Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-10
LAM HAY.
CHAPTER XIX-Continued.

CHAPTER XIX.-Continued.
Hughie was surprised at his own self
control. Only the little pulse which Joan
had noticed beat assiduously in his right
temple.
Fifteen seconds he said. DO you
take this offer. Mr.. Halliburton
mo"
Right Hughie put his watch back
into his pocket ana regarded the mis-
guided blackmailer before him rather in
the manner Of a benevolent policeman
standing over a small boy with a cigar
cite.
Your last few remarks" he said. "have
been so offensive that I know you would
not have had the pluck to make them
unless you thought you had me absolutely
proceed to my final move and terminate
this interview. 1 am very averse to TAX
Ing this particular step, because Its re-
suits may be awkward, as said. for Miss
Gaymer. That is why 1 offered you prac-
tically all the available money I have 10
call the deal OFF. But I see can't help
myself. Now, Haliburton-by the way,
forgot to mention that your real name Is
Spratt: you seem to have become q big
fish since you took to fortune hunting
gagement. I am going to pay you high
compliment. l am going to give you q
piece of information, known only to my
self and Miss Gaymer's banker. for which
the knowledge of which will cause you
when you get outside (Which will be very
soon now to kick yourself for a blamed
fool because you did not accept my first
offer"
Mr.. Halliburton shuffied his feet
a cj1
You seem to be suffering from an ag-
gravated attack OF the prevailing impress
sion that Miss Gaymer Is an heiress. Her
fortune has been variously estimated by
tea-table experts at ANYTHING from forty
to hundred thousand pounds. 1 will
now tell you what it really is. Get on
the table; I want to open that dispatch
box
Mr.. Halliburton, conscious of q sligh,
sinking sensation just below the second
ed, and Hughie took out Of the box a
bank book and a bulky letter.
When came home from abroad" he
said, Il found this letter awaiting me. II
will interest you: =" . 1 have realized
practically all my personal estate. and
have placed the cash to your credit on
Joeys behalf-Joey is the name" he ex-
planned. punctilously. ''by which Miss
Gaymer is known to her intimate friends
Counties Bank. The rest of my prop
erty is set down and duly disposed of in
my will. and cannot be touched until my
death is authenticated
Il hope there was a respectable sum in
the bank" said Mr.. Halliburton, his spirits
rising again.
Hughie opened the pass book.
when / went to the bank In question:,
he said, and asked to be allowed to see
the amount of my balance l was handed
hf- hnn = mill ~
the exact value Of Miss Gaymer's fortune
at the moment when took over the man.
agement Of her affairs
He handed the book to Mr.. Halliburton.
That devout lover glanced eagerly at the
sum indicated on the balance line-and
turned a delicate green.
You see?" said Hughie, calmly. taking
the book back. lone hundred pounds
sterling! A poor exchange for Ave thou
sand. Mr.. Halliburton
thickly.
That can't tell you. But you will see
by the book and this duly Endorsed check
he picked a pink slip out OF the dis
patch box-''that the sum of thirty-nine
thousand nine hundred pounds-the
amount he had put in q few days before.
less one hundred-was drawn out Of the
bank, in q lump, by my uncle himself the
day before he sailed. Why he did it 1
can't imagine. He must have changed
has put me in a very tight place as a
trustee, and you in a much tighter one
as a sutton. Mr.. Haliburton.''
He took the check from the hands OF
the demoralized Halliburton and closed the
dispatch box.
There was a long silence. At length
Hughie said:
Il presume 1 may take it that you now
desire to withdraw from this engage
ment?''
phatically. He was too deeply chagrined
to play his part any longer.
Hughie surveyed him critically.
You're a direct rascal, Spratt," he
said; You are no more hypocritical than
you need be. But you're a rascal for all
that. Well, 1 won't keep you. Good
But Mr.. Haliburton's quick-moving
brain had been taking in the altered sit
uation, with its strong and weak points
so far as he himself was concerned. He
had not lived by his wits twenty years for
nothing.
II suppose" he observed, reseating him.
self on the corner of the writing table, 1T
would be indiscreet to inquire from what
source the young lady. with a capital of
ent deriving an income Of apparently
three or four hundred a year,"
mot only indiscreet. but positively un-
healthy" said Hughie. turning a dusky
Teu Ills uHSoTS were dNu
curling.
Mr. Halliburton directed upon him what
can only be described as a depredatory
eye.
Don't you think. Mr.. Marrable,'' he
said that it would be a good thing to-
square me? 1 could do with that five
thousand. This is a censorious world,
you know; and scandalous little yarns are
apt to get about when a young lady &C
1t was the last straw. Hughes iron
restraint snapped at last Both his and
Mr.. Haliburton's impressions OF the next
few moments were distinctly blurred. but
at the end Of that period Hughie, breath
ing heavily and feeling as il he had just
won a valuable prize in a consolation
race, found himself facing Jimmy Mar
rable, who had entered the door just as
Love Gas represented by Mr.. Haltburton)
flew out of the window.
Halo. Hughie!'
Halo, Uncle Jimmy! Half a MOI
Mr.. Halliburton, seated dizzily in a rose
bed in the garden, heard Hughes step
to the French window above his
head. A walking stick suddenly speared
itself in the soil beside him, and a pair
Of gloves and a Homburg hat battered
down upon his upturned counte-
nance. while Hughes voice fntimated
that there was a swift and we'll cushioned
train back to town at $40.
Then, closing the window and leaving
Mr.. Halliburton to extract himself tender
ly from his bed OF roses, cursing feebly
the while and Illuminating bitterly upon