The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-12-21


he let Mrs. Barnes, our housekeeper, have
off"
"Why, can wait for him. said Amelie,
timidly, but joyous lights were shining In
her eyes for something in the thought more
protested that this would be asking too
much of her, she argued and persuaded
until finally it was settled
After she had assisted her hostess to her
room, Amelie came back again to his big
chair with its inviting pillows and waited.
she opened the door for him, he smiled
into her eyes with sad, new, questioning
was it doubling smile.
GLOW very, very good of you," he said
gratefully, as he shook the rain from his
hat and coat. "Poor mother, she must have
grown tired and you volunteered to wait,
l know. 1t only occurred to me after l got
off the train that l had no key"
81 know it is late" she began, "but one
reason l was glad to stay up and let you in
was that had something to tell you. l am
going to make confession to you. But be-
fore l make it you must make me prom
ise."
"a confesson!"
She thought the professor grew white in
the Pickering freight, and an expression
of hardness, perhaps doubt, changed his
face and half frightened her. She little
dreamed that, since she had seen him a
few hours ago, he had heard the story of
the accident in Mr. Lawrence's office, nor
did she know that they had tempted him
and tainted him with their new evidence.
And she did not know either that through
it all he had been immovable, sphinx-like
in his attitude of cold indifference and I'M
belief in their theories and opinions con-
corning her. And now this-this confession
what was it to be? Could he then be
mistaken?
Seeing that she hesitated he said, in a
strained, lf-hearted way:
"a confession? l am quite sure that you
have no secrets that should not be secrets.
And the promise-what is it you wish me
to promise?"
81 want you to promise me- she began,
and her voice, though low and very serious,
was quite steady now, "that if what l shall
tell you will furnish any clew to the solu-
ton of the mystery that you will never
mention my name in connection with it."
'Why, Miss Trent, you startle me-" he
said, and she saw something of the look of
inquiry and doubt that had settled on his
face that night in the hotel dining room.
81 promise that l shall do nothing with
out your full permission and consent" he
said, but and his face went very serious
again and he spoke slowly and very gently,
surely it cannot be that Mr.. Chalmers was
right, after all, in his supposition that you
had come to New York to claim the re-
ward?"
"Most assuredly he was not right, Profess
sor Marville,' she said frankly. when
came to New York, as l told you, l had
heard nothing of the reward, and when l
went into the office of Mr.. Lawrence Friday
morning l knew nothing of the reward
have been perfectly truthful about that.
And / assure you that have not the scien-
tfic record and that l knew nothing of its
existence until after l came to New York.
Please believe me when l tell you that 1
know no more about where that record is
than Mr.. Chalmers does" The professor
sighed deeply and he felt immensely re-
lieved, if still greatly pcrplexed.
But" she continued, II am afraid l have
practiced a deception that has meant trouble
for others and J. am deeply sorry. I feel to-
night that have done something dreadful"
"What is it, Miss Trent? Do tell mel
am sure you have done nothing wrong"
professor Marville," she said, edo you
remember how Lesson No. 33 in the French
Manual begins?"
81 think" he said, "that it begins, MY
sister drinks coffee, and I drink tea, but
can't be sure Excusing himself, he went
hastily but quietly up to his study, and when
he returned he had in his hand little tin
box-the counterpart of her own-and in
the other he had familiar little blue envel-
ope, marked Record No. 49," She helped
him adjust the little machine on the table.