, 1924-01-30
CHAPTER x-continued.

btSh cdpCtltulCu lpI
Mathilde, were merry. Bridget was
sitting on the sill, her upper half shut
out, her round, ~brick-colored face
laughing through the pane she was
polishing. Jane was up q ladder, dust
ing books.
She came down to greet Moreno,
and he saw regretfully the sad change
In her face and bearing which his ar.
rival caused. Bridget was sent to the
kitchen. Jane made apologies, and sit
ting on the ladder step she looked up
at him with the look of some one who
expects a blow.
"What is 1t now, Mr.. Morena? Have
the lawyers begun to-"
He had purposely kept her in the
dark. purposely neglected her. left her
to loneliness In the hope of furthering
the purposes of Prosper Gael.
Il haven't come to discuss that,
Jane. Soon l hope to nave good news
for you. But today I've come to give
you a hint-a warning, in fact-to
prepare you for what l am sure will
be q shock"
"Yes?" She was flushed and breath
ing fast. Her fingers were busy with
the feather-duster on her knee and her
eyes were still waiting.
II had a visitor this morning-Pierre
Lands of Wyoming"
She rose, came to him and clutched
his arm. pierre? P%ierre?' She
looked around her, wild as a captured
bird. "Oh. l nus go! l must go!"
"Jane, my child"-he put his arm
about her. held her two hands in his
lyon must do nothing of the kind. If
you don't want this Pierre to find you,
II you don't want him to come into
your life, there's an easy. a very
simple way to put an end to his pur-
suit. Don't you know thatT'
She stared up at him, %quivering in
his arm. mo. What is 1t? How can
II Oh he mustn't see me! Never.
ne, er, never! / made that promise
10 myself"
"Jane. you say yourself that you are
changed, that you are not the girl he
wants to find"
She shook her head desolately
enough. 'Oh. no. I'm not"
HE isn't sure that Jane West is
the woma.. he's looking for. He's fol-
lowing the fa%intest, the most doubt
tul of trails. He heard of you from
Yarnall; the description of you and
your sudden flight made him fairly
sure that 1t must be-you-" Jasper
laughed. "Tm talking quite at ran
dom in a sense, because l haven't a
notion, my dear, who you are nor what
this Pierre has been in your life. If
you could tell me"
She shook her head. mo" she said /;
no"
"very well. Then I'll have to go on
talking at random. Jane at the Lazy-Y
y disguised herself. Jane West in New
York is a different woman altogether /;
but, unless I'm very wrong, she is
even more completely disguised from
Pierre Lands. If you can convince
Pierre hat you are Jane West, not
any other woman, certainly not the
woman he once knew, aren't you pretty
safely rid Of him for alwaysT"
She stood still now. He felt that
her fingers were cold. Eyes. For al
ways. | suppose SO. Blu how can
I do that, Mr.. Morenaf'
Nothing easier. You're an actress,
aren't you? I advised Pierre lands
to stand near the stage exit tonight
and watch you get into your motor"
Again she clutcl;ed at him. "0h, no.
Don't-don't let him do that"
"Now. IL you win make an effort.
took him In the eyes, refuse to show
a single culver OF recognition. speak
to In the most artificial tone
you can Imagine, pass him by, and
drive away. why. wouldn't that con-
vince him you aren't his quarry-ehf'
She thought | then slowly drew her
self away and stood, her head bent,
her brows drawn sharply together.
"Yes. ! suppose so. think | can
do Il. That is the best plan" She
looked at him wildly again. Then
II will be over for always. won't 1T
He'll 20 awayf"
"Yes, my poor child, He viii 20
away. He told me so. Then. Will you
try to forget him, TO live your life for
it's own beautiful sakef I'd like to
see you happy. Jane"
would your" She smiled like n
plying mother. "Why. I've given NJ
even dreaming of that. That isn't
what keeps me going"
"Whnt Is Il. joiner
"oh, n queer notion" She laughed
sadly. "A kind OF kids notion,
guess, that II you live along. some
why. some time. you1l be able to make
up for things you've done, and that
perhaps there1l be another meeting
place-a kind of n round-up-where
you'll be az TO forgive those you love
and to be forgiven by them"
jasper walked nbout. He was
touched and troubled. Some minutes