Omaha daily bee., 1911-05-07

window and the boughs tapped nifty on
the ranes.
Madam" l said at last. that YOU
should remove your veil would be a favor
so great that ! dare do no more than
touch upon III forgot that | was pos
ing as another than myself-"yet, believe
me, ] would give much to see your face
because your air-your figure-re1inds me
Of my mothers, as l knew her in my
boyhood"
She MADE no move to yield to my re-
quest but l could feel her eyes upon me.
MY mother, tool can hardly remember
her. Yet they say she was very b aaut-
full. Perhaps, IL she we're but living
now" She broke off with a little gasp
as IL she had said too much.
What has come over me?" she said,
II sit dreaming here when" With the
riding whip she carried she beat softly on
the tables edge-I could see the escaping
finger tips pink in the ca IDLE light MIR.
Morvan, II you go to Morvan Manor you
arc dead man"
stared-then almost ] laughed.
m ght } avs told her hat I had 70, the
least intention Of goirg to Morvan Manor,
but TO say that would have been to de-
clars myself other than l seemed, Be
sides there was a threat of violence in
her announcement that must needs be OF
interest to enc Of my nature Not only
so, bat the present situation was not with
out its own flavor, a flavor worth enjoy
ing little longer. l resolved TO play my
part in this comedy upon which l had
entered almost in spite OF myself
"a dead man. I smiled. "Dols this
Tom Bell l saw proclaimed below, so infest
the highways that one cannot travel to
MorN an unmolected"'
The danger DOESN'T rest on the road,
sir. It's after you've reached Morvan that
peril-the deadliest peril-wil overtske
you"
What VIII there be poison in the heirs
cup?' / was ENJOYING my part Are
there Borgias in West Jersey9 All. madam,
some village wsg has been playing on
your wcmanly fears"
Hnr in}ers drummed the table Impl-
tiently. Listen, s,r! see I am ohlig d
to be more ?. ecise Mr. Morvan, no ona
has been playing with mel speak ON
my own knowledge. Oh, I'm not here by
chance-Tve been riding to Pole Tavern
nearly every day since I hca d you were
expected from the west-I hoped I might
persuade you to be warned in time. You
must heed my warning. you'll remember
that the manor is on the very edge OF
the Pine Barrens-a part of the country
always lawless, sir, and OF late more so
than ever. There's a plot to ruin YOU M.
Morvan-a plot that threatens your very
life"
I'm to be the hated overload for the
jack-knife Of some Jacques Bonhomme OF
a charcoal burner!"
you must not come into Mcrvan," she
cried very hotly. You must withdraw
sir. until the times are more settled-a
m Jnt Tor two, at least Yes, you must
withdraw-you must"
Had not this Lady of the Spur been so
peremptory-had there been more of alarm
and less Of eagerness in her tone-I might
have declared myself willing to forego a
visit had never designed. AS 1t was
her insistence pricked my curiosity to the
quick.
Madam" 1 said gravely, If you woul
tell me how you gaiaed knowl dge Of this
fearsome plot-if you would condescend to
reveal your name and face-even II you
would explain the purpose of your warn
ing, I might the better decide upon"
MY purpose?" she cried What other
purpose can / have than to save the life
OF an innocent man? I am a woman-I
have a woman's fear of bloodshed. Isn't
thal purpose enough?"
You answer ne but one question out
of three" I eturned, land that-pardon
me!-none too plainly" ! gave her a
grave bow. Consider, madaml am a
peaceful gentleman on my way TO inspect
my property after many years absence
I am met at a public house by a pretty
woman" went on deliberately. "a woman
shrouded in a veil, and in mystery. This
charming woman-no ] insistl-this girl
whose face l confess ia give a years in
come to see, sol mnly warns me to with
draw from my own MAJOR OF Morvan. I
am told TO hold myself aloof from a peace
full cJunty. I'm abjurtd d, II love fe, T.
retreat like a craven because, forsooth!
there's some sort Of boyle in the Pine Bar
rens Pshaw! madam, what are a few
runaways iron Delaware. or half dozen
dsserte.s from a war that's past these fif-
teen years."
/ paused not for want of breath but
b cluse I could thi X Of nothing more to
p5int For one who had been shooting
wholly in the air. l flattered myself l had
drawn a tolerably coed bow.
In my interest in my own play acting
l had well nigh forgotten that was not
Henry Morvan and that had no design
to visit Morvan Manor.
leaned far over the table, until my face
was close to hers. Madam, unless you
can speak more freely. shall be at Nor
van within the week"
She was silent. Ny head inclined more
and more toward her own. She did not
withdraw IT, but held herself proudly
poised until our faces were scarce a foot
apart.
All at once a thrill went through me!
I had seen her eyes, gray, steadfast. look
ing at me from beneath level brows
She averted her head at last with a
little, tremulous sigh. very strange 10
hear after the heat she had lately shown.
I've done what | could" she said, al
most as II 10 herself Il can say nothing
more-I knew how it would be. Mr.. Nor
van, you'll not be warned?'
/ shook my head, my thoughts busy with
the memory Of those eyes.
She had risen and was looking down at