The Washington herald., 1922-11-10

II
grim jest.
"of course" he said. In voice
that suggested a depth of under
standing. .,'T might have known
that you would not consent to lead
ing a butterfly. existence. Now, 1
have already decided that I win
have to have resident secretary.
Would II perhaps suit you to help
me with my work. ~
/ Nadia looked surprised. but
seemed to see no good reason for
refusal.
why. yes. might do that II
you think / could do 1t satisfac-
torily." she returned. "Do you
mean work in connection with your
estate?''
'No. not my estate" replied Jar
roman. MY innocence"
Her eyes widened like a child's.
He went on:
Il shall ask no one-not even
you-to believe that was innocent
of the crime of which i was con-
victed-until i have produced legal
proof. Now that 1 have you, my
daughter, to live for. my name
means something to me-and while
Eyou and 1 were talking together in
that office this morning / made a
resolution that / would leave no
stone unturned toward proving my
innocence. That will mean endless
work. 1 have certain facts which
has not at the time when i was
convicted; but these facts are in
complete. There will be endless
correspondence with detectives,
fling of documents and clerical and
secretarial work in general 1 am
not counting on immediate success
lit will be a long job. Will you
help me in it?''
20. yes-yes." said Nadia eagerly.
But 1t will be terribly difficult,
won't 1t. after twenty years-to
find the guilty man. 1 mean?'
"In this case it's not. a matter of
searching for an unknown man."
replied Jarroman, watching her
closely. 1T is a matter of estab-
fishing a legal proof. 1 know the
man who did it-he has been dead
nearly as long as i have been in
prison. So you see IL our work is
successful 1t will do no harm to any
living creature"
.But-have you known all these
years?"
''All these years." repeated Jarro-
man. But it is one thing to know
something for a moral certainty,
another to be able to produce def
mite legal proof. The man for
whose sin I suffered was a time
friend of mine-John Camden"
His voice faltered slightly. but
I eh Fr-
was evident that the name of John
Camden meant nothing to John
Camden's daughter. The irony of it
delighted him-slow fuel to the
slumbering fires of his passion. He
could not help adding:
will you do all in your power to
help me prove that John Camden
was guilty?"
She bent her head. She looked
brighter now than she had at first,
and he suddenly realized that she
was beautiful in a delicate distinc-
tive way that in a proper setting
might well become arresting. His
spirits arose still higher. He would
provide the setting. and let her love-
illness exact all the homage it could
In a short time the fiattery of her
admirers would become as the wine
of life to her. He knew women!
He felt elated. He wanted to
laugh and rub his hands with glee.
He suggested rather abruptly that
they should leave.
Il should suggest that we 60 to
my bank now" said Jarroman.
Nadia assented, and soon they
We're interviewing defferential
manager. The girl watched and lis
tened while an account was opened
for her with a deposit of a thousand
pounds.
She was glad when 1t was over
and she felt herself free to so. She
parted from Jarroman with a prom
ise to take up her residence with
him next day. Then she walked
slowly back to her boarding house.
She reached IT lost in thought.
She mounted the steps slowly, and
put the key in the door. Then she
started violently and wheeled round.
Wilfred Stranack had come up be-
hind her. He greeted her with
grave courtesy.
| Continued Tomorrow