Evening star., 1933-07-12
CHAPTER XVIII.
SUES FEAR.

SUES FEAR.
- UE took long breath. Her hands
had met and were family pink
against the black velvet Of the
~ coat she Wore-the same coat
she'd worn the previous night
and the same slender scarlet slippers
with their shining silver heels were
there on the rug with the Pickering
lights on them, too.
I've come to let you know-what
I know Because yol. see she hesl-
tated-"you see, I'm afraid that the
man was killed she hesltated again.
and then the words came out in lit
tie rush-"because of met she said
amazingly and looked at me again.
Because of you!'
She nodded.
ITS terrible. isn't it?" she said. Are
you sure you want to hear?"
of course I want to hear I said.
But don't be frightened. Don't look
as if you were blaming yourself. Let S
talk about it coolly and sensibly."
Her cheeks grew pink.
I'm being sensible" she said indig-
nantly. But it is dreadful. I shall
never forget how he" She stopped
herself abruptly and went on: I'm not
frightened And I'm not silly and
nervous over nothing.
Il know that" I said hastily. And
I did know it. There was courage IN
the very lift of her head on her slen-
der white neck.
Tell me anything you wish. and
don't feel that you are burdening me
with your troubles. AS a matter OF
fact. I'm in a rather unpleasant sort
of fix myself, and I've got to get myself
out of it. And while I've got notions in
plenty about all this business there are
few things 1 know definitely. And l
thought. of course, that your-experl-
ence of last night"
Abduction" she said firmly.
"Yes. That it was likely the murder
somehow concerned it. Otherwise one
would be expecting too much OF coinci-
dence."
Very we'll" she said. 'I1l have no
more scruples, then. But it's a rather
difficult story. and 1t has to do with
things that one does not ordinarily tel
strangers" she paused over the WORD
and chose another-"that one does not
ordinarily tell friends. I don't know
where to begin"
Tell me why you were abducted,
I said, liking the word friends. DO
you know why?"
"Oh, yes" she said at once. Il was
abducted because of something I pos
sess." She laughed rather sadly and
continued: Il haven't any money. But
I've got something that's worth, rough
ly. about five millions" She looked at
me doubtfully and added: Dollars, l
mean"
1 believed her. I was little stunned,
but believed every word shed said:
The amazing thing about 1t was that
I believed it in spite of voice which
was saying inside me: That's right.
Believe her. She'll say next that she's
got some OF the Russian crown jewels
and that a gang of Bolshevists are
after her and them. And you'll believe
that too"
I'm that case" said, you'd better
put it in safe place"
"You don't believe me-" she said
Eyes. I do. I don't want to. but I do.
I know that every word you've said IS
and after I've gone" she said very
quietly, after I've gone, you'll wonder
how you came to credit it for a mo-
ment. Well I can quite understand IT,.
"You don't understand in the least,
I said brusquely.
I offered her cigarette, lighted one
myself at her nod, and threw the matcn
toward the fire and said: 'All right.
What next? AS I say. you'd better put
it in safe place, whatever it Is"
"Oh, it's in safe place" she said.
And actually I've only got half OF it
what I have isn't worth cent all by
itself. But you see-this is the way OF
it, Mr.. Sundean: I'm going to start
really at the beginning. I'll make 1t as
brief as I can make it, for it isn't a
pleasant story.
My mother, as told you, died here
last year. MY father. in America. died