Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-15

enough and generous enough to nave don
II Just for him-and, oh Cecil, l wish
might repay you as you deserve-as yo
would wish"
why can't you. Jane?'
Because love another"
"Canler7"
| mo"
But you are going to marry him. III
told me as much before left Baltimore
The girl WINGED
81 do not love him." she said. almos
proudly.
rs It because Of the money. Jane?"
She nodded
Then am SO much less desirable thar
| Canler? / have money enough, and fai
more, for every neel" he said bitterly
II do not love you, Cecil" she said, but
| respect you. II I must disgrace myself
| by such a bargain with any man, I prefer
| that It be one already desplse. I should
loathe the man to whom l sold myself
without love, whom9oever he might be.
You will be happier" she concluded,
'alone-wth my respect and friendship,
than with me and my contempt
lie did not press tho matter further, but
II ever a man had murder in his heart 1t
was William Cecil Clayton. Lord Grey
stoke, when, week later, Robert Canler
drew up before the farmhouse in his
DuTGlng SlN-CyllndeTs
A week passed; a tense, uneventful, but
uncomfortable week for all the inmates
Of the little Wisconsin farmhouse
Canler was lnslstent that Jane marry
him at once.
At length she gave In from sheer loath-
Ing of the continued and hateful Inn
portunlng.
1t was agreed that on the morrow
Canler was to drive to town and bring
back the license and II minister
Clayton had wanted to leave as soon as
the plan was announced, but the girls
tired, hopeless look kept him. He could
not desert her.
Something might happen yet, he tried to
console himself by thinking. And in his
heart he knew that 1t would require but
q tiny spark TO turn his hatred for Canler
into the blood lust of the killer
Early the next morning Canler set out
for town.
In the east smoke could be seen lying
low over the forest, for a fire had been
raging for a week not far from them,
but the wind still lay in the west and no
danger threatened them
About noon Jane Porter started off for
walk. She would not let Clayton ac-
company her. She wanted to be alone,
she said, and he respected her wishes.
In the house Professor Porter and Mr.
Philander were immersed in an absorbing
discussion of some welghty scientific
problem. Esmerada dozed in the kit
chen, and Clayton, heavy-eyed after Il
sleepless night, threw himself down upon
the couch in the living room and soon
dropped into fitful slumber.
To the east the black smoke clouds rose
higher into the heavens. Suddenly they
ode nd hnFN nAl 40 ~
rapidly toward the west
on and on they came. The inmates
Of the tenant house were gone, for 1t
was market day, and none there was to
see the rapid approach of the fiery de-
mon.
Soon the flames had spanned the road
to the south and cut off Canler's return.
A little fuctuatlon of the wind now car
ried the path of the forest fire to the
north, then blew back and the flames
nearly stood still as though held in leash
by some master hand
Suddenly. out of the northeast, n great
black car came careening down the road
With a Jolt it stopped before the cot
age, and black-haired giant leaped
,ut to run up on to the porch Without
| pause he rushed into the house. On
he couch lay Clayton. The man started
II surprise, but with bound was at |
he side of the sleeping man.
Shaking him roughly by the shoulder, |
lie cried:
my God, Clayton, are you all mad
lere2 Don't you know you are nearly |
by fire? Where is Miss |
Porter?
Clayton sprang to his feet He did not |
ecognize the man. but he understood the |
words and was upon the Yeranda in a |
,ound.
"scottr he cried, and then. dashing
'ack into the house, Jane! Jane! where
re your
In an instant Esmeralda, Professor
Porter and Mr.. Philander had Joined the
wo men.
Where is Miss Jane2" cried Clayton,
eizing Esmeralda by the shoulders and |
baking her roughly.
"Oh. Gaberelle, Marse Clayton, she
one gone for a walk
Hasn't she come back YETI" and,
Without waiting for a reply, Clayton
ashed out into the yard, followed by
he others.
Which way did she go7' cried the
lack-haired giant of Esmeralda.
Down dat road" cried the frightened
lack, pointing toward the south, where
he view.
Put these people in the other car"
houted the stranger to Clayton. II
aw one as l drove up-and get them
ut OF here by the north road
Leave my car here. II / find Miss
'orter we shall need It. If I don't no
ne Will need it. Do as say" as Clayton
esitated' and then they saw the 1.-the
gure bound away across the clearing
oward the northwest where the forest
Llll stood untouched by fame.
IN each rose the unaccountable feeling
hat great responsibility had been raised
rom their shoulders; kind OF implicit
onfdence In the power of the stranger
D save Jane Porter If she could be saved.
who was that?' asked Professor Por-
sr. .|.|
II do not know" replied Clayton. He
allied me by name and he knew Jane,
Dr. he asked for her. And he called Es-
leTalda by name"
There was something most startlingIy
amiltar about him." exclaimed Mr.. Phil
nder' "and yet bless me, know never
aw him before"
Most remaFkablei Who could It have
cen, and why do I feel that Jane is safe
er?0
Il can't tell you, professor" said Clay
'n soberiy, "but know have the same
neanny feeling"
But come" he cried. 1--WE must get out
here ourselves or We shah be shut on"
nd the party FASTENED toward Claytou's
lachine.
When Jane Porter turned to retrace her
teps homeward she was alarmed to note
ow near the smoke OF the forest hrs
eemed. and as she hastened onward her
laTm became almost a panic when she
ereeiYed that the rushing flames were
apidly forcing their way between herself