The Washington times., 1918-02-19

eyes still bore their look of fear, but
little color had stolen back to her
pale cheeks. Hooking noticed this
| with relief
He might well take you in, poor
Esther" he said gently. Il never
knew a man who could lie like Twes-
dledee. Well, he got you into the
cab-what happened next?' The man
b-nt forward as he spoke, looking
eagerly at his cousin; now, II Esther
chose to speak, he might get clue
to the nights strange proceedings.
Guy Must Never Know.
Il cannot tell you what happened.
Guy" she said after a long pause,
nor would It help matters IL I did.
Better for you, oh, far better''-shS
rose to her feet as she spoke-"to
know nothing, to guess nothing. I am
mixed up in some hateful and mystic
| riouS way with some people who are
| utterly ACKNOWLEDGEMENT foag
and dread The dead man came to
me as their emissary, and Iured me
| away - serve their purpose. 1t was
all part of deep laid scheme-but
mustn't tell you more. have told
you too much already" She was gar
ing helplessly In front of her as she
spoke, look OF dull despair Settling
on her white face, an expression Of
pathetic helplessness.
~TeH Me-" He Demanded:
But this is all nonsense" broke in
Hooking. You had better tell me the
whole story" He rose from his chair
and walked up to Esther, taking her
wrists in his firm grasp. I'm a poor
sort Of specimen" he said, quietly,
a man with the word failure written
boldly across his forehead, but you
may trust me, Cousin Esther. to serve
you faithfully. You offered me heIp
last night and took your money,
God forgive me, took It and lost Il.
But I'm a different sort Of chap to-
day, I think" He paused a second,
and, Indeed, a new look had come over
the weak, dIssipated face. ''Truse
me-" he went on. earnestly, "and you
shall never regret It: falr- to MYSELF,
Esther, 1t still lies in me to be true
to you"
The girl glanced at him She waa
almost persuaded to tell Hooking
everything, then she realized with
a great rush OF pity the hopeless
weakness OF the man, his fatal fr-
resolution, the impossibility OF real
dependence on such a broken reed
She dared not tell her cousin The
truth.
'I do trust you, Guy" the EirI said
gently, -and some day perhaps I may
come to you for help" 1t occurred to
Esther as she said the words thaa
Hooking was the sort OF man whose
very zeal in her service might prove
her undoing, and yet she could not
resist the pleading look in his eyes;
for good or i'll their paths had cross
ed. and from henceforth her cousin
would have his part to play in her
life; she felt convinced OF this. Let
US be firm friends" she went On
slowly: BE my brother. I have al
ways wanted a brother, and. Guy, for
my sake lead a straight life"
Il Won't Deceive You, Dear
"For your sake"-he took her hand
in his and raised the little fingers
to his lips-"I would do a good deal
for your sake, Esther, but it doesn't
lie in me to run straight 1 won't
deceive you, dear: I'm a bad 'un.
Better say good-by to me and let me
drift; I'm not worth caring or think
ing about. I'm what you call a was
trel."
81 don't care what you say" re-
piled Esther. hastily: "you saved me
from a terrible danger yesterday, ana
you are my own cousin. You shall
not drift as you call it: I won't let
you, 1 won't" The girls face flush
ed as she spoke: once more Esther
Vassell was alIinEt a heavy RESPONSE
bility upon her slender shoulders, the
pity she had felt for the deformed
and sickly Dora was now equally
aroused by Guy Hooking.
DO you know the story OF Tam
hauser and Venus?" asked Hooking.
in low tone: It's the one opera
remember well, and Elizabeth,
who saves the man in the
end?"
yes" answered Esther. at is q
beautiful story. a lovely legend"
An Amazing Discovery.
ats q true story" replied the man,
land It happens every day
Esther. Look here. little cousin,
you're going to be the good angel In
my life, so you may as well know
about me-" he smoothed
his lank fair hair, and laughed harsh
~. I'm a married man, married to
a woman who's not fit to be in the
same room with yOu-as bad a wom-
an as any in New York, and yet she
has a devilish fascination for me,
though I know her life. That's the
influence you'll have to cope with
ESther-lI L ever come across Lii
liam again"
Lillian" repeated Esther. har
thoughts flying back to the hour OF
agony in the house OF mystery and
he woman who had struggled in the
grip Of the beast-the woman who
lad called herself Lillian, too.
Here's her likeness" said Hook
ng, shortly. drawing a miniature
rom his pocket. II haven't met the
ady for a year. but fancy I saw her
asst night. She's beautiful. eh?"
The Face Haunted, MOcked Her.
Esther bent forward to examine
he little miniature. then she uttered
/ faint cry. Yes. there was no mis-
aking II, she knew those blue def
INT eyes, the deliberately dressed
lair, the fascinating lovely face. In.
ian herself smiled up at her, mock
nG, hauntinEly.
Esther Vassell had learned the Diff
lcult lesson OF seIfcontrol. and she
called at once that she must not
ct Guy Hooking know that she had
ver met his wife. Accordingly she
titled down her brief involuntary cry
md did her best to appear calm and
Continued Tomorrow
Copyright By W. r. Hearst.l