The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1916-04-04

nv r.. W. HORNUNG.
Copyright by Charles Scribner's Sons

Miss BOuverle," said stngaree,
you may well suppose that | have
borne you in mind all these years As
a matter OF honest fact, when first
heard your name this evening 1 was
slow to connect It with any human
being You look angry ! intend no
insult. II you have not forgotten the
life was leading before you would
very readily understand that I have
never heard your name from those
days TO this. That Is my misfortune
II also my own fault IL should suf
fee that when l did remember I came
Mt my peril TO hear you sing and that
before | dreamed OF coming an inch
farther But | heard them say both
I'm the hall and outside that you owed
your start TO me. Now one thinks of
It, It must have been n rather striking
advertisement. and 1 reflected that not
another soul in Sydney can possibly
owe me anything at all. So | came
straight to you without thinking twice
about It. Criminal as have been and
am, my one thought was and is that ]
deserve some little consideration at
your hands"
| you mean money!"
81 have not penny. It would make
all the difference to me. And ] give
you my word, II that is any sntisfac
tion to you, would lie an honest
man from this time forth"
"You actually ask me TO assist n
criminal and escaped convict-me, Hill
da Bouverie-at nay own absolute
risk"
81 took risk for you nine years
ago, Miss Bouverie; II was all I did
take" said Stingaree, "at the concert
that made your name"
"And you rub 1t In" she told him.
81 am running for my lifew he ex-
claimed In answer. 1T wouldn't have
been necessary-that would have been
enough for the Miss Bouverie 1 knew
then. But you are different; you are
another being, you are a woman OF
the world. Your heart, your heart is
dead and gomez
He cut her to It none the less: he
could not have inflicted q deeper
wound. The blood leaped to her face
aud neck. She cried out at the insult,
the indignity. the outrage Of It all, and.
crying, she darted 10 the door.
II was locked.
She turned on Stingaree.
you dared TO lock the door--you
dared! Give me the key this instant.
'I refuse"
VERY well! You have heard myI
voice; you shall bear it again.
Her pale lips made the perfect round.
her grand teeth CLEANED in the elec
tric light
He arrested her, not with violence,
but a shrug.
81 shall jump out Of the window
and break my neck. They don't take
me twice-alive."
Something has happened" she whis
pered, turning a scared face up to him
Il hear your name. They have traced
you here They are coming! Oh, what
are we to doT
He strobe over to the door.
IF you fear a scandal l can give
myself up this moment and explain
ALL"
He spoke eagerly. The thought was
sudden. She rose up, looking in his
eyes
NO you shall not" she said. Her
hand flew out behind her, and in two
seconds the brilliant room had click
clicked into velvet darkness.
Stand like mouse" she whispered
and he heard her reach the inner door,
where she stood like another.
Steps and voices came along the
landing at a quick crescendo.
Miss Bouverie! Miss Bouverier'
1t was his exeellency's own gay
voice, and it continued until with much
noise Miss BOuverie flung her bed
room door wide open, put on the light
within. ran across the boudOir, put on
the bOudOlr light and stopped TO par
ley through the keyhOle.
THE bushranger Stlngaree has been |
traced to Government House"
Good heavensv'
zone OF your windows was seen
open"
"He had not come in through It,"
"Then you were heard raising your
voice"
"That was to my maid. This Is all
through her. l am so ashamed"
mot a bit, Miss BOuverie. Hm
ashamed of bothering Confound the
policer'
When the voices and the steps had
died away Hilda Bouverie turned to
Stingaree,' her whole face shining. her
deep blue eyes allght.
"Therew said she. Gould you have
done that better yourself?"
'Not half so we'll"
"And you thought could forget"
81 thought nothing. ] only came to
you I'm my scrape,"
After years OF Imprisonment he
could speak OF this life and death haz-
ard as scrapet She looked at him
with admlring eyes. her personal tri-
umph had put an end TO her indigna.
ton
"My poor Lea wonder how much
she has heard? l shall have TO tell
her nearly all. She can wait for me
at Melbourne or Adelaide, and l can
pick her up on my voyage home. II