The Press., 1910-02-02

All declared that such an act would not necessarily be showing any con fidence whatever. But the widow in sisted that it would satisfy her, and she smilingly held out her hand for the key.
 The thought flashed through Sir Bradford's head that the safe, being in his own room, would be under his control through the night. There was a pretty woman smiling at him, daring nina woman with whom he was fascinated and whom he thought 1t advantageous to marry. Nevertheless he did not consent. Then suddenly there came flash from the woman's Aeyes. a naughty look as if she deemed fsuch a denial of confidence insulting. Sir Bradford put his hand in his pocket and tossed the key on the table be- fore her.
 Amid a burst of laughter she seized it and placed it in her corsage.
 The diplomat had no sooner yielded to an impulse than he regretted his act. A man under a woman's spell is liable to rush from one extreme to an other. One moment he trusts her i'm plicitly; the next he fears that he has fallen into the tolls of devil. At any rate, such was the fear of Sir Brad ford. Never for moment during the evening did he leave the side of the woman who possessed the key Of his safe-the safe where was deposited that which if it passed into the pos session of another would ruin him. Ii he turned away from her for mo ment it was that she should not see the expression on his face when he cursed himself for fool.
 The widow rallied him continually Aren't you going to give me one mo ment alone?' Be comforted! l am not ip the habit of visiting any but my own room when I visit" Will you sleep with revolver under your pillow tonight?" These were some o1 the banterings she gave him, much to the amusement of the guests. At mid night, when the party broke up; she had made no move. She rose with the others and went up to her room. The moment Sir Bradford heard hel door close he went up to his own apartment. With his eyes fixed on his safe he gave himself up to tumultuous musing. It contained his possible ruin and the key was in the possession o1 a woman he had known but a few days. .-.....-...-. .......
 "Pooh, pooh! What an ass! She only did it to bedevil me. Nonsense I have a revolver under my pillow and if any one should come in here | tonight More nonsense! Who's to come?' Thus he tried to dismiss the matter from his mind. But, oh. if he -only had the key!
 He went to bed and tried to sleep l Slumber would not come. Fancying 1 he heard a movement ip his room, he arose and struck a light. He was ashamed of himself for doing so, but l left it burning. This made him feel g trife more comfortable, and toward morning he went to sleep.
 He was awakened by his valet bring | ing hot water. After a glance at the | safe, which showed no evidence O1 having been tempered with, he arose l dressed and went down to breakfast A maid approached him and safd:t | 'T took tine hot water to Mrs. Wood room 6. She didn't answer when l knocked, and went in. She isn't 1 there."
 l Sir Bradford blanched. Like light | ming the thought flashed through his brain that the key of his safe had gone with her. Then he saw that he was ruined. He was to sail that afternoon | for Constantinople. The only way t6 get the treaty was to break into his safe. But it was a new and perfect one, put in since he had entered thu diplomatic service. Only in London could men be found of sufficient skill | to do the work, and London was 2O( miles away. He put his hand to hii head, staggered up to his room ant locked himself in.
 
 Twenty-four hours later the ministe ot foreign affairs i'll Paris received tn' card of Mime. Chapellier. He direct ed that she be at once admitted.
 "Well?'' he said.
 "I left the diplomat at his home ia from London with the treaty locked il his safe. There is the key" .-
 And how much time do syou thinl we will gain?"
 She handed him an item cut from ; newspaper stating that Sir BradforC l Chichester had sent to Lol lon for mel tO open his safe; that they had failet and others more skillful had gone up He had offered the latter f1O00 if the. would do the job in three hours."%
 ''That will do." said the minister ,"Our treaty is on the way"
 |, He drew her check for 5000 francs.