The San Francisco call., 1909-09-05


in the background Of her own.
While her hands were busy sesming g
to accommodate Clara, her mind was
marshaled to Clara's outwitting. The
only thing to do was to tell nothing.
Let Clara spend her time in guessing
Unless by some wild chance she had
seen. Kerr in the garden she couldn't
come near the truth of what had hap
pened. But what was to be done with
Harry7 Harry was too close TO her to
be ignored. Her attitude toward him
had undergone a change. In the mo-
ment in the red room, when she had
seen him break the one feeling that
had held her to him. the feeling OF
awe and respect had evaporated. She
felt that 1t was quite impossible now
for them to go on on the same footing,
yet, so long as she kept the sapphire
she must somehow manage to keep up
an appearance of 1T. She must tell him
something.
AT that dreadful dinner, whore she
sat conscious illustrator OF these two
silent ones, glancing at Harry's face.
she knew that If she didn't attack she
would be attacked by him. 1t was
here in the midst of the noiseless pass
ings of Shima, watching Harry's sus-
picious glances flashing across the table
at her strange disorder, that tho idea
occurred to her of q way out Of it. She
was bold enough to try q daring thrust
at the mystery. If ever hunter was
to be led off on a false scent, Harry
was that one. She was amazed at the
sudden, fearless impulse that had
sprung up in her She wasn't even
afraid to say to him under Clara's nose,
Harry, l want you to myself after din
ner. Come up into the garden study"
He was very willing to follow her.
She thought she detected In his alacrity
something more than curiosity or con-
was ashamed of that scene in the red
room, and anxious to make 1t up with
her. He even tried before they had
reached the head Of the stairs. ooh,
F'lora-I say. Flora, T.
But an explanation between them
was the last thing she wanted just
then. She fairly ran, leaving him pant
ing in the wake OF her airy, skirts.
For the first time since the thing
began Clara was left out completely.
Flora knew she was even left out of
a possibility of listening at the key
hole. For the bright, tight, little room
into which Harry followed her was ap-
preached by square entry and a dou-
BILE door. The room itself overhung the
garden as a ships deck overhangs the
sea. Leather books and long red cur
tains were the note of it. She and
Harry had often been here together
before. Harry had made love to her
here, and she found 1T pleasurable
enough. But the fact that she could
recall 1T now with distaste made this
familiar surrounding seem strange.
and they themselves strangest of ALL
s He hadn't got his breath He had
hardly shut the door on them before
she began. Well, something has hap
n
other purpose was arrested "Oh.
something extraordinary 1 would have
told you on the spot, only 1 thought
you would rather Clara didn't know
it."
~" That left him staring. What
have to do with it?''
At this she gave him a long look.
1T was through you he ever had the
Chance of seeing me. 1 mean the
blue eyed Chinaman. He has followed
me all the evening. He followed me
here to the very door" Flora's array
of facts fell so fast, so hard, so point
ed, that for a moment they held him
speechless in the middle OF the room
Any heeting suspicion she might
have had of his completely in the
Chinamans pursuit vanished. He
showed plain bewf1derment. For a
moment he was more at sea than her
a thought so disturbing that II sharp
ened his ruddy face to harshness. He
stepped toward her. What did he say
to your He loomed directly above her,
threatening.
Nothing He didn't say anything.
But I know he followed me quite to
the house. for / saw his shadow all
the way down the HILL"
Harry still breathed quickly.
"Where-how did he come across your
Shed been prepared for that ques-
tion.
81 was driving down Sutter street
and he saw me at the carriage win
dow"
Harry stood tense. poised. catching
everything as she tossed it off; then
as If all at once he felt the full weight
of the burden, 'Lordr' he said. and let
himself down heavily in a chair. 1t
was plain in his helpless stare that he
knew exactly what it all meant Lay
ing her hands on the high chair arms.
leaning down so that she could look
into his face. Flora made her thrust.
What do you think he wants?" she
gently asked. 1t was as If she would
coax it out of him. His answer was
correspondingly low and soft.
Its that id ring.
She heard her secret fear spoken
aloud with such assurance that she
waited, certain at the next moment
Harry's voice would people the silence
with all the facts that had so far es-
capped her. But when. after moment
of looking before him he did speak.
he went back to the beginning, which
they both knew.
You know he didn't want to part
with 1t in the first place."
Yes, yes; but he did, Flora in
sisted.
WELL" he answered quickly. but
that was before" He caught him
self and went on, with scarcely per-
ceptible break: He may have had
a better offer for It since"
He couldn't have put 1t more mildly,
and yet that temperate phrase brought
back to her In a flash windy night
full of raucous voices and the great
figures in the. paper that had covered
half a page-tie reward for the Crew
idol Could It be that-that sum so
overwhelming to human caution and
human decency which Harry had
cloaked by his grudging phrase some
better Offer? What else could he
mean? And what else could the blue
eyed Chinaman mean by his strange
pursuit of her?
Some one must have wanted 1t aw-
fully" Flora tried again, keeping step
with his mild admission.
Harry covered her with an impress