The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1911-09-01

I asked at length.
| II don't know, miss"
He isn't in this house?"
mo, miss"
"Ahi we will see presently"
They took him away, Miss Rack
sole"
WHO took him away? Some of your
| husbands friends?"
Some of his acquaintance"
Then there is a gang of your"
"A gang of us-a gang! I don't know
what you mean." Miss Spencer quav-
| cred.
"oh! but you must know" smiled
Nella calmly. You can't possibly be
SO innocent as all that, Mrs. Tom Jack
! son. You can't play games with me.
You've just got to remember that I'm
what you call a Yankee girl.
There's one thing that l mean to
find out within the next five minutes;
and that is how your charming husband
kidnapped Prince Eugen, and why he
kidnapped him. Let US begin with the
second question. You have evaded 1t
once"
Miss Spencer looked into Nella's face,
and then her eyes dropped, and her
fingers worked nervously with the ia
blecloth.
How can tell you" she said. when
I don't know You've got the whip
hand Of me, and you're tormenting me
for your own pleasure"
Sne wore an expression OIL pcESeSut0o
innocence.
Ibid Mr.. Tom jackson want to get
some money out OF Prince EugenT'
Money! Not he! TOMS never short
Of money"
But / mean a lot Of money-tens
Of thousands. hundreds Of thousands"
Tom never wanted money from any
one," said Miss Spencer, doggedly.
Then had he some reason for wish
ing to prevent Prince Eugen from COM
ing to London7''
perhaps he had. / don't know. : If
you kill me. I don't know"
Nclla stopped to reflect. Then she
raised the revolver.
1t was a mechanical, unintentional
sort Of action. and certainly she had no
intention Of using the weapon nut;
s stTsnss to Ssto sSy Miss Spencer again
Even at that moment Nella wondered
that a woman like Miss Spencer could
be so simple as 10 think the revolver
would actually be used. Having abso-
Nella had the greatest difficulty in
imagining that other people could be at
the mercy of a bodily fear.
Still she saw her advantage and used
Ielentlessy and DIV with cn, "a m%en
She raised the revolver till It was
level with Miss Spencer's face. and
suddenly a queer feeling took hold OF
her. She knew that she would indeed
use that revolver now, IL the miserable
woman before her drove her too far.
She felt afraid-atraid Of herself: she
was in the grasp of savage. primevaI
instinct
In a fash she saw Miss Spencer dean
at her feet-the pohce-a court Of JUS
tice-the sca1old. It was hohhible.
Speak" she said hoarsely, and Miss
Spencer's face went whittier.
Tom did say" the woman whisper ed
rapidly, awesomely, that II Prince
Epgen got to London 1t would upset his
what scheme? What scheme? An
Heaven help me. I don't know"
Miss Spencer sank into a chair, he
he should have to settle him, and then
ROCCO? What about Rocco?'
Nella could scarcely hear herself. Her
grip of the revolver frightened,
Miss Spencers eyes opened wider; she
gazed at Nella with a CLASSY stare
Don't ask me. It's death" Her eyes
were fixed as If in horror.
1T is said Nella, and the sound OF
her voice seemed to issue from the lips
of some third person.
Its DEATH" repeated Miss Spencer,
and gradually her head and shoulders
sank back, and hung loosely over the
chair.
.'NeIla was conscious Of a sudden re-
vulsion. The woman had surely tainted.
Dropping the revolver, she ran round /
the table; she was herself again, fem
mime; sympathetic; the old Neiia: She
happened.
But at the same instant Miss Spencer |
sprang up from the chair like cat
seized the revolver, and with a wild
Of the arm flung 1t against
the window.
It crashed through the glass, exploded
as 1t went, and there was q tense
silence.
Il told you that you were a fool" re-
marked Miss Spencer, slowly. Fcoming /
here like sort of female Jack Shep-
pard and trying to get the best Of me.
We are on equal terms now. You
frightened me. but knew was a clev-
end, if | kept on long enough, / should
win. Now it will be my turn"
Dumfounded and overcome with
sense Of the truth OF Miss
Snencer's words, Nella stood still.
swept through her like flood. She felt /
almost ashamed.
But even at this juncture she had no |
fear. She faced the woman bravely, her
mind leaping about In search OF some
plan.
She could think of nothing but a bride
an enormous bride.
'I admit you've won," she said. But |
I've. not finished yet. Just listen"
glanced at the door, smiling bitterly.
You know my father Is a million
aire; perhaps you know that he's one |
Of the richest men in the world, IL not |
the richest Of all II give you my |
word of honor not to reveal anything |
you've told me, what will you take to
et me go free
what sum do you susgest7" asked
Twenty thousand pounds" said Nella
She had begun to regard the affair as
Ia bushes operation.
Miss Spencer's lip curled.
"A hundred thousand.
Again Miss Spencer's hp curled.
well, say a million. 1 can rely on
ny father, and so may you"
"You think you are worth a million
II do" said Nella.
"And YOU think we could trust you
% see that 1t was paidY'
"Of course you could"
"And we should not suffer afterward
n any way?
Il would give my word and my faith
er's word"
"Bah!" exclaimed Miss Spencer. How
10 you know wouldn't let you go free
'or nothing. You are only rash, silly
GIRL"
81 know you wouldn't can read
You are right" Miss Spencer replied
slowly, 81 wouldn't. I wouldn't let you
70 for all the dollars in America"
Nella felt cold down the spine, and
'at down again in her chair.
A draft of air from the broken win
low blew on her cheek. Steps sounded
n the passage: the door opened; but
1Sl II. rt- 4