The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-08-19
Continued from Last saturday,

can be sent TO prison for blackmaiI,
iif I can't otherwise be rid of HIM.
but for your sake l should rather
have him simply 60 away. IL you
are mot willing To help. Sheila, you
need only say SO"
For moment j thought she was
going TO refuse. But after a vain
appeal or two, she gave way rather
sullenly. and agreed 10 leave early In
the morning.
That's the pity OF those people,.
Mr.. Tabor said to me. as he closed
the door after her. Let the man
do or he what he viii. the woman he
has possessed will hold by him to the
end OF her days; he can't quite lie
away her faith or Kick away her
tenderness. / suppose it's beautiful
in its way, but 1t gives foothold to
a lot OF nisery---weil, now, Crosby,
the rest is your part. I believe Sheila
Will keep her word; but It's against
her husband, after all, and j want to
make sure VIII you go TO New York.
too, and keep an eye on them until
Carucci has gone? It's an unpleasant
service to ask, but I can't do It for
myself. And~-since your vacation trip
would naturally start from New York.
| it won't be far out OF your way"
! looked full at him 10 be sure that
understood, but ] knew already that
he had weighed his words.
II see" ! said slowly .'Is that all,
/ or do you really wanv me TO watch
the Caruccis -
Certainly / do, IL you viii. I'm
going to be very frank with YOU,
Crosby. because you've deserved 1t.
did feel at one time that your former
trip was managed with little too
much gailantry---that you had with
the best intentions involved us In a
meiedrama, been the means of bring
ing these people down on U.S. But that
vast just. Nobody could have done
better In your place: and If any one
WAS to blame. II was Reid, for al
lowing you to go at that time OF
night OF course, 1 was away from
home when you started Well. you've
helped tis and been loyal to lis, though
We had no claim upon you. 1t all
comes down to this. Mrs. Tabor's
health is cause OF great concern
to ma. and has been for long time.
I I feel that she must be guarded from
every possible shock. As l told you,
there IL a condition here which we
are keeping to ourselves which IL
dangerous TO her, and which---you
must take my word for it-may be
aggravated by your continual pres-
ence. I'm eliminating, so far as I
can. every disturbing element, and
you are such an element. through
no fault of yours I'm not Danish
ing you. | only ask that your visits
to US be no more than occasional.
Once in while. little later. We shall
be very glad to see you, I hope; but
not just now. IL that c1ear?''
All but the reason for it, l said,
/ and 1 won't ask that
= won't make any protestations or
apologies" he added very deliberately.
III think you TRUST us. And l prov q
that 1 trust you more than you know.
III telling YOU as much as ! have
/ suppose that u more sensible man
In my place would have done very
differently. On his own confession,
MIR. Tabor was telling me- only a part
, of the truth; accident and warning
had combined to make slne suypicio us
of him; and l knew by my own ex-
perience how plausibly he could lie.
But whether 1t was his age, or his
Differences, or the fact that he was
Ladys father. ati the Don Qulxote In
me came suddenly to the surface
III do as you say, sir" l said. Let
me Know when / can do anything
more, and held out my hand.
dls own WAS moist and hot; and
III noticed under the stronger light Of
the hall that the veins in his temples
were swollen aid throbbfag" ami Thai
he moved listiessiy. as though he had
been under great strain. Before /
could think about il. Lady parted the
curtains OF the living room
What is it?" she asked quickly.
] Has anything happened ~ ss..ss
oniy that ! ann going 70 New
York to see Carucci sail away" / an
4 swered. and don't know Just when
shall be back" Ii was plain that
MI Tabor had not meant me to say
so much; hui that was my own az
fair.
She followed me outside the front
ooor. ihat means that You are going
away knew it must come TO that .
She was twisting nervously at her
/ chain.
One word from YOU. and won't
go
She shook her head. NO. l want
you to--goodby."
Promise me one thing / said
That sou'h send me word Ii you
want me-
u PROMISE she answered quietly.
Out shsil never have to Keep that
promise"
As l went out Of. the gate Doctor
Reid was coming in, and stopped 10
speak TO me. His companion stood
meanwhile some distance away; but
II was not too dark for me to recor-
fffxs the big man with the sIirflT pre-
cision OF speech whom | had seen
ntm bring secretly to the house be-
fore.
set out the next morning In a
numor OF suspicious disillusion, ali
my quixotIsn turned sour under the
dry sun. Put 1t how / would. / was
playing the part of a spy; IL Carucci
himself was no better, the honeat
Irish eyes OF his wife made me vagua-
~ ashamed of my task Having new
erthelsss undertaken 1t. / must put
It through as Well az might be. 70
'fo aOw ffse pair about would be fiizs3
tile. since must presently be seen
and recognised; but conceived that
merely by making sure OF them at in
tervals during the next forty-eighf
hours l should be fuifiiling my mis-
sion. l saw them safely on the train
and established myself In another car.
and when We reached the Grand Gem
trail made straight for the scene f,f
my midnight adventure. 1t WAS no
less ugly ~ day than by night, and IL
possioio even more inolodorous Pux1, l
carts vended uniinaginable sweet
meats along tho curb to N fioatt,,c
populAttnn OF besmeared and scream
anx children: bleared slatterns. fioh-
ply overnowing their bulginx gar.
maents. Jabbered In window and door.
way. ana the SQUAT and dinwy If,is
saloon ON the corner leered hearftv
at all waited half an Hour bsfors
tn8 CarucefS anrparad yrA -. =