Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-02
Continued from page II

moment of triumph turned cautiOuSi Full
confession, he decided, was the only way out
Max was painting along ten feet behind.
Over her shoulder the girl noted this. She
turned her questioning eyes on Magee. He
felt that his moment had come.
7 DON'T know how to begin, muttered the
novelist, whose puppet speeches had
always been so apt. Last night you sent
me on a sort of-quest for the golden fleece.
| didn't know who had been heeced or what
the idea was. But [ Jared forth, as they say.
l got it for you"
The eyes of the girl glowed happily. @I'm
SO glad" she said. But why-why didn't
you give it to me last night? 1t would have
meant so much if you had"
"That,' replied Magee, "is what I'm
coming to-very reluctantly. Did you note
any spirit of caution in the fellow who set
forth on your quest, and dropped over the
balcony rail? You did not. l waited on the
porch and saw Max tap the safe. | saw him
and Cargan come out. | waited for them.
Just as | was about to jump on them, some
body-the man with the seventh key,
guess it for me. There was a scuffle.
l joined it. l emerged with the package
everybody seems SO interested in"
"Yes!" said the girl breathlessly. "And
then"
al started to bring it to you," went on
Magee glancing over his shoulder at Max.
81 was all aglow with romance, and battle,
and all that sort of thing. | pictured the
thrill of handing you the thing you had
asked. | ran up stairs. AT the head of the
stairs-I saw her"
The light died in her eyes. Reproach en-
tered there.
"Yes," continued NIagee, @your knight
Grant lost his nerve. He ceased to run on
schedule. She too asked me for that pack
age of money
"And you gave it to her" said the girl
scornfully.
ooh, no." answered Magee quickly. "Not
so bad as that. simply sat down on the
steps and thought. l got cautious. | de-
cided to wait until today. II did wait"
He paused. The girl strobe on, looking
straight ahead. Magee thought of adding
that he had felt it might be dangerous to
place package SO voraciously desired in
her frail hands. He decided he'd better not,
on second thought.
a know, he said, what you think. I'm
a fine specimen of man to send on hunt like
that! A week-kneed mollycoddle who
passes into a state of coma at the crucial
moment! But-I'm going to give you that
package YETI
lC SllI tlllllCO llCi AldSCC ootW
that her eyes were misty with tears.
you're playing with me-" she said bro
kenly. al might have known. And I trusted
you! You're in the game with the others
and l thought you weren't. | staked my
whole chance of success on you: now you're
making sport of me. You never intended
to give me that money-you don't intend
to now!'
"On my word,' cried Magee, II do intend
to give it to you, the minute we get back to
the inn. have it safe in my room"
"Give it to her!" said the girl bitterly.
"Why don't you give it to herr"
Oh, the perversity of women!
dts you l want to give it to, replied Ma
gee warmly. al don't know what was the
matter with me last night. l was fool.
You don't believe in me, know"
Her face was cold and expressionless.
@And wanted to believe in you-so much!"
she said.
"Why did you want tor cried Magee.
She plodded on through the snow.
"You must believed he pleaded. II don't
know what all this is about-on my word of
honor. But l want to give you that money,
and | will-the minute we get back to the
inn Will you believe then? Will you?"
81 hate you!" said the girl simply.