The Washington herald., 1912-06-09

said quietly.
Deane would have been irritated, but
something in her manner struck him az
50 strange that his feeling termed to one
OF bewilderment. Come" he said,
you are not going to suggest that l
have been dreaming, or that YOU have
had one OF these fashionable lapses of
memory! You remember meeting me
in that room in the Universal Hotel?"
without change of countenance or
expression she answered, Il have never
been IN the Universal Hotel in my life p''
Deane looked at her. his lips little
parted, and as he looked his feeling of
bewilderment grew. MY dear young
lady" he protested, do you mean to.
you have been mistaking me for
someone else, think" she said calmly.
There are so many people about who
are like me. We will not talk of this
just now, If you do not mind. / have
come to you from my brother"
"Well?" said Deane.
MY brother is free" she went on.
He was released at Q o'clock this
morning. The doctor at the prison.
signed a certificate that he has only al
month or so to live. He is free oni
the understanding that he goes away to-
some quiet place He came to me AMI
hour ago. It is at his wish that l ami
here"
Go on" Deane raped out.
he wishes TO see you" she said
That is all. He does not think that
there is any risk about it, under the
circumstances. We are staying for the
night at the Grand Hotel. Tomorrow
We shall go down to Devonshire or
Cornwall. He will be glad if you will
come and see him as soon as possible 10
Il will come" Deane said, "but FIRST,
Miss Rowan, / must have an UNDER
standing with you"
An understanding with me-" shel
repeated slowly
Naturally" he answered. Il want
to know, first of all, whether you are|
my friend or my enemy-whether. int
short, you mean to play the blackdnail-I
er, or whether YOU mean to return tol
me that document which you abstractedi
from amongst Sinclair's effects" ,
She drew a little sigh. Il am quite
sure now, Mr.. Deane,' she said. that
you are mistaking me for someone else
| do not know what you are talking
about"
Deane was silent for several moments.
He was feeling nervous and disturbed!
There was something uncanny about
this quiet. persistent denial-the still
face, the steadfast. beautiful eyes, which
seemed yet like unlit fires devoid of
sympathy or apprehension.
ct --,r-rI,- 1-,,-,,- - D.,,. ID 9hov-I
we are TO continue this discussion. FOrl
some reason or other, you are sitting
there within a few feet of me and deny
ing something which We both know toi
be the truth. You have a motive. Il
suppose, but whatever that motive may
be. YOU cannot imperil II BY speaking
openly here We are absolutely alone
| There is not a soul within hearing
You and both know, Miss Rowan, that,
you hold that paper to obtain which
YOUR brother risked his life and met,
with such misfortune, 1t would be his,
wish. know, that you should give Il,
to me- The terms ! offered him for ltsl
recovery were surely liberal. II you
thing otherwise, tell me Your price. We
are alone You are not giving yourself
away Tell me your prIce!
Il have no price, Mr.. Dcane, she
said. because l have no paper. am
not a thief. nor have ! stolen anything
from anybody All that you say IS
strange to me. My brother is waiting.
and he is very i'll. Will you come with
me now. or will you follow as soon as
you CAM" .
Deane leaned back in his chair and
laughed 1t was not altogether a nat
ural laugh. but It was the only relief
he could find from his overwrought
feelings. What sort of a game you
and are going to play, Miss Rowan, y
cannot imagine" he said. i have made
the first and the obvious move, and you
have declared your opening. We must
let it go at that, suppose. When you
are disposed to talk common sense, L
and my check book will be glad to lis
ten to YOU. In the meantime, let me
beg of you one thing, and that is, keep
that DaDer in some safe place