New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-05-24

was not far off nOw; but that was the
risk he had been ready to run, and on
| the instant he was called upon to face
it. From behind Fitzgerald the other
man would have taken the chance and
fired, but someone knocked up his arm
(nO one but Christopher saw that it
was a yelled abbess), and Lord Arrow.
dale, as Louis XIV, alert and grave
enough now, took advantage of the fel'
lows brief confusion to seize the re-
| vOlver from behind.
With that Fitzgerald burst into Il
loud laugh and tucked his weapon in
his belt. Don't be frightened, any
body, and spoil sport" he cried, his
voice ringing with laughter. Then,
snntching off his mask and looking
handsome and gallant in his SLOUGH
hat, he ran and knelt at Undine's feet,
calling his comrades to follow.
'Our leather pouches and all that in
them is he exclaimed, Tin exchange
for the prize. fair lady,"
And Miss van Bouten took off her
mask also, smiling and beautiful,
though a little pale.
"Shall he have the prize. my
friends?" she cried aloud.
And the company, unmasking, an
swered with many voices that the prize
must belong to the h~ighwayman.
ITS to be put to the vote, you know,
at supper" she said.
Fitzgerald and his friend, having
given up their bags of spoil to their
hostess, rose from their knees.
Their Fitzgerald came to where Race
still stood by the door. Everyone
was listening, hut all he had to say
was to thank Christopher for his
dramatic conception of his part"
"Your n slight mistake" he fin
ished, "has proved a blessing in dis
guise, for it enables me also to change
my mind at the last minute. l and
my friends will stay to supper and
hear u fate-in the matter of the
blue diamond. You are free to do as
you choose"
II must be getting back to town."
"With your car? Very well we will
meet later"
Fitzgerald was the hero of the occa.
sion; and one of the young men of
Miss Dauvray's party presently slipped
away unnoticed. Perhaps two others
did the same-ChristOpher did not
know. But when he reached Scarlet
Runner, to his intense surprise there
sat Miss Dauvray in the seat next the
drivers.
"Will you take me homer" she asked.
with pleasure" he said.
sand %quicklyT"
IF you WISH"
They started, and for a few mo.
ments neither spoke. Then Christopher
asked: did I do the thing you want.
ei?"
"Yes," she said. II thought you
would do It,"
"You hypnotized me, perhaps. But
was 1t a game, Or"
"Oh, a game. if you like. But a ter.
rible game. I would have given my
life to stop 1t, or-yOurS. You've
saved both. I can live now, I think. If
he wins the prize he'll let me alone for
awhile. But if he'd succeeded tonight
I-couldn't have borne it. What would
there have been for me? Only to dis
appear, as he meant to Go, Or-disap-
pear in another way, a Quieter way. l
should have chosen that. I'm SO very
tired, you see."
"Tired of what?" Christopher ques-
toned her almost fercely.
"Of playing cat's-paw to him. I'm a
coward. I'm horribly afraid of him.
He could ruin me. I've helped him sew
eral tines-in country houses where
I've been staying"
"Why?"
"Oh, 1t all began with the most aw-
full losses at bridge, and a hundred out
side debts to drive me half mad. Once
Il was mad then, l Think cheated.
Fitz saw, and saved me, for-this kind
of thing. He's in awful straits too.
But the blue diamond will save him, il
he gets it. For your sake I hope he
will, as for mine"
TEND OF THIRD EpISOnEN