The Detroit times., 1910-04-22
CHAPTER xxxIv.-(coutinued).

CHAPTEH NNNlNs-AS0 nN"'SSNJ'
Lady Altamont laughed aloud. \
deep red spot burnt on either cheeA'
as Braybrooke could see from where
he was seated, The woman laughed
again.
My dear Cecil, you have taken
leave OF your senses, Lady Atamoht
said. "Or you are the victim OF SOME
singular delusion. lon cared Tor me
once
"Ay. / did" Wanless said bitterly.
What a fool | must have been! NO
wonder you regard me as being pos
sibly Of "A weak intellect. And yet
the game has been played many a
lime before. il will be played many a
time again. The silly boy who knows
nothing ef the weFid- and thu -loXelN
woman who is allied 10 a brutal am
dissipated husband, The nterchange
OF sympathy. the tears, ana the conn
dences, Add 10 that moonlight talks
or a yacht. and the picture is com
plete. | ought 10 know, Tor | nave
been through IL all before. The mere
thought OF il fills me with disgust
Then you no longer care Tor me-
Cecil?"
Did ever care for YOU. wonder?
Looking nj the thing now IN the cola
light of common sense, ! should sa!
not The disparity in our respecuV9
years for one thing
Now you are going TO Insult me,
Lady Altamont cried, note OF temp
est in her voice You nave come
here TO break the chain. Of course
That you may do, and shall not
have one word OF reproach for you
But do not insult me; try and remem
Der that your late years have been
passed I'm the company OF ladies' and
gentlemen. Perhaps in our posi-
ton"
You are adopting the wrony tone.
Warless interrupted. You want tc
remind me that my father was self
ade man. who came from the gutter
and | won't deny IT, He was much
better man than am likely to be, and
am not In the least ashamed of him
But please do not play the patriciar
dame with me, for IL is wasted on me
| happen TO know where you were
torn a matter of 43 years ago.
know all about the little house n
New York: in fact, | have had your
whole history told me lately. IL
plain English. YOU are a nameiess al
ventures OF the very worst type. You
married a drunken swindler who hap
pened TO now proved successful. You
cultivated us because you discovered
II at my mother was a very rich We
man in fact you made up your mind
10 get those gems from the start
That yacht OF yours was chartered
for the purpose. Ii is just as we'll 70
speak plainly, and | am doing so. Al
this information has only come to
me quite lately. | was compelled 70
be polite 10 you before. because my
hands were tied by circumstances
Give me those Jewels back and | will
spare YOU the rest
You are not mincing matters.
Lady Altamont said with ominous
calm. Are you prepared to prove all
that you say young man ?"
."Oh. yes | am not TO ne deferred
I can swear an information against
you and put you. in the dock. And
then | can give a graphic account o
your past life. You are so clever thai
you can appreciate what that would
mean TO Lady Charles Atamont."
Braybrooke listened with amaze
mont and admiration. He himself had
recently placed a weapon in the hands
OF Cecil Wanless. but he was not pre-
pared TO find the young man using II
quite so freely Lady Altamont had
risen TO her feet. genuinely moved at
last
You miserable boy she Kissed
And this is the way you are prepared
10 repay all my kindness TO you! You
dare 10 assume that | had hand IN
the loss OF your mothers gems II
you stir a hand TO drag me into the
police-cOurt-
THAT is exactly what | propose to
do" Wanless said coolly. "Oh. | am
not going TO play the coward any
longer. know that those jewels are
I'm your possession and you know that
know IL. Why. then, continue this
petty farce? Unless we come 10 some
understanding tonight | shall lay all
tho facts before the police tomorrow
and you will take the consequences