The Morning examiner. [volume] (Ogden, Utah) 1904-1910, 1909-01-31
cHApTEa XXI.-ContlnUed.

Bah, don't mention that word 10
me again. am sick OF your hypocrisy.
You don't deceive mo. let me tell you,
Your plea of cowardIce is convenient
subterfuge. Every fact points to your
being in league with these adven'
turers. A coward wouldn't have taken
the risks you have taken. You saw
the man hiding In the stairwaSs you
saw him about to fire on helpless
girl; and you raised no hand. Am l
talking plainly enough"
/ looked into Bocke's eyes, glarinG
with rage and contempt, and laughed
aloud 1t was actually relief to have
my weakness exalted to the plane OF
deliberate villainy.
Laugh, my friend, but am not to
be deceived by laugh"
And now that stand abased in my
naked deviltry?"
II give you f1ve minutes to make
full and complete confession. III at
the end of five minutes you still re,
fuse, shall have you promptly arrest
ed for being partner In the intrigueS
OF the Countess Sarahoff, for masquer-
aiding as Sir Mortimer Brett, and for
being an accomplice In the murder of
Miss Brett
Five minutes, The time was not
long. | knew Locke would keep his
word: but more than ever 1 was stub
bornly resolved to refuse taking him
into my confidence.
Could tell him my reasons for act
Ing as ] had done? Could ] tell him
that I had set out on the romantic
quest of saving life for the life that
bad been lost? Would he believe that?
At least without appealing to the WON
an who had set mo that task? To
drag In her name was impossible.
The minutes passed swiftly, So
this was the end of my task, Disgrace
and imprisonment, l had warned
Helena that might be the case. |
looked across the valley at the pin
nacles OF the Castle of Happiness.
What a fool have been!
Your time is almost up" said
Locke grimly. looking at the watch he
had placed on his knee. And Miss
Brett Is walking in the garden over
there. Do you wish her TO see you
marched off to PRISON.
On the contrary. It was she who
must set me freel would put her to
the supreme test Now If she trusted
me as she had promised. I might yet
escape from the awkward dilemma
l rose to my feet. 1 called to her.
Miss BRETT"
She camc to us. Ny maneuver so
completely astonlshed Locke that he
stared at me speechless,
Miss Brett. | said quietly. "Mr.
Locke has taken upon himself the task
OF bringing me to justice. He finds
me guilty OF completely In the in
trigues Of Madame de WARMER. He re
fuses to believe that l am acting in
your behalf. | cannot blame him for
his suspicious. The facts are almost
wholly against me-the surface facts.
] do not even deny most of them. But
he has woefully misconstrued my mo-
tives In every case. / refuse absolute
ly to tell him what those motives are
He has threatened me with arrest un-
less make to him full and complete
confession without delay. Mr Locke,
as have said. is acting on the behalf
Of your mother and yourself. Person
ally he has no right whatever to make
any complaint against me-"
Miss Brett Will be the last person
to shield you from punishment when
she knows the truth" interrupted
Locke. bewIldered at my audacity In
appealing to her.
Among other things. Miss Brett"
! continued eagerly. "he accuses me OF
being an acoomplice in your attempted
murder in the stairway"
There are facts more tangible than
that" said Locke Significantly,
But ] refuse to listen to them"
said Helena, reassurlng me with a
quiet glance. 81 am not so ignorant
Of these facts. perhaps. as you imag.
Inc. Mr.. Locke. have every conf,
dence In you. Mr.. Haddon, AS to caus.
ing your arrest. that is absurd"
Thank you" I returned. with a pas.
sion of gratitude in my heart "You
Will hear from mo before midnight IL
at the end OF that time you do not,
think 1t would be we'll for you to con-
suit Mr.. Locke. He knows a great
deal OF which you are ignorant"
BE sure OF this, sir, shall not wait
until midnight to enlightcn Miss
Brett" cried Locke, his face purple
with anger and chagrin.
Mr.. Locke, let us understand each
other said Helena. and even Locke
felt that her decision was irrcyocable.
Mr.. Haddon ia my friend. | refuse to
balieve him guilty OF dishonor, much
lJes Of deliberate crime. refuse. and
my mother will refuse. to press any
charge against him. Moro than that
we trust him to help us In our DIFF
fculties."
Locke closed the face Of his watch
with snap.
III you have come to that decision.
he said with assumed carelessness
there is nothing moro to be said. If
can be OF service to you. you will
md me at the hotel at midnight as
the ohivalrous Mr Haddon has sug
gested."
We were alone. But Helena was OF
no mind to receive my thangs or my
asHiranccs that / had been absolutely