The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-10-20
S4alalslalllli1lIiIIIa !

would be consequences,' she replied. "a little bitterly
 If there are no chances of conse-. quences there is no need of help," he said. quietly
 She seemed to feel herself in the coi-s or his logic. and to resent it. Yet he Knew that some stronger feeling than her resentment moved her. As for himself, the sight of her and the con V1ctlon that she was harassed by some great sorrow. or threatened by some great danger. brought only the pas sion to help. He had ceased to care for Traford; he had ceased for the moment to think of his own profess sional career. This girl, with the win ming face and the sorrow in her eyes. was, for the moment at least the compass of his world.
 How great a strain would this wish to help stAnd?'' She asked it as if she did not expect an answer from him. Then in the silence that follow ed she seemed to wake suddenly. and he read in her eyes. fixed anxiously on his face. that she was asking an answer. and an actual answer, one that would stand the test of exaction.
 He threw a glance, about the room, s.s if he feared the very shadows that were deepening. Then he drew his chair nearer and dropped his voice. Il have come" he said, though | knew you were here that fatal night, ,'
 There was implication in the answer to be tolerated only from the most pronounced enemy or the most de- voted friend. For the flash of a second she showed suspicion. Then she ac- cepted all that his words implied, without the weakness of attempted ex- planation or refutation. He, in turn, accepted with her that the facts were entirely inexplicable or absolutely in- nocent, and he had sense of joy that she did not hold him weak enough to ask whether. he was becoming the partner of her guilt or of her misfor- tune She seemed to weigh Elm as the accepted instrument of her need, to the one purpose of determining how far he could be trusted to go.
 T am afraid she said, that you are defense1esely truthful',
 "It's not virtue. it's a trait. he admitted. sIt isn't moral, but a mental. attribute. Until to-day can't recall ever having told a deliberate lie in my life.''
 sTo5day?' she repeated. looking at him curfously. T told Trafford that I did not re-. cognize either of the voices that I heard that night''
 And you did recosnize-one she asked. in elucidation
 Ass ssT recognizad botb orl ;,, +t,;. fessed the completeness of his false hood.
 .tBoth." Now. indeed, she turned pale, so pale that she looked livid fin the deepening shadows. .'Both. How could you?',
 4toh." he explained, q had never heard your brothers voice. of course. till hc called me over the phone. but. of course. when heard it again I knew it''
 Certainly she forced herself to say; T sec But he. too, saw that what>she now declared herself as sec ing was not what she had feared at his former speaking. He was afield somewhere, and he wondered dirnly were they already at cross purposes
 This, however. was beside the mark for he was there with the one object of giving her definite warning. and if it was to be of use it must be given speedily. Yet, notwithstanding the second nature of his professional train- ing, he felt it difficult thing to do
 On her part she showed now a. fever ish haste to get away from the sub- ject, coupled with marked inability to talk on any other matter. He gave way to her feeble attempts as if they would help in this dilemma. and then he came back to his original purpose with a hunt hardheadedness which seemed almost brutal. and yet measur- ed the possibilities of his position.
 T came here expressly to tell you that I know of your fathers escape,
 He was interrupted by the startled cry she gave. He had, for an instant. a fear that she was about to faint. and he brought her to herself with a sharp turn, acting on the judgment he had already formed of her character.
 Save your fainting till you've time to spare.'' he exclaimed. and she look ed up. startled to self-control by his tone and manner.
 Then he told her how he had learned of the escape. and to the fact of the letter she gave a. sigh of relief This brought him to close quarters and the advice he had come to give.
 Fortunately. of all Lanceboro it came to me first and in this way" he said. "It's an advantage that you can't hope to hold twenty-four hours One of Trafford's first moves wM be to ask about your father. and then the fat'll be in the fire. It isn't like him to have waited thus long. There the luck is with us.' He used the personal pronoun in the first person and plural as subtle way of indicating a common interest.
 .Has he waited so 1ong?' she inter- rupted
 It was his turn to feel the question ings which he had read in her face? Had he? She had struck the keynote of the exact situation. and struck it with uncertainty. He dissolved her from the implication of want of cour- age, which he had before held against her. Might not Trafford have known all the time? Indeed. was it not more