The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1917-06-05
AUTHOR Of THE LONE
WOLF" THE BRASS
BOWL"ETC
COPYRIGHT pr LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE,

dlAiFu Win ~ufpidNlAss SHEER Chdutc
fooled you. My cab broke down at
Fifty-fifth street. / walked two blocks
north to get another at the Margrave-
where Mrs. Merrilees wasn't stopping,
and where you didn't mean to meet me
after I'd called here-and by down
right good luck found her with Mrs.
Beggarstaff. SO / gave her the neck
lace, and came on here-Mr. Trait es-
cOrting me, though not at my request"
"Good heavens !" said Craven again,
his accents quavering. do you know
what you're saying, Liddy?"
I'm afraid know too we'll"
With an in~articulate groan Craven
sank into a chair and buried his face in
his hands. you've ruined me !"
1--WE saved you, you mean"
"You don't understand. What" He
looked up eagerly. "What did they say
when you-when you gave back the
necklace?"
'"They were kind enough to say moth
ing. TO pretend Mrs. Merrilees had in
stigated the smuggling swindle that
you invented-to blind me. Even Mrs.
Merrilees pretended, in the goodness
of her heart. And / was deceived I'M
til-this Mrs. Ellsworthy locked me in,
and so gave me a chance to think from
a true point of departure. Then | I'M
derstood. I thought II all out-reallZed
that you had stolen the necklace-that
you were an associate of criminals
that / was the daughter of a common
theft"
Grooming, Craven covered his face
again.
Now" said the girl, "let me GO. L
don't know what action they mean TO
take against you, but, as for me, | ask
nothing better than to be permitted to
go and forget you"
You mean you woet appear against
mea' he asked.
Not If I ear manage to lose myself
another name, perhaps
1T won't be necessary" Craven in
terrupted In a voice of chill despair.
He rose. stood staring at her with eyes
deep sunken in sockets that had been
suddenly followed out by despair. I'm
done fort !"
A certain simplicity in that declara-
ton convinced and struck fear into a
heart that had been i~mpregnable to all
other appeals.
"What do you mean? Father, what
do you mean?"
you remember the knave of dia-
monds-the knave of clubs? There's
one more knave in the series-spades
and that spells-death
"Father !"
"It's an old story-too long to detail.
The knaves are warnings. l haven't
had spades yet; but I'll get 1t within
six hours unless i produce the necklace
to be sold and shared. And that's now
removed forever beyond my reachr'
"Father !" the girl reiterated witless-
ly. She caught the arm of a chair to
steady herself. unconsciously sank into
1t, and sat staring and terrified.
"The trouble" said Craven In a
broken voice, 'the trouble is, I've al
ways wanted to run straight-always.
l guess every crook does, down deep.
And when / saw a chance to marry
money l shook Smith and Gordon. Only
they wouldn't be shaken. And then l
ran short, and to keep up appearances
until after the marriage made up my
mind to turn one last trick-the neck
lace-and then" he laughed bitterly,
"virtuel But they were on the same
job. And then you turned up. Other
wise 1 could have come through with
the loot and saved myself. Now"
He paused an instant, profoundly
speculative. 81 may have a chance yet
for a getaway. They don't know where
j am though they may suspect. If
only l can get an hours lead out of
town"
The sound of sobbing disturbed him.
What lies had conjured up-fear, dis
gust, contemplate truth had exor-
cised: the rags and tatters of her child
hoods love for him alone remained.
Spent. broken I'm heart and spirit,
humbled and torn with the horror his
confession inspired, Lydia sat huddled
In misery, racked with tearing sobs.
Craven moved to her side, touched
her hair with hesitant fingers. "Well.
well - he said huskily. "We were fond
Of each other, weren't we, while it last
ed, little girlf And your MOTHER
loved her. Well-well-"
He turned and without her knowl-
edge gained the door; paused for a
single, prolonged backward glance;
shook his head uncertainty; shrugged /;
deftly inserted a key in the slit In the
doorknob and let himself softly out.
Only the mufiied jar of the closing
door made her understand that she
was alone.