The Washington times., 1919-09-07

courts lover. do not expect you
WIN acknowledge this. but / ask
you to refrain from denying it,
but I do deny it, he exclaimed.
springing to his feet. Il deny is
in the strongest terms Il is an
abomlnable invention"
A veil seemed to drop over her
eager eyes and they grew dun and
stale like a snakes. Dslacour
shivered sensitively as he met that
curious, unblinking gaze.
Think again. Mr.. DeIacour.
Don't be IN too great a hurry to
answer. Remember the conss.
quences Il you refuse to help me-
DO your worst!" he answered.
hotIy. Il decline to take part n
your infamous scheme. ] am not
all that might be, but have not
fallen as low as that I win not
help you to ruin an innocent wo-
man"
"An innocent Woman!v with q
mocking laugh. sAn innocent wo-
man, did you say?s
Certainly. I admire and honor
Lady Estcourt. as all the world
does. I may at one time have
shown my admiration rather too
plainly, and SO excited the suspi-
eion Of people prone to think svil.
but, thank heaven, that is not evi.
dence Of guilt But do not need
to defend Lady Estcourt: both she
and can AFFORD to despise such IN
situations.
He spoke boldly enough, but he
wondered uneasily how much she
knew. She was q clever, cautious
woman; it seemed unlikely nat
she would put herself into such An
anomalous position unless she had
reasonable hopes Of coming out Of
It successfully.
OF course, It IS natural that you
should tax Ike this. I suppose
any decent man could do no less.
but when I make It plain to you
that can-and shalI-ruin LADY
EsteOurt, with or without your as
sistanee, yOu may see the wisdom
Of making the best Of necessity.
You cannot save her. but you may
save yourself. Has she done 50
much for you-bsen such a good
friend-that you should sacrifice
yourself to no purpose?
Delacour did not say-perhaps
he did not know himself-that
apart from any sense Of honor, he
was eager to defend Lady Estcourt
because she was Felicity's sister.
That was the chief claim, the only
interest she had for him now.
IF you can harm Lady Estcourt
without my assistance. Why are
You so eager to secure itgs he
asked, with a sneer. aYou must
excuse my doubling your word in
the circumstances"
Because you can make my story
complete, as I told you; without
your evidence or confession It has
a missing link. The proofs / hold
are sufficient to convince most
men that Lady Estcourt deserves
no consideration; that she has for.
feited all right to her present posi-
ton. have little doubt that Est.
court would cast her OF without 4
helping word from you. At the
same time, knowing how infatuated
he is with her and what influence
she has over him. want to guard
against any possibility Of failure.
If can point out the man who
shares her guilt, my case is estab-
lished beyond a doubt. Esteourt
would never connfve at his own
dishonor."
Il can only say again that have
nothing to confess. Ny conscience
is clear OF any wrong against Lady
Estcourt. I wish it were as clear
in all other things"
'Yoh wonder, perhaps, why
should hate her so? It revoIts you.
Your sympathies, being a man, are
naturally all on the side Of youth
and beauty. Well, she has ruined
my life and l intend to ruin hers.
After all, am only following out
the old Mosaic law Of an eye for an
eye and tooth for a tooth. She
has laughed at me, despised me as
on old maid, with no place or posi-
tion in the. world-well, she shah
feel my power. She has grudged
me evep Estcourt's friendship-has
him from me, though we
were close companions years be-
fore she came into his life. She
shall see him coma hack to ma. ma