The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1910-04-01

surprise she walked up the steps be-
side me. AS we passed the ballroom
door the music climbed to it's climax
and ended.
Come, let us go to the farther end
of the yeranda.'
When we had reached quiet cor
ner she broke out upon me again.
IF you have done what | think you
have done, what | might have known
you would do, shall punish you ter
ribly-you and herr"
You may punish me all you like,
but you shall not punish her!" | said
with her own emphasis.
Reginald promised me some papers
to-night-my father had asked me to
get them for him. She does not
know, this cousin of mine, what they
are, what her father is. 1t is left for
you to bring the shame upon her.
at had better be than YOU in your
present frame of mind!"-and the pity
weled in my heart. | must save her
| from the heartache that lay in the
| truth. If | failed in this should fail
indeed.
DO you want her to know that her
father is a forger-a felOn? That is
what you are telling her, if you trick
Reginald into giving her those papers
he was to give me for my father
"She hasn't those papers. l have
them. They are in my pocket, quite safe
from all of you. You are altogether
too vindictive, you Holbrooks. | have
no intention of trusting you with such
high explosives"
Reginald shall take them away
from you. He is not a child to be
played with-duped in this fashion"
Reginald is good fellow. He will
always love me for this"
For cheating him? Don't you sup
pose he will resent it? Don't you think
he knows me from every other girl in
the wOrld?"
mo, do not. In fact, l have
proved that he doesn't. You see, Mis-:
Holbrook, he gave her the documents
in the case without a question"
"And she dutifully passed then
on to you!'
Nothing of the kind, my dear Miss
Holbrook! | took them out of he
cloak pocket"
THAT is quite in keeping!"
I'm not done yet! Pardon me, blu
| want you to exchange cloaks witt
me. You shall have Reginald in a me
ment, and we will make sure that h
is deceived by letting him take yo
home. You are as like as two peas
in everything except temper, hume
:. and such trifies; but your cloaks ar
quite different Pleased"
81 will mott"
"Please!"
"You are despicable, despicable!"
l Il am really the best friend 70
: have in the world. Again, will 70
/ kindly exchange cloaks with me
Yours is blue, isn't it? l think Rel
"A inald knows blue from red. All, than
u you! Now, l want you to promise t
say nothing as he takes you HON
e about papers, your father, your uncl
u or your aunt. You will talk to him {
i times when you were children at Stan
Il ford, and things like that, in a dream
reminiscential key. If he speaks (
l. things that you don't exactly unde
W stand, refers to what he has said
II your cousin here tonight, you nee
only fend him off; tell him the inc
y dent is closed When | bring him
a. you in ten minutes it will be with Il
IF understanding that he is to take yc
d back to st. Agatha's at once. He h;
a. his launch at the casino pier; yt
s. needn't say anything to him when yt
e land. only that you must get hon
is quietly, so Miss Pat shan't know W
/ have been out. Your exits and yo
to entrances are your own affair. Now
e, hope you see the wisdom of obeyil
e. me, absolutely"
III 81 didn't know that l could hate y,
a so much!" she said, quietly. But
d. shall not forget this. l shall let y
ne see before | am day older that y
tn are not quite the master you thi
ny you are; suppose l tell him how y
by have played with him
ok Then before you are three hot
ne older | shall precipitate crisis tt
m. you will not like, Miss Holbrook.
he wise you, as your best friend, to
ev what l ask"
M She shrugged her shoulders, dr.
Ter the scarlet cloak more closely abe
I'D her, and | left her gazing off into
ak strip of wood that lay close upon
nm inland side of the clubhouse. | "
he by no means sure of her, but TIT
ain was not time for further parley.
sht dropped the blue cloak on a chair il
he corner and hurried round to the d.
ZEN of the ballroom, meeting Rosalind {
ar. Gillespie coming out flushed with tn
,as dance.
&c (TO BE CONTINUED)