The Washington herald., 1911-02-24
By HAROLD MacGRATH
Copyright. 1910 The Bobbs-Merrin Company

1 promise to tell you all when the time
comes. 1t will interest you"
"Breitmann?"
What makes you think l am interested
in Mr.. Breitmann?'
Fitzgerald could net exactly tell. Per
haps l have noticed you watching him.
"Ah. you have good eyes, Mr.. Fitz-
gerald. Have you observed that l have
been watching you also?'
Yes You haven't been quite sure Of
me-" Fitzgerald smiled a little. But
you may rest your mind. l never break
my word.
Nor do l. my friend. Have patience.
Satan take these small boats" He SUI
fed grna!.
"A little champagne
Nothing, nothing: thank you.
AS you will. Good night.
Fitzgerald shut the door and returned
to the Smokiug-rOOm. Something or otheI'
concerning Breitmann; he was sure OF H.
What had he done, OF what was ne GONG
to do, that France should watch hlm
There was no doubt in his mind now:
Breitmann had known of this treasure
and had come to the Pines simply to
nut his hands on the casket- NJ. Ferraud
had tried TO foreStaIl him. This much o.
the riddle was plain. But the pivots upon
which these things turned! There was
something more than treasure IN the
balance. Well, NJ Ferraud had told nm
to wait There was nothing else for hLm
to do
A little rubber at bridge was in pro-
gress The admiral was playing with
Mrs. Coldfeld and Cathewe sat opposite
HiIdegarde The latter two were losing.
She was ordinarily a skillful player, as
Cathewe knew; but tonight she lost con
stantly, was reckless with her leads. ana
played carelessly into her opponents
hands Cathewe watched her graveIy.
Never had he seen her more beauutui;
and the apprehension that she would
never be his was like a hand straininS
over his heart
Yes; she was beautiful; but he did not
know that there was death in her eyes
and death in her smile. Once upon a
time he had believed that her heart had
broken; but she was learning that the
heart breaks, rebreaks, and breaks again.
How many times he stood on the preci-
pice during the dinner hour, Breitmann
doubtless would never be told. woman
scorned is an old story; still, the story
goes on, retold each day. Education
may smooth the extcrnals, but under
meath the fire burns just as furiously as
of old. To this affront the average wo-
mans mind leaps at once to revenge; and
that she does not always take it depends
which is more powerful than revenge.
Sometimes, on hot summer nights, clouds
form angrily in the distance; vivid flashes
dartle hither and about, which serve to
intensity the evening darkness. Thus, a
similar phenomenon was taking place IN
Hildegarde Won Mitter's mind The red
fires of revenge danced before her eyes,
blurring the spots on tho cards, the black
ness of despair crowding upon each flash.
Let him beware! With a word she could
shatter his dream; ay, and so she would
What! sit there and let him turn the
knife in her heart and receive the pain
meekly? No, It was the thoughtleSS
brutality with which he went about this
new affair that bit so poignantly. To
show her, so indurately, that she was
nothing, that, despite her magnificent
sacrifice she had never been more than
convenience was maddening- There was
no spontaneity in his heart: his life was
a calculation to which various sums were
added or subtracted- With all her beauty,
intellect genius. and generosity. she had
not been able to stir him as this young
girl was unconsciously doing. She held
no animosity for the daughter Of her
| host; she was clear-visioned enough to
put the wrong where it belonged.
TT is your lead" said the admiral patti
emily.
Pardon mer' contritely The gentle
reproach brought he back to the sur
| roundings.
1T is the motion of the boat" haz-
arded Cathewe, as he saw her lead the
ace. .''I often find myself losing count
| in waiting for The next roll
Mr.. CRthewe is very kind" she re
piled. THE truth is, however, l am
simply stupid tonight"
Breitmann continued to speak lowly to
Laura. He was evidently amusing, for
she smiled frequently. Nevertheless, so~
smiled as often upon Fitzgerald. Never
glance toward the woman who held his
fortunes. as they both believed, in the
hollow of her hand. Breitmann appeared
| to have forgotten her existence.
When the rubber was finished Cathewe
came into the breach by suggesting that
! they two, he and his partner, should take
| the air for while: and Hildegarde
| thanked him with her eyes. They
| tramped the port side, saying nothing
but thinking much. His arm was under
! hers to steady her. and he could feel the
catch each time she breathed, as when
| one stiles sobs that are fearless. All, to
| hold her close and to shield her; but
| thousand arms may not intervene be-
| tween the heart and the pain that stabs
| It, He knew: he knew all about II. and
there was murder in his thought when
ever his thought was OF, Breitmann. To
be- alone with him somewhere. and TO
| fight II out with their bare hands.
To BE CONTINUED To-MoRRoW.