The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-08-07

hand, sne D0aSteO, etlll JOyOuSfy ex-
ultant.
"You-you opened the package?" he
went on, once more pushing the inn.
Fortunate devil aside.
Naturally. How else would have,
known that 1t was worth locking up?"'
Her GOODNESS astounded him. II she
knew the whole truth-and1 demon
at his ear was assuring him that she
must know it-she must also know
that she was confronting a great
peril; the peril of one who voluntarily
shuts himself into trap with the fear.
maddened wild thing for which the
trap was baited and set: He was
steadying himself with hand on the
table when he said: Well. you opened
the package; what did you find 'oute"
What did I find 'out?" He heard her
half-hesitant repetition Of his query,
and for one fitting instant he made
sure. that he saw the fear of death in
the wide-open' eyes that were lifted to
his. But the next instant the eyes
were laughing at him, and she was
going on confidently. "Of' course. as,
soon as l. united the string l. saw it,
was money-a lot Of money; and you
can imagine that tied 1t up again.
quickly, and didn't lose any more time
than l could help in putting 1t away
in the safest place l! could. think Of.
Every day since you began to get well,
I've been expecting YOU to. say some.
thing about il; but as long as you
wouldn't. 1 wouldn't"
Slowly the blood came back into the
saner channels, and, the whispering
demon at his ear grew less articulate.
He took the necessary forward. step
and stood before her. And his answer
was no answer at all.
Miss ACKNOWLEDGMENT you
telling me the truth?-all'of it," he de-
manded; seeking to pinion' the. soul
which lay beyond the deepest depth
Of the limpid eyes.
Her laugh was as cheerful, as bird
song.
Telling, You. the truth? How could
you suspect me Of such thing! No,
my good friend: no woman ever tells
a man the. whole truth when she can
help it. I didn't find your money, and
l didn't lock it up, in poppa's vault:
am merely playing part in a, deep
and diabolicaf plot to-"
Griswold forgot that he was her poor,
beneficiary; forgot that she had taken
him in as her guest; forgot. in the
mad Joy Of the reactionary moment,
everything that he should have remem.
bered-saw nothing, thought Of moth
ing save the flushed face with its glo-
rious eyes and tempting lips: the eyes
and lips of the daughter Of men.
She broke away from him hotly
after he had taken the flushed face be.
tween his hands and kissed. her; broke
away to drop into the chair at the
other side Of the table. hiding the
flashing eyes and the burning cheeks
and the quivering lips in the crook Of
a round arm which made room for It,
self on the narrow table by pushing
the japanned money-box, OF the oppO'
site edge.
| 1t was the normal Griswold who
picked up the box and put II on the
other chair. gravely and methodically.
Then he stood before her again with
his hack to the wall, waiting for what
every gentle drop Of blood in his veins
was telling him he richly deserved
His punishment was long in, coming;
so long that when he made sure she
was crying, he began to invite it
"Say it," he suggested gently, you
needn't spare me at all. The only ex
cuse could offer would only make the
ohense still greater"
She looked up quickly and the darf
eyes were swimming. But whether the
tears were Of anger or only of outraged
generosity he could not tell
Then there was an excused" sht
flashed up at him.
NO." he denied, as one who findl
the second thought the worthier
there was no excuse"
She had found a fi1my bit of lace
bordered linen at her belt and wa
furtively wiping her lips with it.
81 thought perhaps you might b.
able Toto invent one of some sort,
she said, and her tone was as colOrles
} as the gray skies OF an autumn night
fall. And then, with a childlike appea
, in the wonderful eyes: 81 think yo
!. will have to help me a little-out O
: your broader experience. you know
: What ought to do?"
His reply came hot from the refinin
, fire Of establishment.
you should write me down as on
l who wasn't worthy of your loving-kint
, ness and compassion. Miss Griersol
3 Then you should call the custodia
] and turn me out"
"But afterward." she persiste
, pathetically, There must be an ate
ward"
81 am leaving Mereside this ev,
8 Ming" he reminded her. ut will
n for you to say whether its doors sha
d ever open to me again"
She took the thin safety-deposit Ike
9 from her glove and laid it on the t
BILE.
e "You have made me wish thel
e hadn't been any money" she lamente
with q sorrowful little catch in hi
voice that stabbed him like knife.
haven't so many friends that can a
). ford to lose them recklessly. Mr.. Gri
,. wold."
Damn the money!" he exploded
It and the malediction came out of a fu
/. | heart,