Cleveland County herald., 1919-09-04
CHAPTER XX-Continued.
-15-

fleard the waiter clattering down the stairway, and then went swiftly down the hall to No. 30. MT. Prosser was sleeping just as soundly and as re- soundingIy as at midnight!
 'fBy gad!" he muttered, half-aloud. Everything was as clear as day to him now. Bolting into his own room, he closed the door and stood stockstill for many minutes, trying to picture the scene in the cottage.
 He found a letter in his box when he went downstairs, after stuffing the tin box deep into his pocket. Before he slit the envelope he knew that Sprouse was the writer. The message was brief:
 "After due consideration, I feel that it would be mistake for you to aban- don your present duties at this time. It might be misunderstood. Stick to the company until something better turns up. With this thought in view I withdraw the two days limit men tioned recently to you, and extend the time to one week. Yours very truly,
 "J. H. WILSON"
 "Gad, the fellow thinks of every thing" said Barnes to himself. "He is positively uncanny."
 He read between the lines, and saw there a distinct warning. It had not occurred to him that his plan to leave for New York that day with Miss Cam ,eron might be attended by disastrous results.
 But the jewels? What of them? He country with a half million dollars worth of precious stones in his posses sion.
 He spent the early part of the fore noon in wandering nervously about the hotel-upstairs and down. The jewels were locked in his pack up- stairs. He went up to his room half a dozen times and almost instantly walked down again, after satisfying himself that the pack had not been rifled.
 For the next three days and nights rehearsals were in full swing, with scarcely a moments let-up. And so the time crept by, up to the night of the performance. Miss Cameron re mained in ignorance of the close prox- imity of the jewels, and the police of Crowndale remained in even denser ignorance as to the whereabouts of the man who robbed Mir. Hasselwein of all his spare cash and an excellent gold watch.
 No time was lost by the countess in getting word to her compatriots in New York. Barnes posted dozen let ters for her; each contained the tid- ings of her safety and the assurance that she would soon follow in person.
 Those three days and nights were full of joy and enchantment for Barnes. He actually debased himself by wishing that the Rushcroft com pany might find it imperative to go on rehearsing for weeks in that dim, en- chanted temple.
 He sat for hours in one of the most uncomfortable seats he had ever known, devouring with hungry eyes the shadowy, interested face so close to his own-and never tired
 On the afternoon of the dress re hearsal he led her, after an hour of almost insupportable repression, tC the rear of the auditorium. Dropping into the seat beside her he blurted out, almost in anguish:
 ''I can't stand it any lnger. I can not be near you without-why, IT. well, it is more than I can struggle against, that's all. You've either got to send me away altogether or-or- let me love you without restraint. tell you I can't go on as I am now You know love you, don't you? Yor know worship you. Don't be fright ened. I just had to tell you today I should have gone mad if had tried to keep it up any longer" He waited breathlessly for her to speak. She sal silent and rigid, looking straight be fore her. "Is it hOpeless?" he went on at last, huskily. "Must I ask youl forgiveness for my presumption and and go away from you?"
 She turned to him and laid her hand upon his arm.
 "Am I not like other women? Why should I forgive you for loving mel Doesn't every woman want to be loved? No, no, my friend! Wait A moment ago I was so weak and trembly that I thought I-oh I was afraid for myself. Now I am quite calm and sensible. See how we'll have myself in hand? I do not tremble, I am strong. We may now discuss ourselves calmly, sensibly Oh! What are you doing?"
 T too am strong" he whispered. "l am sure of my ground now, and am not afraid.''
 He had clasped the hand that rest ed on his sleeve and, as he pressed it te his heart, his other arm stole over her shoulders and drew her close to his triumphant body. For an instant