The Washington times., 1922-09-10

mlHuteS AuSIlH hHoWieS mas got
to know that, and it's not likely,
he, Of all men, will keep 1t secret.
You ought to know that well
enough. God knows you've given
him cause enough 20 find pleasure
in our humiliation--to make him
pitiless now that he has chance
of paying US back some of the
scorn you've gone out of your
way to heap on him. And he'll do
it, too, with interest.
"I've come a horrible cropper,
Fancy. I've landed in a muddy
ditch at last, and-God help me
I've dragged you down with me.
And Austin Knowles will be the
first to cry aloud the news Of that
fall to all the world"
Fancy's white face was lifted,
set and tense and desperate. Her
eyes were blazing, yet there was
something of terror in their
depths. Her hands, hanging at her
sides, were clenched tightly, her
throat was throbbing.
"He must not"
"He must not" she said again.
"He shall not! I'd rather die
rather do anything in the world
than that he should even family
guess at such a thing as this"
Bonny made little gesture. He
did not meet her eyes.
81 believe he suspects already"
he said, very low; then, as she
gave a sharp cry-"he looked at
me so queerly when he said he'd
be coming for the money in few
minutes-and he was smiling"
"The brute" The girls voice
was thick, passionate. A little
gust of rage seemed to shake her,
and Billy Fanshawe, lowering mis-
erably in the background, saw her
tremble. But suspicion is not
certainty, Bonny; and he, of all
people, must never know certainty
of such thing as this! We've got
to put him off, make some excuse,
find time to get that money to-
StIHCI dS diH-Il VIC Sdl.
She spoke pantingly, as though
she had been running hard, and
in spite of her words the fear was
deeper in her eyes. Bonny looked
into them and away again.
"You know that both of those
things are impossible" he said
slowly. eve can't put him off.
He knows | had the money with
me, ready to give him. ] told him
so carly in the evening. And even
if we could, we'd have to find it
sooner or later. And five hun lred
takes some finding. We've got
nothing worth that-nothing in the
world. I've gambled away our
last penny tonight, and you
haven't even played. No, there's
no way out, Fancy. We-we've
got to face the music. Unless"
again he glanced at her, and again
away rather hurriedly, almost
shame-facedly - "unless you -
could conciliate him."
mw The girls proud little head
flashed up, her eyes widened and
grew blank, then began to burn,
while hot crimson stained her
face for an instant. 81! Bonny!
Are you indeed mad? | loathe the
man-loathe and despise him. |
could kill him for daring to make
love to me-for daring to think
that | could ever be tcmpte,. to
regard him with anything but the
most utter contempt! i"
yet" Bonny interrupted, and
beneath his words she WINGED sud-
denly, "you did not hesita.e to
lead him on, like all the rest"
There was lash in the words
a lash which he used almost un-
consciously, in his own despera-
tion-and Fancy lifted her hands
suddenly to her breast.
Billy Fanshawe looked at her,
hesitated, and bit his lip. Then,
not quite knowing why he did so,
but suddenly aware of a dread
that she might look up and find
him there, he drew stealthily and
swiftly back into the shadows,
standing more than half concealed
between a high Oriental screen
and the heavy plush hangings of
the windows.
For moment the girl made no
reply. When she did her voice
was curiously chill and quiet.
"You do me an injustice" she
said, levelly. "In the beginning
before | knew anything about the
man, might have flirted with him
"a little. But as soon as | real
lied what manner of man he was,
his reputation with regard to
women, and--and that he was de-
sirous of thrusting his serious at
tentions upon me-I made it very
plain that l was averse to them.
He was persistent, he made him
self almost intolerable, and l did
not hesitate to show him just what
! thought of him. And yet, know
ing him for what he is, you would
suggest that should-should-
oh"