The Washington times., 1912-12-01
CHAPTER xlx.-(contiAusa.)

spirit than woman; shc aee'neu t"e u"
c.rpa,ion OF life, Of love. OF the very
fundamentals OF existence.
"she IL really an extraordinary WON.
an; why did I not love herr" ne askcd
himself.
But even as this flashed through his
mind, the memory OF his long martyr-
NOT az sic appeared then, but as the
central figure in a succession OF ioSth.
some scehes. .,r.. .,.,,e
Your attempt to justify yourself
I Know you too well. You are rotten ~
the core. What you term love 70 notn.
ing but an abnormal craving wncn no
healthy -ininded man with ms work IN
life to do could have satished: Out
code, however, 10 too different Tor me
10 discuss the matter with you. DO, u
,ou have quite finished expatiatinx on
my shortcomings. would you kindly tell
me 70 what l owe the ho"or VI ''''
She turned abruptly from him ana
leaned for a minute against the man.
telpiece; then sinking int0 chair. sne
on n table near her and proceeded 70
light II with apparent unconSern Cyri'
however, noticed that her hand tren'-
bied violently. ,s..~
her head back and looked ~ him taunt-
insly from between her narrowed Nos.
:Because, my dear Cyril. l read N
Yesterdays paper that your wne nae
been your SomPanion par pM 40 y0ul shoaShs !,
would bo rather amusing, 10 run over
ma and out few particulars as to the
young person who 10 inssauerao'hs
shs had caught Cyril. completely OH
his guard, and he feit Tor y moment IN.
capable of parrying her attack. ,
Il assure you, " he suffered. II 70
all a mistake He hesitated; he could
think Of no explanation which "ou'o
4 expected you to tell me that she
WAS as pure as snow she exclAimea
with a seornfuI laugh-"but how you.
with your Puritanica! ideas. managed
to get Yourself into such an lmorCs"G aoI,H
consider that you owe 1t to me to sat-
isfy my curiosity
Il regret that am unable to do SO.
80 do I! Still, as l shall no DOUBT
solve the riddle In few days. can
1 shall enjoy Watching your efforts 70
prevent me from learning the truth"
unfortunately for you, that pleasure
will be denied You. You are going 20
leave this house at once and We shall
not meet again till we do so before
Amy settled herself more comfortably
$50 you persist in trying to biuft II
out? Foolish Cyril! Don't you realize
that I hold all the cards and that ! am
quite clever enough to use them to the
hest advantage? You see. knowing you
as I do. I am convinced that the mo-
tive which led you to sacrifice both
truth and honor Is probably as praise
worthy as It 10 absurd. But. having
made such a sacrifice, why are !'ou de-
termined to render 1t useless. cannot
believe that you are willing TO face the
los, not only OF your own reputa tion.
but Of that OF the young person who
has accepted your protection. How do
you fancy she would enjoy figuring as
correspondent IN a divorce suit7''
trap: . -
wouldn't do that? 7 swear to YOU that
. terrible situation. and to say that shs
was my wife seemed the only way tc
save her: She doesn't even know am
"Resiiy? And have you never con,
sidered that when she finds out the
truth she may fail to appreciate ths
delicacy which no doubt prevented 70,
from mentioning the trifllng fact Of m,
attempts to rescue forlorn damseii
seem doomed to ne unsuccessful! o.
were your motives In this case no
quite so impersonal as fancied? Hal
I.ancelot at last found his Guinevere
ously."
your presence is nrnIshment enough
] assure you. for NIL the sins I eve
committed! Rut come 70 the point
ening me with?'
Publicity. that is all. II neither 20,
nor this woman object to It's bein'
known that you Travelled together a
man aad wife--then I am powerless."
but You have Just acknowledge
that you know that our relation 10
harmless one cried Cyril.
,,r do not know it.-but-yes. be
eve ey It, s1ss DO yI ynT th think however tho
''surely you would not he such flen
as TO wreck the life OF an innOcen
young girl?'
10 II? Not mine at all events. II wa
you who by publicly proclairninG her I
Re your wife made II impossible for ne
disgrace to remain secret DON'T voo
bound TO be discovered? Now 'I--and
a'one-can save You froro the const
anences Of your folly. II you wi
agree not to divorce me. I promise nc
tect the good name Of this woman b
every means In my power"
II should like to know what you =,
pect to gain hv trying to force me
hke YOU Ohrh! IL u tne. tlttc tn0E yO
covete Or do YOU long to shine In 8,
Getty? Rene mher that ln order 10 d
that you would have radically to r
form your habits"
IT have No Intention Of rcformin
ana ! don't care 1c for convention
society,"
'You tell me that YOU M longer 10,
me. and that YOU found existence W,
me insmnportahle. Why. then. are "
not willing to end tt?'
TT II true 7 No longer lave you, b
Will" live no other woman shall usu
my place"
"Your place! When vow broke vo
MARRIAGE vows YOU forfeited your rig
to q place In my life. But 7 will ma,
compact with YOU. You can have .
fhe money you can possibly want
long as YOU neither do nor say aryth'l
70 imneril the ronutstion Of the youi
lady In question"
-" the wealth In tho world vou
not 6uy my silence"
''This IL too HORRIBLE" cried Cvr
airost beside himself I'm order
shield Door innocent child Won Il
rnand that sacrifice my freedom. n
frture, even my honor? Have you
sense OF Justice. no pitv?"
"None. have said my last vo,
H. now fors YOU to decide whcther
am IT, stay or to go. Well. which IL
Cyril looked into her white set far
what he rnOf thera deatrnyoa ~. n