Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1910-04-28

prompted her to read 1t. The words
were, Behind volume 2. Racine"
The words seemed to mean some
thing. She went to the shelves, found
| the works Of Racine and removed the
second volume. Passing her finger
along the wall behind where 1t had
stood, she encountered a raised but
| ton. Removing several more books
| that stood beside the first, she saw
what she had felt-something that
looked like the button OF an electric
bell. She was tempted to press 1t. but
dared not. fearing to ring.
While thinking 1t occurred to her
that this. might be the entrance to
secret space for keeping valuables-
perhaps state papers. Might not the
paper she had found In the volume be
a memorandum of where the cham
Der lay. Doubtless Hildreth had In
advertently used the slip as a book
| mark and forgotten to remove it.
Moved by curiosity alone, she nerved
herself to press the button. The door
of q little safe a few inches square
few open. Within lay paper. She
took 1t out and read there in pencil
on the outside. THE open door"
What she had come to do and had
not tried to do had been done for her.
Here was the document she required
On n desk in the same room were pen,
ink and paper. She alone of the fam
lily remained below. She might take
the paper to the desk copy it's essen
tial points, which was all her employer
required, replace it, put everything
back as she found it. and who would
be the wiser?
Another plan suggested itself to her.
She might take the paper to her room,
copy it, steal downstairs, put it back
in the safe and replace the books be-
fore it.
Mile de Guillemette stood with the
paper in her hand. thinking of the
100000 francs that she could gain by
taking a copy of its contents to the
Austrian ambassador. With the money
she could place her family at least be-
yond want Her employer had told
her that such were the methods in
vogue among European diplomats; that
he would not scruple himself to obtain
the document surreptitiously; that she
would be unwise to let pass such Il
means of re-establishing her family.
Then she thought of the Hildreths-
mother, daughter, son. They had with
true American warmth taken her to
their hearts. They had pitied her for
the position she occupied Of one born
to station she could not support.
Hugh ha told
of his ambition. That ambition she
would shatter by stealing the contents
of an important paper which had been
intrusted to his care. lie would never
be forgiven for the leak. for he would
be considered either a fool or a knave
She thrust the document back into
the safe. closed the door, replaced the
books before it and. taking up the
volume that had been recommended to
her, sat down all of q tremor.
How do you like it?" said a voice
behind her.
Turning, she saw Hugh Hildreth ad-
vancing.
Something is wrong with you." he
said sympathetically.
She burst into convulsive sobbing.
"Tell me your trouble, little girl" he
added. drawing a chair up before her
II am not fit to be In the home Of
such kind people. Please send me
awayT ... st.
"On the contrary, you have achieved
that which I have never achieved
you have resisted terrible tempta-
ton. I myself have been tempted and
usually succumbed. And mine was not
half the strain you have borne"
She looked at him through her tears
in astonishment. How do you know
that | have been tempted?" she asked.
That Austrians methods know
well He would give millions for the
contents of the document you have
Just handled"
You saw me!" She was trembling
from head TO foot
Yes; laid trap for you. When
the Austrian introduced me knew he
had motive. l saw at once that you
We're not the girl for such work, and
when you were going away without
even an attempt | determined to put
you to severe test. l wished to see
hO" SOu NouIu act WIFI tue OBJECT IN
your hands for which you had come.
1 called your attention to the volume
l wished you to read and purposely
left guide in 1t to my safe and left
the safe unlocked. Then l went up-
stairs by the main staircase and came
down by rear one. I have been be-
bind that curtain, where I could see
and not be seen. | have witnessed
your temptation and your triumph"
"You mean my degradation at hav-
ing listened to such q temptation"
mot at all. That Austrian fiend
could start an angel on a downward
course. You are excusable for the
starting and to be commended for the
ending. confess l have been under
the rack myself lest you should yield
If you had yielded it would have
broken my heart and | should have
regretted tempting you. AS it is, re-
joice that did"
The De Guillemettes, at least that
branch of the family consisting of
Mile. Elise de Guillemette and her
mother, were benefited some time after
this occurrence by marriage between
Mile. Elise de Guillemette and the
wealthy American diplomat, Hugh Hill