The Delta independent., 1910-11-04

do now?'
You'll have to stay in there a while,
guess"
"I simply must get away-and with
in an hour or two"
I'll manage that" s.e answered con-
fidently.
But how"
You'll see Just leave 1t to me-"
Orme smiled to himself. there in the
darkness. OF course. he would leave Il
to her: but he did not see how she was
to rid him Of the watchful Japanese
There's Just one thing" he whis-
pered. Whatever is done, will have
to be done without help from outside.
This is not matter for the police"
81 understand. Why can't you just
leave it to me? don't believe you
trust me little bit."
But do" he protested. II am alb
solutely in your hands"
He heard her sigh family. I'm
going to put down the window now"
she said. 1T amt safe for me to stand
here talking to you unless do. That
Arima fellow might pop up the fire
escape any time"
She was back in few moments. He
had heard the window creak down. and
slipped past him in the closet and he
had wondered whether the action
would add to Arima's suspicion.
IF he comes up now." she explained
in an undertone. the glare on the out
side of the window will keep him from
seeing in very plain
After that she did not speak for
some time. but the occasional move
ments of her body, as she leaned
against the panel. were audible to
Orme. He found himself wondering
about her-how she had happened to
take up the career OF fortune-telling
She must have been a handsome
woman: even now she was not unat-
tractive.
The delay grew more and more irk-
some. 1t seemed to Orme as though
he had been behind the panel for
hours. After while he asked:
What time is it?"
About two O'Clock. Amt you
hungry"
Orme laughed softly. 'I hadn't
thought about it."
Wait a minute" She moved away.
When she returned she pulled up the
hanging and opened the panel. In her
hand was thick sandwich
Il was just going to eat my own
lunch when you came back through
the window" she explained.
He took the sandwich. She looked
at him boldly. He was standing close
to her in the opening. There was an
expression that was almost defiant in
her eyes. Il want my present"
You shall have 1t, Madam Ala" he
said.
You amt my kind-and 1t won't
make no difference to you" Her voice
faltered and her eyes dropped. II want
you to kiss me-"
Orme looked at her, and understood
He put his arms around her and kissed
her gently on the lips. There was no
disloyalty In it. He was simply salts
tying the craving of this poor woman's
soul-a craving for a tNibute to which
she could always revert as the symbol
q one itlt tudt
he was Of a different world: he knew
that the world was all one. though par
titioned OF by artificial barriers. but
he could not correct her view.
She clung to him for a moment after
his lips left hers. then released herself
from his clasp and moved back into
the room. her face averted. Was It to
hide blush? Orme did not ask him.
self. but respecting her reticence OF
spirit. silently closed the panel and
was again in darkness
q For time he stood there quietly.
His back was against the wall--his
hands easily touched the paneling that
shut him of from the room. He won
dered what this secret place was for.
and taking a match from his pocket he
lighted It.
The inclosure seemed to extend all
the way across the side of the room
Farther along. lying on the floor and
standing against the wall. were contri-
yances Of which at first he could make
nothing-poles, pieces of tin, and
were those masks. heaped in the cor
ner? From row of pegs hung long
robes-white and blac6
The truth flashed into Orme's mind
He was in Madam Alias ghost closet!
H CHAPTER XII.