Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1916-03-09

you couldn't keep it up. You ran
away to escape further contamination
from that pack of jackals."
"Not-you feel sure-merely to keep
you under observation"
Il do feel sure of that. l 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 own way of putting n on
honor!"
81 don't need to-with you"
She analysed this with gathering
p~erplexity. "What do you mean by
that?"
81 mean / don't need to put you on
your honor-because I'm sure of you.
But even if l were not, still I'd refrain
from exacting any pledge, or attempt
ing to-" He paused and shrugged be-
fore continuing. IF l thought you were
still to be d~istrusted, 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 c~ountenance, it
expressed more than anything else dis
tress and disappointment,
Why do you boast like this-to
me?"
LESS through dissatisfaction than
through contempt for a pack OF muir
derous mongrels-impatience that l
have to consider such creatures as
Popinot. Wertheimer, De M%orbihan,
and-all that crew."
And Bannon," she corrected calm
ly-"you meant to say!"
"Well-" he stammered, discounte-
nanced.
ut doesn't matter" she assured him.
81 quite understand, and strange as it
may sound, I've very little feeling in
the matter" And then she acknowl-
edged his stupehed stare with a weary
little smile. II 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.. Bannon-against
my father, that is-that makes you so
ready to suspect both him and me-"
Nothing" he confessed-"l know
nothing; but I suspect everything and
everybody. And the more l 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 a face in dark
ness through a lighted lattise."
His pause and questioning look
evoked no answer; the girl sat move
less and intent, meeting his gaze with
a countenance inscrutable. And some
thing in her impassive attitude
worked a little evaporation into his
temper.
why" he declared hotly-if l dare
trust to intuition-forgive me if l pain
you"
She interrupted with impatience:
1--WE already begged you not to con-
slider my feelings, Mr.. Lanyard! If you
dared trust to your intuition-then
what?"
why. then l could believe that Mr.
Bannon, your father-I could believe II
was his order that killed poor Roddy!'
There could be no doubling her hor
rifed and half-incredulous surprise.
"Roddy?" she iterated in a whisper
almost inaudible, with face fast blanch
ing. "Roddy-"
INSPECTOR Roddy of Scotland Yard
he told her m~ercilessly, was murdered
in his sleep last night at Troyon's. The
murderer broke into his room by wa
of mine-the two adjoin. He used my
razor. wore my dressing-gown to pro
tect his clothing, did everything M
could think of to cast suspicion on me
and when I came in assaulted me
meaning to drug and leave me insen
sible, to be found by the police. Fol
tunately-I was beforehand with him
I left him in my place-drugged' in
sensible-when l stole away and me
YOU there in the corridor. You dldn'
know"
"How can you ask?" the cir
moaned.
Bending forward, an elbow on tn
table, she gripped her hands togetne
} until their knuckles shone whit
through the skin-but not as white a
the white face from which her eye
sought his with a look Of dumb horror
dazed, pitiful, imploring.
you're not deceiving me? But no
why should your" she faltered. "Bu
how terrible, how u~nspeakably awful!
"Tm sorry" Lanyard mumbled. II
have held my tongue If l hadn
! thought you knew .,.
"You thought l knew-and didn't III
! a finger to save the mani" She jumpe
up. with a blazing face. "oh, no
t could you?" -,
S "No-not that never thought tina
4 But, meeting you then and there
4 opportunely-I couldn't ignore u
coincidence: and when you admitte
Won we're running away from your I
Their. considering all the circumstance
III was surely justified in thinking
was realization, in part, at least,
what had happened that was drivir
you away"
she shook her head slowly, her !
dignation ebbing as fast as 1t had rise
o Il understand" she said; you hs