The Washington times., 1922-12-29


have none of you got anything to
say?"
The Fortune Hunter shook him.
self free.
Yes. I have" he said, land it's
this: will accept no help from you
or anyone else. I'm not hiding be-
hind a man who has done his best
to ruin me. I'm done, and
know it. but I'll pay my own debts
thank you all the same" he
added, more quietly. as he saw
how Fernie WINGED.
And may ] ask how you pro.
pose to pay them?" Mr.. Harding
said huskily. He had not yet re.
covered from the shock; he could
not believe that he had heard
Alright. 1T seems to me-" he broke
out furiously. without waiting for
4 reply. that this 10 Just a game
put up between you all, though
why" He strode over to Anne
and laid his hand on her shoulder.
"How long have you known this?"
he asked her.
Miss Harding knows nothing
about it," the Fortune Hunter
answered for her swiftly. ITS
quite true. what Mr.. Fernie says,
that am his son. but I never knew
It when I came to Somerton: only
discovered 1t by accident when I
saw my mothers portrait in his
cottage"
There was an eloquent silence,
which Anne broke.
There is nothing to he done"
she said, in a cold little voice;
for the first time she looked
across at the Fortune Hunter.
"I blame myself as much as
blame you" she added tremu.
lously. "I ought to have known
Il ought To-" her voice died
away. and Mr.. Harding moved
over to where she stood and put
his arm round her wais'.
You're brave, my dear" he
said gently, every brave. Ev. ".
thing shall be as you wish: just
as you wish. only thank God
that all this has come out before
you married the man. but per-
haps even he would not have
been blackguard enough to allow
things to go 80 far" he added
with unwonted emotion.
Anne looked up into her uncle's
face. "I married John Smith
ten years ago" she said clearly,
as IL she wanted TO he sure that
everyone in the room heard. IT
married John Smith before he
before he went away
There was a profound silence.
then Mr.. Harding broke out in a
rage:
you married that scamp.
There seems TO me that there Is
nothing to choose between the
dead and the living. You married
John Smith: the man I paid to
20 abroad and keep out OF the
way when they let him out Of
prison. never meant you to
know: hoped to heaven he
would never come back; I hoped
you would forget him.
And all the time you were his
wife. and the fellow allowed me
to buy him of. Do you hear
that?" ne appealed ssvagely 20
Geoffry Foster. THE scamp.
The scoundrel! The-the-"
II reckon by the look Of II, Mr..
Harding" old Fernie broke in.
with his slow smile. that by the
look of II John Smith was a worse
lot than my son here" lie took
his hand from the Fortune Hunt
er's coat, but kept carefully be.
tween him and the door.
II heard a thing or two from
that Miss Claver we went to see
at the Savboy." he said again.
"and I'm not 20 sure, after all.
but that It's not the best thing
for everyone that the man died
before more harm was done"
And IL It's all the same to
everyone" old Fernie resumed, T
should like to have a word or two
alone with my son here"
He seemed to be quite master
OF the situation. He stood with
his hands in his breeches pockets.
calmly waiting for the others to
leave them.
"Coms, dear" Mr.. Harding said.
lie put his arm around his niece
and led her from the room, and
Godfrey Foster followed with
Tommy: then Fernie shut the
door behind them and stood with
his back to II, facing the Fortune
Hunter.
AN OFFER.
Now. then. what have you cot
A. - ss.