The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-07-01

Quaintance, backed to the wall
on the landing at the top of the
stairs, heard them coming. He
pushed O'Ferral and Cornoyer
toward the open room behind, and
they all slipped soundlessly into it.
And, presently, three pairs of shut
fling feet came to stop on the
landing outside, key turned in
the locked door.
The feet shuffled onward. 1t
seemed that another door barred
their way. That in turn opened
with faint click. A ray of light
shot outward ere 1t closed again. A
mans voice spoke, and was an
swered by woman's.
''She is there" said Quaintance,
under his breath.
O'Ferral caught at his arm.
Don't burst in on them. Let s
hear all those fellows have to say
first, If we possibly can. They
haven't locked the door behind
them"
They halted within the passage
between the two doors, and listen
ed intently. Quaintance had on
hand on the key, one ear at the
keyhole.
Within the dimly lighted, dis
heveled studio, the duchesse and
Fanchette had sprung to their
feet as Seager pushed past the
frail barricade they had erected
lest anyone entering should sur
prise them asleep. After him came
another, a little, wizened, dried
up mannikin, black-clad, evil of
behind whom ap-
peared Arendsen, his swart fea-
lures grimly inflexible. He pulled
the door to, and Seager spoke
first.
Hope you haven't been anxious
while I've been away, Dagmar," he
observed with pretentious solicit
tude. i've been very busy on your
behalf the whole day, and--I've
brought you news. j was going to
say bad news, but I'm sure you
won't break your heart over it;
your husband was nothing to you,
you know. He's dead, Dagmar
Dropped off quite suddenly-heart
disease, the doctors say"
She stared at him, in doubt and
dismay unspeakable. striving to
understand, fain to disbelieve
what he said. And, little cause as
she had to esteem the due, the
shock of such news, told thus, al
most stunned her.
What your cousin says is quite
true, Miss-Duchess," Arendsen
affirmed solmenly. This gentle
man is a lawyer. He'll tell you
anything else you may wish to
know"
She darted a quick, despairing
glance in the direction of Maitre
Georges, and that Individual, well
lprimed with whispered instruc-
Itions by Seager ON their way up
lstairs, shambled forward.
Alas! Madame" said he with a
great assumption of sympathy,
what my friends tell you is a sad
fact. M. lie Due lies dead
downstairs. The body was brought
hither that-that-that"-
The clock in the corner struck
the hour with sudden, sonorous
(clang, and almost instantly Notre
Dame tolled IL.
The duchesse shivered violently,
leaned still more heavily on Fan
lchette's trembling arm. Seager
Istarted forward.
Come, Dagmar," he said, in
what he meant for a tender tone,
you mustn't give way, you know
It's sudden, of course, but think
Its all for the best, isn't it? He
was nothing to you, and-you're
free of him now. Think what
that means to you-and to me"
His face darkened as she
Ishrank from him in such loathing
as was plain to all. And, spurred
ION by a virulent glance from Ar
|endsen, he made his fell purpose
more clear to her.
This Is no time to stand on
Icer,mony. You know what i want
|you to do for me, Dagmar, and
you're free to marry me now. Take
my word for that-or, If you
won't, we'll take you downstairs
and show you the body. 1t was
brought here to astisfy you that
you're really free.
And just think of me as well
las yourself" he went on queru-
lousy. I'm more than fully en-
titled to my half of our uncle's
fortune. and you'll be none the
worse of the other half either. 1t
will do you no harm to go through
the form of marriage with me, and
I'll swear you'll never see me
again after that unless you send
for me. All l wants the marriage
certificate to show to the lawyers
in San Francisco little enough
thing. too, considering all that my
uncle did for you. You will, Dag
mar, won't you? For my sake!"
He looked at her in impatient
appeal, great sense of his own
unfortunate plight moving him to
Unusual pathos. And she at
length spoke.
Il win not" she said very dis
|tinctly.
Seager's gaze shifted to the
|clock and returned to her.
BY God. But You will, my
girl" he cried hoarsely, glaring
at her, quite beside himself, "and
without any more ado. If you
won't be led I'm the man to drive
YOU