The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-06-07
6co1atnuea)

(Corufnue5.)
 Sne answered hopelessly.
 s'It would take a great deal of money to get him to go away without theft from house like this When I met him first didn't know the sort of man he was Iflearned afterward They talked about him in the reforma tory. He has good reputa tion-among crim- inals
 Andrew drew a bill case from his pocket
 T have here,'' he said, just a little less Athan S5,OOO. That should suffice The girl shrank back.
 T am afraid!'' she whispered.
 "Think1' the Master Mind command ed, with a note of sternness. Think what depends upon it'' His voice dropped. '.Lucene, if you do not fail tonight your troubles will be over.'' She shook her head slowly in dreary negation.
 No," she answered fordorn1y, "they will never be over. have learned the lesson at last You were wrong in what you tried to teach me. I know 1t now, when it is too late. should have followed my consctehce-' Z She threw herself back and sat huddIed in
 
 better she murnured brokenIy, all most inaudibly, better for Cortland and me, if we had never met again
 The Master Mind perceived that for the time being her feeling had carried her beyond his control He waited pa dently until the violence of her grief should have spent, itself Then after time he assailed her ruth1essly from new point of attack. The very diff cuIty of his task provoked him to harsher endeayor, unweakened by sym pathy.
 'Lucene," he said earnestly, If it were to become necessary in order to save your husband from public dis grace you would be wiling to do some thing otherwise wholly repulsiTe to your every instinct, would you not ?'' The girl opened her eyes and looked up at him with a new questioning of dread in her gaze. ''If there were no other way to save him from disgrace you would even pretend to go away with this fellow Creegan, wouldn't your" There was long pause, in which she continued to stare at him with an ever increasing horror as a vague understanding of his meaning crept into her consciousness. tfWou1dn't you? I mean if it should be absolutely necessary in order to stop Creegan's mouth. Why. with ten words to the newspaper reporters about you and the B1ounts he could ruin your husbands whole political caFeer. Think, LuceneI Is your love strong enough to rise to that supreme height of martyrdom wherein you would not only sacrifice yourself in silence, but so b1acken your character that he would gladly let you go9 Is your love so strong, Lucene?'
 There was no answer The distract ed girl remained. covering under a crushing weight of horror. And yet, despite the despair that famed in her breast. some secret prompting stirred her toward acquiescence. That single word ~martyrdom'' had set her spirit fermemf1ng for sacrifice. In the heart of heEsasuas the eternal yearning of the woman tosgfye where she loved, the matezna1S4nstinct of total self abnega- tion for Ehe sake of the one beloved, the willingness to yield all, to suffer all, to danazaza, to live or die for that be- lovedSzgo0A SubconsciousIy, already she reaHzedsthe truth that she would at lastaaccept the martyrdom thrust on her byaznideous fate-aecept it for. his sake.
 And finally she spoke, very softly, gasping1y, as one wholly spent.
 ITO save him from, disgraee-yes even taat.'
 Andrew persisted
 You would not falterT'
 The Jeaden voice came:
 'sNo, am sure"
 Then, at last, the Master Mind per nftted himself the luxury of a doubt ful ceuferting.
 'sIt may be- he said gently, Esthat this supreme sacrifice will not be nee essary. But if it should be-weIl, here es the money
 Again he held forth the sheaf of S1id hand, took them, and hid them in aer bosom, her face masque-like in it's nnisery. "As nearly as I have been able to Iearn,r Andrew continued, in a brisker voice, "Creegan will make his attempt here about 2 o'clock tomor- row morning. Of course, he will come directly to this room, as he has doubt less acquainted himself with the gen eraI plan of the house and knows that the safe is in this a1cove. You will meet him here when he comes"
 eYes" The word was spoken in a nfeless tone.
 Nothing mattered now. She went from the room slowly, with dragging steps.
 For a long time after Lucene was gone from the library Andrew stood as