The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1916-03-24

from lnut pack OF lackdlH'
"N0t-you feel sure-merelY to keep
yov dnder observation
" do feel sure Of that. have your
word for It,"
The girl deliberately finished her
tea and sat back, regarding him stead
lily beneath level brows Then she
said with an odd laugh; "You have
your OWE way Of putting one on
honorl"
81 don't need to-wlth you"
She anaiyzed this with gathering
perplexity. What do you mean by
that?"
- mean don't need TO put you on
your honor-beceuse I'm sure Of you,
But even II we're not, still I'd refrain
from cXacting any pledge, or attempt
ing to-" He paused and shrugged be
fore continuing. "If thought you were
still to be distrusted, Miss Bannon, I'd
say: There's a free door; go when
you like, back to the Pack, turn in
your report, and let them act as they
see fit Do you think care for them?
Do you imagine for one instant that |
fear any one-or all-of that gang?"
If he might read her countenance, it
expressed more than anything else dis
tress and disappointment.
"Why do you boast like this-to
me?"
Less through self.satisfaction than
through contempt for a pack of muir.
derous Ongrels-impatience that /
have to consider such creatures as
Popinot, Wertheimer, De Morbihan,
and-all that crew!"
"And Bannon," she corrected calm
ly-"you meant to say!"
well" he stammered, discounte-
nanced.
"It doesn't matter" she assured him.
81 quite understand, and strange as 1t
may sound, I've very little feeling in
the matter" And then she acknowl-
edged his stupefied stare with a weary
little smile. 81 know what | know"
she affirmed with obscure significance.
I'D give a good deal to know how
much you know" he muttered in his
confusion.
But what do you know" she caught
him up-"against Mr. against
my father, that is-that makes you 80
ready to suspect both him and me"
Nothing" he confessed-"I know
nothing; but I suspect everything and
everybody. And the more think OF it,
the more closely l examine that brutal
business OF last night, the more
seem to sense his will behind it all
as one might glimpse face in dark
ness through lighted lattise."
His pause and questioning look
evoked no answer; the girl sat move
less and intent, meeting his gaze with
countenance inscrutable. And some
thing in her impassive attitude
worked a little evaporation into his
temper.
why" he declared hotly-"if dare
trust to intuition-forgive me If pain
you"
She interrupted with impatience:
"Tve already begged you not to CON
slider my feelings, Mr.. Lanyard! If you
dared trust to your intuition-then
WHAT"
'yVhy, then could believe that Mr..
Bannon, your father-I could believe 1t
was his order that killed poor Roddy!"
There could be no doubting'her hor-
rifed and half-incredulous surprise.
"Roddy?" she Rerated in a whisper
almost inaudible, with face fast blanch-
ing. "Roddy-"
"Inspector Roddy of Scotland Yard.
he told her mercilessly, was murdered
IN his sleep last night at Troyon's. the
murderer broke into his room by way
of mine--the two adjoin. He used my
razor, wore my dressing-gown to pro-
tect his clothing, did everything he
could think of to cast suspicion on me,
and when came in assaulted me.
meaning to drug and leave me insen-
sible, to be found by the police. For
tunately-I was beforehand with him.
l left him in my place-drugged' IN
sensible-when I stole away and met
you there in the corridor. You didn't
know"
"How can you askT the girl
moaned.
Bending forward, an elbow on the
table, she gripped her hands together
until their knuckles shone white
through the skin-but not as white as
the white face from which her eyes
sought his with look Of dumb horror
dazed, pitiful, imploring.
You're not deceiving me? But no
why should your" she faltered. but
how terrible, how unspeakablY awful"
I'm sorry Lanyard mumbled. I'd
have held my tongue If / hadn't
thought you knew"
"You thought knew-and didn't lllt
finger to save the manf" She jumped
up. with a blazing face. "Oh, how
could your"
"No-not that never thought that.
But, meeting you then and there 90
opportunely-I couldn't ignore the
coincidence; and when you admitted
you were running away from your IA
ther, considering all the circumstances
was surely justified in thinking 1t
was realization, in part. at least, OF
what had happened that was driving
you away"
She shook her head slowly, her In
dignation ebbing as fast as it had risen.
81 understand" she said; you had
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