The Washington herald., 1922-01-08

thing. but she felt sh. must find cut more
about him.
H. was there waiting under the trees
when she drove up and stopped, and came
quickly toward her. His face was not set
now. but there was a little eager light in it
which oddly confused her more than his for
mer sternness.
II did not know what you could possibly
want with me-" he began. but here 1 am
have been expecting every day to have the
police call on me with a warrant"
To her own amazement, no less than his,
Nancy suddenly exploded. You knew per-
fec:ly well that wouldn't do anything Of
the sort. didn't you: ! suppose you were
counting on that all the time. Now since
she hadn't known herself minute before.
and consequently had never given q thought
to what David might know, that was rather
an astonishing attack.
He almost stsmmered as he tried TO an
swer But I didn't know anything Of the
kind. Why should I? Why should you let
me of when had confessed the whole thing?
/ won't say | am sorry you did. but really
was not presumptuous enough to think you
would"
TIME words stopped as he looked at her.
l. Nancy did not seem to be paying much
attention 10 what be was saying, but sat idly
turning one of her recovered rings on her
finger and half smiling to herself. Her lit
tie burst had cleared her mental atmosphere
entirely. and she knew now exactly where
she stood 1t would be long while before
the young man Visiting humbly before her
u.
ing about that now. Where she had been
confused and uncertain before she was now
completely mistress of herself, and in entire
command of the situation.
IL am sure Mr.. Rodgers" she said. 81
am not interested in what you thought about
me- but it did seem that it might be fsirer
to tell you myself that had decided TO pay
no further attention TO the affair, so long
as you have agreed to do no more roaming
around the country with handkerchief over
your face And with that she reached for
her gear lever as though she would drive on.
But I say. Miss Darte," sputtered the
astonished man. you must not go off like
that without giving me a chance to explain
to you little more" Poor fellow, he had
been the one to command in the other inter-
views. but there was nothing commanding
about him now.
Well she said, what other explana-
tfon have you to Offer now?'' and she leaned
back in heS seat and looked at him with eye,
- sparkling a little with mischief The hold
UP never had seemed very real to her, and
it seemed less so than ever now as she looked
at him.
''You do not seem to understand at all
understand you at all. Don't you 'realiz,
that / am really a criminal, even IL have
not been caught and sentenced? But yeu
sit there and seem to be actually laughing
at me. I-wish you would get out Of that
car and walk a little ways with me so
i can talk better
But Nancy only shook her head with thai
same faint smile NO" she said, wv,
can talk well enough here, If there Is any
thing else to say"
"All right said David quickly, az yor
will have it here" and he leaned over closel
to her. "You ought to know that did no
stop my criminal career just because / wal
afraid. I stopped because when / looket
at you that night something happened to me
fell in love with you, If you must know
and that is why I could not rest until
had told you the whole story. know per
fectly well that have no right at all Il
tell you this. and do not expect a thin
from you, but you would have me tell you
and there 1t is. don't know what you ar
going to do with me, but do know that
am going to love you all the rest Of my life.''
Nancy may have seemed calm enough &
his eye. but behind that placid face Their