The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-08-11
HEARTS OF THREE
By JACK LONDON.
BY JACK LONDON
LeOncia Learns From Her Father
That She Is to Wed Henry
On the Morrow.

you. Else I shall so mad. warn
you: I shall not be able to with
stand the presence or you. / cannot.
] know I cannot, be able TO stand
the sight of you while I am being
married to Henry and after / am
married to Henry. on. please 90 not
misunderstood me. 4 do love Henry,
but not in the-not IN that way
not in the way I love you. lam
am not ashamed OF the bOldness
with which I say i'll love Henry
about as much as you love the
Queen; but I love you as / should
love Henry, as you should love the
Queen, and know you do love me."
She caught his hand and pressed
II against her heart.
There! For the last time! Now
CO."
But his arms were around her,
and she could not help but yield her
lips. Again she tore herself awag.
this time fleeing to the doorway.
Francis bowed his head to her de-
cisiOn. then picked up her picture.
81 shall keep this" he announced
"You Oughtn-t to- she flashed
a last fond smile at him. You may
she added, as she turned and was
gone.
Yet VI Peon had a commission to
execute, for which Torres had paid
him one hundred in gold In advance
Next morning, with Francis and the
Queen hours departed on their way
to Colon. vi Peon arrived at the So
lano hacienda. EHrico. smoking =
cigar on the veranda and very much
pleased with himself and all the
world and the way the world was
going. recognized and welcomed III
Peon as his visitor Of the day be-
fore.
Even ere they talked. Leoncia,s
father had dispatched Alesandro for
the five hundred pesos agreed upon
And vi Peon. whose profession was
traffickfng in secrets, was not
aVerse to selling his secret the sec
ond time. Yet was he true to his
salt, in so far as he obeyed Torres
instructions in refusing TO tell the
ecret save in the presence Of Leon
cia and Henry.
THAT secret has the string On
3 It," vi Peon apologized, after the
couple had been summoned, as he
began unwrapping the parcel Of
proof. .sThe Senorita LeOncia and
the man she is going to marry must
first, before anybody else, look at
these things. Afterward all can
look"
(which Is fair, since they are
more interested than any OF US"
EnricO conceded grandly, although
at the same time he betrayed his
eagerness by the Impotence with
which he mentioned his daughte-
and Henry to take the evidence to
one side for examination
He tried to appear uninterested,
but his side glances missed nothing
of what they did. To his amaze
ment, he saw LeOneia. suddenly cast
down a legal appearing document,
which she and Henry had read
through, and threw her arms
whole-heartedly and freely about
his neck and whole-heartedly and
freely kissed him on the lips Next
EnFico saw Henry step back and ex-
claim, in a dazed, heart-broken way :
But, my God, Leoncia' This Is
the end OF everything. Never can
we be husband and wife,"
sEh2" EnTicO snOFted. when
everything was arranged! What do
YOU mean. sire This is an INSULT
Marry you shall, and marry to-
dayr'
Henry, almost in stupefaetion.
looked to LeOncia to speak for him.
at is against Gods law and
mans" she said, "for a man to
marry his sister. Now L understand
my strange love for Henry He Is
my brother. We are full brother
and sister, unless these documents
lie"
And Vi Peon knew that he could
take report to Torres that the mar
rage would not take place, and
would never take place.