Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-09-06
By Louis joseph Vance
Author of The Brass BOwL "
"No Mans Land, " Etc

both vessels will steam out to sea, at
night, everybody. on board the Cynthia
having been transferred to the Orion
save the barest working crew. At the
first convenient deep the Cynthias sea
cocks will be opened, and the balance of
her crew will take to the boats and re-
Join the Orion. which. will then proceed
20 Kingston with a likely yarn about an
engine room breakdown to account for
the delay. The cargo, by means of
forged manifests, will be taken else
where and disposed Of TO the best adj
vantage; the insurance both on it and on
the cynthia will be collected; and the
syndicate will whack up on the spoils
and the incident be closed"
How long have you known this?"
Crittenden hesitated. ITO be honest,
I've suspected foul play from the first;
but let myself. In for it. partly through
sheer desperation, partly because felt
responsible for you-as. I've said. The
positive truth 1 have not known until
tonight, when Rhode cornered me and
put IL UP to me, telling the part l was
expected TO play. So also with Madame
Savaran; she too knew from the first
that something fraudulent was contem-
plated, and. dare say, SURPRISED good
part of the truth; but Rhode says he
never told her any details until this
evening" dLheI dinner. II was SOlSly
cupidity to look after her money, and
her distrust of him (Which is conceiv-
able) that induced her to come along
She insisted on it, and Perez and Rhode
had to give in, for if she'd carried out
her threat to make public what little
she knew, even, il would have been fatal
Ito their plans. Now she's hopping mad,
declares she won't be a party to the
plot IL ii ruins her to expose it, and 1t
begins to look as If she's snarled II up
impossibly. Perez wants to put her out
of the way and take her jewels and.
And I've no right to be telling YOU all
this to brighten YOU"
His voice assumed a Weary tone But
now you know-you had to, sooner or
later-and you know just whatI am, the
associate and employee of thieves and
He stopped speaking in sheer amaze
ment and solely because of the reason
for that emotion; Cynthia's hand, warm,
soft and gentle, that, had found It's way
to his lips and closed them with it's
silken pressure. .-s
'1 know" assented the girl. mo. let
me speak It's my turn, now There
was deepened richness in her voice that
perturbed him; sympathy wherein min
sled with understanding and resolution
and with something else. something in
fnitely sweet and tender, like a ca
ress.
II know you-yes." she said; land
since that's so. you mustn't malign your
self to me, Bruce. I know you better
now than have ever known anybody in
all my life. and won't hear you Ii
helIed, even by yourself" '..
But" he protested. alarmed. ''you
don't seem to understand
II do; I understand too well. Lis
ten to me, Bruce, There were two of
us-rtwo innocents-drawn into this,
almost against our wills; because we
were poor and friendless and :.
But wait. No. don't say anthing just
yet, please. Give me time to think out
what want to say to you"
She hesitated short minute. :.
Through all the time he had been lay
ing bare to her the scheme Of the
swindlers she had been mindful of what
he said only with her objective senses
Beneath them ran a feeling new dis
covered that set her a riddle she must
tax all her wits to read. Throughout
that span her woman's heart had been
busy with Its problem, weighing 1t, con-
sidering II in all its battling complex
ity; devtsing its shrewd snare for the
feet Of happiness
In this last quarter hour she had
come to know. Standing there by the
port with her hand in his, his voice
gentle murmur in her hearing. and
standing now close TO him in darkness
feeling the darkness an intangible bar
rier between them that owed its eH~
istence only to her own volition: then
and now the meaning of life, the end
and aim Of her existence, seemed most
plain and clear. to her comprehension
That which had torubled her with II
vague forebodings, those rushes of emo
ton she had been a trifle frightened Of
no longer wore their accustomed guise
Of mystery. She knew now, and her
soul rejoiced in its enlightenment She
had been created only to love this man.
and, ingenious and naive in her heart S
happiness, she had no thought or in
stinct aside from one honest and
STRAIGHTFORWARD; she must not be shy
Of her love nor Jealous Of its enjoy
ment nor bear herself toward him in
any wise but that of cander and sin
certify. He to love whom was the
source OF all gladness. must share with
her this dear delight.
She was conscious OF the heavy beat
ing of her heart; OF the thrill OF pulses
in neck and wrists and temples, OF
singing in her ears like the singing in
her heart, like the choiring OF the cheru-
bin. @
She uttered. at length. soft low
baffled laugh. =.
ut comes 70 this. in the end Bruce"
said she. 81 have been try
ing to think straight and true, to make
you understand why I must tell you
but the thoughts are all 'a-whirl in my
poor head. And so in the end 1t comes
to this, that must simply say love
you. :"
Appalled,, he strove to speak, the
breath rafting in his bone-dry throat.
Confidently she stretched forth hand
toward him; il rested upon his sleeve.
Bruce =" she sighed.
He drew away, with a gesture Of re-
nunciation of which neither was con-
scious NO" he said harshly: mo! You
mustn't say it! you don't mean it!'
"Oh, but do. Bruce" she told him
sereneIy. "It is true: love you. l
had TO tell you; something don't know
what-rnade me tell you. I'd just found
IL out and couldn't help it."
Crittenden said nothing. There was
nothing to say that he could gain his
own consent 10 utter. Dumb and aghast
he waited. racked with suffering and
compassion.
Bruce" Cynthia's voice sounded
again through the shadows you're not
angry with met" There came a sudden
spirit OF alarm into her accents. You
don't mean? You don't answer me!
You can't mean Oh!'
She faltered and broke down with a
stifed sob. ,...
After a mad interval Crittenden found