The Irish standard., 1909-05-22

pledSeQ WIN mySelT! 1t would 90
Helen no great harm to wait for Gill
lespie on St. Agatha's pier; the dis
cipline of disappointment would be
good for her. Vigorous hand-clapping
demanded a repetition Of the popular
two-step Of the hour, and I saw Rosa
lind and Gillespie swing into the dance
as the music struck up again.
Somewhere beneath heard the
rumble and bang of bowling-alley
above the music. Then my eyes, roam
ing the lake, fell upon the casino pier
below. Some one was coming toward
me-a girl wrapped in a long cloak
who had apparently Just landed from
a boat. She moved swiftly toward the
casino. saw her and lost her again
| as she passed in and out of the light
OF the pier lamps. A dozen times the
shadows caught her away; a dozen
times the pier lights flashed upon her;
and at last ] was aware that it was
Helen Holbrook, walking swiftly, as
though upon an urgent errand. I ran
down the steps and met her luckily on
a deserted stretch of board walk. I
was prepared for an angry outburst,
but hardly for the sword.like glitter of
her first words.
"This is Infamous! It is outrage.
Gus! did not believe that even you
would be guilty of this!"
The two-step was swinging on to its
conclusion, and knew that the casino
entrance was not the place for a scene
with an angry girl.
am anything you like; but please
come to a place where we can talk
quietly"
II will not! will not be tricked by
you again."
"You will come along with me, at
once and quietly" said: and to my
| surprise she walked up the steps be.
side me. AS we passed the ballroom
door the music climbed to it's climax
and ended.
Come, let us go to the farther end
Of the veranda." -
When we had reached quiet cor
ner she broke out upon me again.
IF you have done what think you
have done, what I might have known
you would do, shall punish you ter
ribly-you and her!' 49,
You may punish me all you like,
but you shall not punish herr" said
with her own emphasis.
Reginald promised me some papers
to-night-ny father had asked me to
get them for him. She does not
know, this cousin Of mine, what they
are, what her father is! 1t is left for
you to bring the shame upon her.
ut had better be than you, in your
present frame Of mind!"-and the pity
welled in my heart. I must save her
from the heartache that lay in the
truth. II failed in this I should fail
indeed.
DO you want her to know that her
father is forger-a felon? That is
what you are telling her, II you trick
Reginald into giving her those papers
ne was to give me for my father!"
"She hasn't those papers. have
them. They are in my pocket, quite safe
from all of you. You are altogether
too vindictive, you Holbrooks! l have
no intention Of trusting you with such
high explosives"
! Reginald shall take them away
from you.. He is not a child to be
played with-duped in this fashion,"
Reginald is good fellow. He will
always love me for this"
For cheating him? Don't you SUP.
pose he will resent 1t? Don't you think
he knows me from every other girl in
the world?"
mo, I do not. In fact. have
proved that he doesn't. You see, Miss
Holbrook, he gave her the documents
In the case without question"
And she dutifully passed them
on to you'll"
Nothing Of the kind. my dear Miss
Holbrook! I took them out of her
cloak pocket"
THAT is quite in keeping!"
I'm not done yet! Pardon me, but
! want you to exchange cloaks with
me. You shall have Reginald in a mo.
ment, and we will make sure that he
is deceived by letting him take you
/ home. You are as like as two peas
in everything except temper, humor
and such trifes; but your cloaks are
quite different. Pleased"
II will not!" :,
| "Please!"
You are despicable, despicable!"
Il am really the best friend you
have in the world. Again, will you
kindly exchange cloaks with me:
Yours is blue, isn't it? / think Reg.
inald knows blue from red. All, thank
you! Now. want you to promise to
say nothing as he takes you home
about papers, your father, your uncle
or your aunt. You will talk to him OF
times when you were children at STAN.
ford, and things like that, in a dreamy
reminiscential key. II he speaks OF
things that you don't exactly under.
stand, refers to what he has said To
your cousin here tonight, you need
only fend him of; tell him the incl
dent is closed. When 1 bring him ia
you in ten minutes it will be with the
Nn6orafandin0 that hn d. A.1.>