The Pensacola journal., 1917-08-18

to be gained by COncealment from her, |
as If only he wanted to put himself in (
the best light with the woman who
had won from him his secret. 1t was
his confession!
Acquaintances with Constance ripen- /
ed fast into friendships. She had
known Macy. as he called himself,
only a fortnight He had been intro
duced to her at a sort of Bohemian
gathering, had talked to her. direct, /
as she liked a man to talk. He had
seen her home that night, had asked
to call. and on the other nights had
taken her to the theater and to sup
per.
Delicately, unconsciously, a bond of
friendship had grown up between them.
She felt that he was a man vibrating
with physical and mental power, long
latent, which nothing but strong
will held in check, a man by whom she
could be fascinated. yet of whom she
was just little bit afraid.
With Macy It would have been dlnl-
cult to analyze his feelings. He had
found in Constance a woman who mad
seen the world in all its phases, yet
had come through unstained by what
would have drowned some in the
depths of the underworld. or thrust
others into the degradation Of the
demi-monde. at least. He admired and
respected her He, the dreamer, saw
in her the practical. She, an adVen-
turer in amateur lawlessness. saw in
him something kindred at heart.
And so when a newspaper came to her
in which she recognized with her keen
insight Lawrence MaCey's face under
Graeme AIackenzie's name, and a story of
embeZZlement Of trust company and
other funds from the Omaha Central
Western Trust of half a million. she had
not been wholly surprised. Instead, she
felt almost a sense Of elatiOn. The man
was neither better nor worse than herself
And he needed help.
Her mind wandered back 70 a time.
months before. when she had learned the
bitter lesson of what It was to be legal
OutCast, and had determined always to
/ keep within the law. no matter how
close to the edge Of things she went.
Mackenzie continued looking at her. as
IL waiting for the answer to his first
question.
J No" she said slowly. 7 am not going
/ to hand you over. I never had any such
intention. We are in each others power.
But you cannot go about openly, even
( in New York, now. Some one besides
myself must have seen that article"
Graeme listened blankly. II was true.
! His fancied security in the city was over.
( He had fed Ito New York because there,
in the mass of people, he could best sink
/ his old identity and take on a new.
She leaned her head on her hand
and her elbow on the table and looked
( deeply into his eyes. Let me take
/ those securities" she said. Il will he
able to do safely what you cannot do.
/ Graeme did not seem now to CON
I slider the fortune for which he had
! risked so much. The woman before
! him was enough.
"Wnl you?" he asked eagerly.
/ Il will do with them as I would for
fmyself, better, because-beCause it is
a trust" she accepted.
! More than a trust" he added. as
he leaned over in turn and in spite
of other diners in thu restaurant took
her hand
There are times when the rest Of
the critical world and its frigid opin-
ions are vaIueless. Constance did not
withdraw her hand. Rather she
lwatched in his eyes the subtle physi-
cal change in the man that her very
touch produced. watched and felt a
response in herself.
Quickly she withdraw her hand. Il
) must GO" she said rather hurriedly.
! 1t is getting late"
Constance" he whispered, as he
helped her on with her wraps. brush
ing the waiter aside that he might
himself perform any duty hat in
Ivolved even touching her. constance
l am in your hands-absOlutely"
1t had been pleasant 10 dine with
him. 1t was more Pleasant now 70
feel her influence and power over him
She knew ii, though She only half ad-
} mitted it. They seemed for the mo
lment to walk ON air. as they strOlled
: chatting. out TO taXicab.
But as the cab drew up before her
own apartment, the familiar assocla-
/ tions of even the entrance brought
her back TO reality suddenly. He
handed her out, and the excitement OF
! the evening was over. She saw the
thing in its true light. This was the
beginning. not the end.
"Graeme," she said, as she fingered
for moment at the door Tomorrow
We must find place where you can
, hide"
Il may see you, though" he asked
? ianXiOuSly.
- "of course. Ring me up in the
e morning. Graeme. Good-niEht," and
} she was whisked up in the elevator
leaving Mackenzie with a sense OF
q loss and loneliness.
BY the Lord" he muttored, as he
J swung down the street III preference
) to taking a cab. what a woman that
| isl
) Together the next. day they sought
5 cut a place whore he could remain
. hidden Mackenzie would have beer
: near her, but Constance knew better
: She chose a bachelor apartment where
the tenants never arose before moor
l and where night was turned into day
? Men would not ask questions. In ar
1 apartment like her own there was
1 nothing but gossip.
In the daytime he stayed at home
= Only at night did he so forth anc
B. then under her direction in the mos
r unfreQuented ways.
{ Every day Constance went to Wal
- street, where she had stabIished con
4 fdential relations with a number O
To- brokers. Together they:-pIanned tn,
B. campaigns; she executed them witt
. cousummate skill and adroitncss.
e Constance was amazed Here wa
e. a man who for years had been ALL,
e to earn only eishty-fve dollars
{ .month and had not seemed to SHOW
p. any ability. Yet ne was able to spec
q slate i'm Wall Street with such .NasI
4 that h~ seemed to be i'm fair way
= through her. to accumulatA a fortune
- one night as they We're hurryin.
Z back to Graeme's after walk. the,
$ had to pass a crowd ON broadway
i'onst4nce saw tamlGi4r face hurry
r. lhg by 1t gave her start. It wa
q pl pmmoud, the detective He WI
;. NOT. apparently. looking for her Ru