The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1914-01-08

eoaIaar qsits hing myself to pay -
my ovn debts ~ spelling anothsr
yonaa's life. guess FA bs . failure
At Deaities." shs enAa1 with . little
laugh OF selfdissust That's all
Good-by.-
AID so.- said 0rSso slowly. "yos
came to me-just - hslp me! Yos
didn't think for an instant that. out
Of gratitude. might help your"
Help me! Hov?-
by making 1t easy fer you to carry
out your idea of marrying my brothers
Perhaps BY using this scandal story -
threat to fores me into helping your
Wanda looked at her for full half.
minute In blank silence. Then. turn
ing to the door. she said:
Il guess vas fool to butt in"
''One moment" interposed Grace:
adding. as Wanda paused: "Yoa-yos
made certain insinuations about me.
just now. You must prove thsm-you
must give me your reasoas for the
absurd supposition that I might know
anything about this 0tandish scandal
Mrs. Robertson" replied Wanda.
her hand still on the door-knOb. I'm
not in your class. I don't know just
how women in your station Of life
manage such things. But 1t seems
rather tough that you can't And . way
to defend yourself without insulting
me. Let that 60. You want to know
how I found out? I'll tell you. Early
this evening Mr.. Standish learned Of
this scheme to wreck him He knowe
the story couldn't be used without the
Woman's name. And Blake blu6ed
him into believing the machine would
have the name before midnight. ~.
Standish's first thought was to wago
the Woman. Just as Blake had known
1t would be. He called up your house
In New York"
What Of that! was not at homo
this evening. l was ON my way here
to"
But Mr.. standish didn't know that"
And" pursued Grace fiercely. "just
because Mr.. Standish chanced to call
up my husbands New York home.
you've evolved this insane theory.
What proof is there-beyond your un.
backed word-that he called up my
house?"
THE time-card at central. A list of
all calls is forwarded every evening
to central and"
That proves nothing!" declared
Grace. Nothing at all. Oh, it's pret.
ty trick you're playing. Miss Kelly. A
very pretty trick. But 1t will fail. You
build it all on the statement that some
one called up the house of Governor
Robertson. Fifty people call up our
house every day. And on the strength
Of that. his wife is to be involved in .
story of low intrigue-Oh, it's out
rageous!"
will Mr.. standish explain to your
husband why he called you up?"
He didn't call me up. Mr.. Standish
He'll deny every charge you make.
And my word will be believed ahead OF
blackmailing phone girls. l need
simply say you tried to gain my help
by means Of threats to"
You need simply say it,, VIII you
swear to it,"
"Yes!" flashed Grace. "If the need
arises. A woman's reputation isn't de-
stroyed SO easily as you seem to think;
Miss Kelly"
And the country hotel proprietor"
asked Wanda. II forgot to say they've
sent for him. He can identify the
Woman who was registered as Mrs.
Fowler He"
DO you suppose. for one moment"
said Grace, white to the lips. that my
husband would subject me to the in
dignity Of being looked over like =
common criminal? l need only tell
the truth-deny the whole malicious
lie-and-"
"Oh!" broke in Wanda, with reluct-
ant admiration. you're brave. Mrs.
Robertson! As brave as they make
them. You're putting up glorious
fight. And l can't help liking you for
1t. Because know-behind the brave
front-you're sick with fear"
you think"
Il know 1t. And-believe me or not
you've got me sized up all wrong.
I'm not going to marry your broth.
er. But don't want to see his sister
get into this mess. Why don't you
trust me?"
Really"
(TO BE CONTINUED)