San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-04-25

the clerk.
''Not worth it. Fifty or moth
ing. Well?"
"All right" Lenpile was sus-
picious but sullen. "Where's Mr..
Brummelton?"
Hell be here in a minute"
She was on the verge of telling
Block to take the visitor down.
stairs and keep him there till she
reioined them, but caution re-
strained her. She had not been
unaware, during the last ten min
utes, of Blocks slow glance trav-
cling from her face to Lenpile's.
Behind his interest in the proceed
ings she guessed a wavering 10y
atty to her authority. No sense in
leaving him alone with the clerk.
"Get back to your room, Block"
she ordered.
He numbered off obediently
enough, and as soon as she heard
the. door close behind him she
slipped a hand under the sacking
and pressed the bell which commu-
nicated with Mr.. Brummelton's
bedroom. At once he could be
heard moving back through the
door in the wall.
"You didn't make much of a
job of barricading that wardrobe,
did you?" asked Bertha of Len
pile, her voice raised in mockery.
Hardly worth the risk of break
ing your neck on the roof, l should
have thought. I'll bet Mr.. Brum-
melton got back into his room with
out disturbing himself overmuch."
Mr.. Brummelton took his cue
and emerged into the clearing with
an air of amused contempt.
Upon my soul, it is Lenpile!
Ny friend of literary leanings, can
il be that it was your cunning mind
that laid the trap for me? l waged
a fierce battle with that washstand,
Lenpile, a desperate battle, but |
won. You should have stayed on
the leads outside my window and
watched me searching under the
bed for hidden foes rather than
have staggered round here intimi-
dating beauty-all-alone. TO thine
own self be true"
"Stop that" Lenpile had swung
forward in a surprising fury,
checked only by the grip of Brum-
mclton's hand on his shoulder.
You're dirt, you are! Reading
poetry to me and discussing high
things like metaphysics and all the
time being-being- Idon't mind
your having used me-" he went on
more quietly, because I've got a
bit Of my own back for that, as
shc'l tell you" He indicated
Bertha. "And ! don't mind your
stealing diamonds. Oh, what's tn"
good of acting innocence? Once |
woke up to having been used,
d'vOu think | didn't wake up to
that business at Monks Yielding, as
well? No; what | mind is your
mixing all that up with-with high
things. You're dirt" he conclud-
ed, unable, after all, to explain
himself.
Bertha fixed Mr.. Brummelton's
eyes with her own.
Hes a bit above himself" she
shrugged, because he got hold of
that diary of mine and slung it out
Of the window in his attache case,
and a friend Of his obligingly took
It to Hammersmith tube station
and put it in the cloakroom. I'm
giving him fifty to 90 with you
and get it out"
Mr.. Brummelton had paled and
his lips were twitching. As Bertha
took her cheque-book and fountain
pen from her bag and bent over
the writing-table she rubbed her
cheek sideways upon her shoulder,
and mechanically he moved so that
he could watch her lips.
"He don't know what's in the
diary" her lips formed rapidly.
'If he hands it over without read
ing it we're safe enough. I've
bluffed him It's of no real value"
Mr.. Brummelton remarked aloud:
as fifty pounds not too hand
some a price for list of appoint
mcnts, most Of which you have
kept"
Bertha shrugged again, and
81 won't take a penny under
fifty" Lcnpile assured them at
once.
"If he gets away with it and
reads it," continued Bcrtha's lips,
he'll most likely try and deal
somewhere before he shows it to
Soames or the police. Anyway, he
won't be- able to get at Yielding
until this evening. Yelding's barg-
ing about with Comstock all day.
That'll give you time" She tossed
Mr.. BIummolton the chcque.
"You hand Mr.. Lenpile that"