The Washington times., 1922-06-18

something I've got 10 say to you,
right now---if you'll listen"
Les, startled, surprised, looked
mp. She could see his profile faint
". hard and set. For q moment
she hesitated. then she bent her
head. Haines drew . long breath
and guided the car expertly round
q dark corner.
II want TO know" he said slowly.
very dslibsrately, III you can't take
q hand and DO something to stop
that affair bstween- Gish--and Miss
Terry-bsfors rs too later guess,
II some one dossn't--I'1l have to-"
CHAPTER XVII.
TOR the space OF some seconds,
utterly taken aback, Lee re.
- mainef dsnb. ,Thep she stiff-,
.shed among her furs. turning eyes
T Of amased indignation Spon the
srimly set profile Of the chauffeur.
Really, Haines! You're forget.
ting yourself unpsrdsnably! am
not accustomed TO discussing either
my sisters or my guests affairs
with my servants"
There was an icy rebuke In her
voice and Haines flushed duly, but.
for moment met her eyes steadily. '
Then he took one stroug. nervous
hand on the wheel TO make q swift,
sweeping gesture.
II guess we'll cut that out. I
= haven't always been a servant and
I'm not meaning to take liberties.
This things serious-deadly seri.
Gus. II seems to me you're the only
person ! can appeal to. Your sis
ter's heading for disaster and GER
tain damnatiOn-and reckon there
isn't any too much time to pull her
up"
Again his hand swept out vio-
lentlY. Again his eyes flashed q
glance into hers. only now they held
. desperate appeal.
"For Gods sake, Mrs. Smithers,
let me say what I've got to say and
take 1t in the spirit in which 1t is
meant. Itell you, know what I'm
talking about. know Gish!"
Lee heard his teeth grit for an
instant. the harsh breath he drew
through them. Gasping q little. shs
relaxed. She was utterly bewil-
dered, but her sense OF outrage and
resentment was fast slipping from
her. There was a deadly earnest
ness about the man at her side
which impressed her strongly;
vaguely she realized that he was
speaking rs one Of her own kind
might have spoken; also she was
aware OF subtle change In his tone
and his accent. She spoke abruptly:
"You are an American"
Haines looked round at her quick.
ly, then away to the road ahead of
them. She fancied that he hest
tated before replying. but when he
did 1t was tersely.
"Yes. And, as an American. l
know q good bit more about Gish
and his reputation than folks over
here. He's an out and out rotter,
a wrong 'un to the core. He isn't
At to breathe the same air as q
decent woman. His touch would
pollute the lowest!"
Hes rich, but the way he's made
his money wouldn't bear inVestiga-
tiop. guess he's ruined more lives
and wrecked more homes than any
man OF his time. II you folks could
know him for what he really is
know one-half OF what he's done
you'd hound him out Of society. back
to the scum where he belongs. I'm
speaking strongly. but know what
I'm talking about. He wants shoot
ing - like a dangerous, unclean
bRst!"
Lee gasped anew. Her eyes were
wide and dark with anxiety and a
growing horror. Haines was labor
ing under very strong emotion:
every harshly uttered word carried
conviction. and with q sudden feel.
ing OF sickness she thought Of
Terry. Impulsively, almost plead
ingly. she leaned forward.
"Haines!" He turned, and she
went on. quickly, with quivering
II lips. "Oh. Haines! Are you sure:
Sure that it's the same man-sure
that he he's really - what you
say"
".Sure!" Haines laughed hoarse-
ly. I'm sure, all right. I ought to
be. See here"-he slowed the car
suddenly and bent forward-"you've
heard of the Denham Carson case,
haven't your
Lees heart leaped to her throat,
involuntarily she shrank back.
Haines went on rapidly, without
appearing to notice.
,"You know that Denham Carson
spent years In prison for the mur.
der of his wife? Well, Gish was
the man who was responsible for
putting him there! Carson was
fool--he got himself entangled with
a girl he didn't care a cent about.