The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-03-31

Why not dcDounce ne now?"
"Would ~ serve your PURPOSE"
NO" with deeper gravity. TT
would be a great disaster: how great,
1 ran not tell you"
Then, l shall say nothing"
About what drviv, even whim-
sically.'
"About your being secret agent
from France"
This time NJ Ferrands glance PROV
ed that he wac truly startled Only
three times In his career had his sec
oid life been questioned or suspected.
He eyed his hands accusingly; they
had betrayed him. This young man
was clever, cieverer than ne had
thought. He had been too confident
and had committed blundsr. Should
he trust him. With that swift un-
erring instinct which makes the per-
feet student Of ohara cter, he said:
You VIII do me q great favor not
% inpsrt this suspicion GO any one
else,"
Suspicion"
'Ts lie true: ] aha secret agent: .
and he said IT proudly.
You Wish harm 10 none heref'
Mon dieu No. / ain here for the
heartaches end misfortune and dist
fusion. And had l set to work earlier
should have accomplished all this
without single one OF you KNOWN &
II. Now the matter will have to GO
on 10 it's end
Can you tell me anything"
Not now truat you. will you
trust me7'
Fitzgerald hesitatsd for a space.
Yes"
For that thanks and NJ. Ferraud
put out hand. TT is clean. Mr..
Fitzgerald. for all that the skin is
broken"
''Ot that have no doubt
Before we reach Corsica you win
know"
And so temporarily that ended the
matter, But ar Fitzgerald went over
to the chair just vacated by the sec
Rotary. he found that there was .
double zest 10 life now. This would
be far more exciting than lodging ice
foes and freezing ones toes.
Laura told him the news Their
guests would arrive that evening in
time for dinner
1t wac Breitmarn's habit TO come
down first He would thrun little
on the piano or take down some old
volume. Ton might il was Heine. lie
had not met eny Of the guests vet
which he considered a piece OF good
fortune. Rut God only knew what
would happen when she saw him. He
dreaded the moment. dreaded II with
She was woman. school
ed In acting. but a time comes wher
the best acting ~ not sufficient II
only in soTne way he might have warn
ed her; but no way had opened. She
would find him ready, however. ready
with his eyes, his lips, his nerves
What would the others think OF say If
she lost her presence OF mind? His
teeth snapped. He read on. The lamp
threw the light on the SCARED side
OF h~ face.
He heard some one enter, and his
gaze stole over the top Of his book.
This person was woman. and her
eyes travelled from object 10 object
with IL curiosity tinged with that in
gertrude which attacks us all when
ae enter an unfamiliar room She was
dressed iii black. showing the white
arms and neck Her hair was like
-ipe wheat after a rainstorm: oh, but
as knew well the color OF her eyes.
blue as the Adriatie, She was a worn-
IN of perhaps thirty. matursd. grace
I'll, handsome. The sight OF her ex-
,ited a thrill in his veins, deny Il how
,e would
She scanned the long rows of books.
he arrange weapons. the heroic and
irlster flags, the cases OF butterflies.
With each inspection she stepped near
r and nearer TIL by reaching out his
land he might have touched her.
Quietly he rose. 1t was critical
moment.
She was startled. She had thought
he was alone.
Pardon me-" she said, In a low.
musical voice: 81 did not know that
NY one was here" And then she
sw his face. Her own blanched and
ar hands went to her heart. KARL"