The Washington herald., 1916-07-02

cheek. And 1t thrilled him to the soul.
He needed all his will-power 10 go on
playing as though she We're not so close
beside him. Yet he dared not .peak the
ardent words that sprang to his lips.
After a time she departed to her own
rooms. taking the song with her. She
had not been gone two minutes when The
outer door Of Legrand's sitting room was
flung violently open.
Tom Price stood on the threshold.
Where is my wife?" he d.manied,
without other form of greeting: his angry
eyes searching the sitting room. AT the
office desk they said she wasn't IN her
rooms. l met your manager in the lobby.
He told me would probably find ner in
your suite"
She just stepped out" answered Le-
grand. sudden idea flashing into his
mind. But II you care to wait, she'll be
back again in a few minutes
You seem pretty sure Of it," said Tom,
pugnaciously.
why shouldn't be-" was the careless
rejoinder Il ought TO be by THIS time"
A false note in the elaborate .'areless-
ness caught Tens attention. though he
only in part translated it.
Il don't believe you." he declared, Il
don't believe my wife comes to your
suite at all. l believe you're lying. l."
When / talk to a drunkard or a crazy
man." scoffeG Legrand, Il don't resent
things he says, but, II you want my
proof" his insolent gaze roved over the
room, that's a handkerchief Of hers
lying on the piano yonder."
Tom swooped down upon the handker-
chief. shaking it cut ana holding II to
the light. In one corner II bore Laura's
flutter to the floor. His head sank on
mis- breast. All u: once the youth and
n, pc and energy se.rued to be stricken
from him.
What are you doing here anyway
asked Legrand, well pleased with the i'm
preston he had created. She told me
you were still too lame to walk
The doctor told me my leg was sound
again three days ago. said Tom. Il
didn't write her about it. / ran on here
Instead to surprise her. She"
It'll surprise her." assented Legrand
with a sneering grin. though maybe not
quite in the way you were fool enough to
hope. She counted on your being tied by
the leg in your own little rube town for
another two weeks at the very least. She
said she was counting on that much more
vacation anyhow"
she did not say that" said Tom lift
ing his head and staring dazedly at his
tormentor You lie"
Il told you pay no attention to luna
tics rawlings" returned Legrand. But
now you're here there is something l do
want to say % you. II you have sense
enough to understand me-
Il want to hear nothing from you.
/"
But you'll have TO near it just the
same" resumed Legrand. 1T concerns
your wife. love her. She loves me. We
want to marry. You stand IN our way.
In the way of her happiness. Have you
manhood enough to set her free so she
can be happy"
Tom gazed DULY at him. scarce COM
pretending, Legrand. raising his voice
little. as though addressing a deaf
man. continued impauently:
viii you set her free: Or are you
cur enough to so on for life, living on
her earnings? We are willing to pension
you II you insist on such blackmail
But"
He got no further. With a wordless
yell OF fury Tom Price leaped forward.
His left fist caught Legrand squarely on
the point of the Jaw.
The composer crashed to the floor like
a polled OK. and lay quivering and sense
less at Prices feet.
With scarcely a glance at his foe, Tom
strode from the suite. Along the cor
ridor he reeled, his brain sfire. Around a
corner he went blindly, aimlessly. then
around another. Presently he found him
self at a stair-hcad. Without waiting for
the elevator, he lurched down the two
flights of stairs to the lobby. There he
sank into a chair >snd tried to think
clearly.
1t was a long time before his brain
could be forced into normal reasoning.
Then, bit by bit, he began to review the
scene he had JuSt enacted with Legrand.
And on cooler reflection, Tom was more
and more impressed with the belief that
the composer had been lying TO him.
None OF Prices memories of Laura
bore out Legrand's vile hints. She loved
her husband. She had solemnly prom
Ised to be true. She would not break her
pledged word. For some purpose OF his
own. Legrand had tried TO blacken her
In Toms eyes.
That man needs a good deal worse
thrashing than I gave him." muttered
Price at last. getting to his feet And
I'm going back to give II to him. I'll
hammer him into confessing the truth
about Laura, even II l go to Jail for it,
He retraced his steps toward Le-
grand's third-floor suite.
The composer in the meantime had
gradually recovered from the Knockout
blow. Rising bewIlderedly from the floor,
he blinked about him, then began to
nurse his swelling jaw.
A tap at the door aroused him, and
cleared his muddled brain. For he recog-
nized Laura's voice. calling for admit
tance.
Come in" he answered
Where is he?" queried Laura, eagerly
looking about her.
Where is-who?" he evaded
Where is Tom? met the manager in
the hall Just now. He says Tom is here
and that he came to your suite to find
me-
Legrand was doing some rapid thinking,
despite his brains Jared condition He
had lost his carefully planned game
TOMS arrival had spoiled everything. And
more than probably when Laura should
hear what had passed between her hus-
band and himself, she would abandon the
tour. Unless-unless she really loved Le-
grand. And that must be decided at
once.
Without answering Legrand caught her
In his arms, and held here there despite
her struggles. He sought to raise her
face to his. She pushed him back but
he grasped her the more closely to him
Her outfiung hand fell by chance upon
the hilt of the danger that lay on the
piano Her fingers closed convulsiveIy
about it,
Scarcely realizing what she did, and
thinking only to fend off the hateful face
that pressed so fercely toward her own,
the frantic woman struck out wildly at
the man who had seized her