse.
"We'll go together" said Arend-
sen gruffly, and knowing that 1t
would be vain to object. And we
needn't come back here tonight.
The sooner we strike the dues
trail the better. and he's sure to be
a nightbird."
CHAPTER XIX.