Evening star., 1919-03-30

up chiefly against you. That brings
me to the point that made mo hurry
here--a point that had to have imme.
diate explanation, 1t was a frame-up,
for your own good"
For my own good" she exclaimed,
skeptically.
Exactly Listen. Mary. 1--WE go, to
repeat myself--but / can't help that
II am to make myself clear. Your
big idea in this secret marriage with
Jack Morton has grown to be to keep
Jack at work--to do what no one else
has ever been able to do. make q man
out Of him--so that after time, when
the big blow-off comes and they find
out who you are, you will have estab-
lished yourself so thoroughly by the
service you have rendered that the
Mortons will have to overlook every
thing shady about your past and your
part in this affair. ThaSs the way.
you had 1t doped out to yourself. now,
isn't it2'
Mary did not answer.
THAT was your plan-exactly.
You You saw saw Tor r"' yourself M was Sis based based
upon your making a man out of Jack,
Mary-Tm talking straight goods
now now saw W you YOU could In meyer max make
can. The stuff's not there. I saw
you were headed toward certain fall
ure-and wasting good months, and
big chances, in trying to put your
grand dream across. I told you all
this and tried to talk you out Of 1T.
but you wouldn't listen to me. So
decided to try to prove my point by
showing you the facts. I decided to
frame you.
Tonight. let you stumble across.
as II by accident, Jack chloroformed
by grapejuice and in the company
Of those ladies. I admit helped lead
Jack into that. But hoped you
would see 1t as the real thing-see
how hopeless any dream was that was
and that you Would quit the game
right there. But my little act was
2 nzzle. still. Maryland the little
lawyers voice was persuasively en-
phatic--"even though Jack was led
Of him.-that wine -andwoman stuff
is an honest-to God picture OF what
Jack Will be in few months. Broad
way hasn't yet got him completely
but Broadway is going to get hlml
I'm Marya tsins fsss yHu' Mas MasS express,onless.
sYou didn't como here merely to de-
liver that speech, Peter Loveman." ,
Naturally there is something else"
His round, large eyes regarded her
meditatiively: then he leaned forward.
on the table. First, here's bit Of
confession; I hung around LIE Minuit.
and heard your offer to Mr.. Morton to
etraighten Jack out, and heard him
turn you down fat, and saw him
drlXe .iyWs,,yS ,a,yWSay with jack"
wasn't that Just so much more
evidence to show you that your big
dream can never. never come true?"
10 argued, quietly, but with the
that he se %as z 80 he say efeas again in~fer fer
Gods sake. drop It all! And, Mary
you'd never have been happy even If
you had worked that game with the
Mortons. You're too much the daugh-
that sort of life-your fathers blood
would have sent you back to the old
ways.
Listen. .Mary-the sensible thing
to do ts for us all to cash in on
this Morton affair. before 1t breaks.
lve said most of this before. but
discover ,s.e secret marriage between
you and Jack. I'll soak Mr.. Morton
hard for a detective bill. and give
you a half Of what he pays. And by
playing the thing this way III keep
q position where I can milk him
then. Of course. you'N make him
pay big for a divorce-Morton will
want TO hush the matter up as far
as he can, and he'll want to keep
details out of court. And, since
I'll be representing Mr.. Morton. l can
put you wise to the very limit he'll
pay. What you get there will be all
your own; I'll get mine out Of hand
ling Mr.. Morton's end. And that bus
mess all settled, and you with the
name of Mrs. Jack Morton-why,
there's nothing big we couldn't put
across as teammates! And everything
safe--and everything big. And q little
later, If you wanted 1T, l could, by
watching chances and playing the
cards right, help you make a mar
riage that would be headliner in
regard to wealth and respectabil!ty
ana position. Don't YOU see it all"
She saw 1T, and it was a dazzling
vision of Its own kind. Moreover, she
knew this shrewd little lawyer could
bring it all to pass. And among other
thlhgs hls plan offered was the def
mite ana immediate chance to strike
vengefully at Mr.. Morton. who an
hour before had so coolly rebuffed
her when, sWayed by unaccustomed
emotion, She had made him the pro-
posal to devote herself to Jack
At length she spoke. THAT was an
other good speech, Peter she said
quietly, but you didn't come here
merely to deliver that speech. either
Just "hat Is the big thing that's I'm
your II ind?"
'Why. that you should dror your
present game instanter and switch to
something worth while"
'Iliats not what brought You here
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