Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-29

Brent tried to signal Miriam WITH
his eyes not to keep to their original
story Of only having met the day be-
fore. but Miriam. not unnaturaily. took
him to be imploring her to help to
back him up In II.
Il can answer that" she said sayiy.
Let's see. now" and she began to
count on her fingers. One. two. three.
four. Ave. six. yes. twenty-four hours"
That's not true" said Molly.
oh" said Miriam. at a loss. and
flashing an anxious look at Brsnt
What is it?' Is anything the NATTER
"A good deals the matter" replied
Brent. Mr.. Sanderson's lost como VAL
liable papers and they have been traced
to one of u.s."
They were found in your ROOM"
Molly told her.
Yes" countere.l Brent quickly they
were those / gave you"
Miriam. as Chris had done q few min
utes earlier. thought over the situation
swiftly and In silence. Even moro than
he. she cared nothing for the personal
issue. since she had nothing to lose in
that respect except a temporary dimi-
mutton in the regard of some people
she hardly knew and did not caro-
about Brent's was the master mind
IN their schemes 1t was of vital i'm
portance. then. to keep him free to
continue them, and she saw her way
at the same time toward clearing mat
ters for him and Molly. She gave a
was her outward semblance in training
and at the command of her mind that
with that swift decision. she became to
an appearances a complete adventur.
eSS
Brent marveled as he watched her
here was a department in which Mir.
lam was ahead of him; there was no
nav in her acting.
Il see" remarked Miriam land vo, :.
turning to Brent-.you dear. chiyairous
person. you let it be thought that YOU
nave stolen them" Her eyes siRnaled
to him and he saw her game. 1t was,
ton. and. though hating himself for the
necessity, he reluctantly followed her
ieao. 1T was not very dificult, under
the circumstances. for him to look down
and appear embarrassed
How perfectly delicious of your' con-
tinued Miriam. and how exactly like
you! Who says that chivalry is deadr'
Molly looked straight at her.
Mr.. Brent has just told me-" she said
that he took the papers and that he
gave them to you and you had no idea
at all what they were"
Yes, I'll bet he has," replied Miriam,
the gold threads woven in her dress
caught the light now here now there.
and gave an impression of undulatfon
which helped her effect immensely and
gave the true snaky touch.
What do you mean?" demanded
Molly.
why do you talk of him like that7
You speak as though he belonged to
YOU
Brent began to feel supremely rtdicu-
louS. as man always must when he is
the object of contention between two
women. Reverse the situation and the
woman Is an object OF admiration. both
to- herself and the two men. But for
some strange, far back. biological rea-
son, the same does not hold true of the
position in which Christopher Brent
now found himself He was what he
looked-supremely uncomfortable-and
for the first time his foolish expression
ceased to be assumed and became the
genuine article.
Molly" he protested. angrily..
please go on said Miriam to her,
taking no heed of him.
81 am going on" said Molly. 81 want
to know what it all means. I want to
know what Chris is to you"
"One of my very oldest friends" re.
piled Miriam. calmly.
Chris! And you told me that you
had never met Mrs. Lee before"
He told you that because I asked
him to-"
81 was speaking to you, Chris" went
on Molly. Cant you answer for your
self"
81 shouldn't advise it." suggested
Miriam. 'if you want to hear the truth"
You mean he'd lie to me? 1 don't
believe he would-not now. Would you
still lie. Chris?'
'T-I-" began Brent. ''Of course I
wouldn't"
Hes lying now" remarked Miriam,
in an amused voice. Your flance, Miss
Pollock. is one of those men who would
commit almost any crime sooner than
give woman away. They call that
the one objectionable sin. Funny,
isn't it? And rather rare, but 1 don't
know where women like me would be
without them"
(TO BE CONTINUED IN NEXT SUN.
DAYS starr
Copyright, 1917. by Edward J. clode.)