THE SAIXM ClFtTU JOinmAI,. MMW 'ATTODAT, mm 1-
THE
MASTER
MIND
Novelized by Marvin Dana,
Author of "Within the Law,"
From the Successful Play
by Daniel D. Carter
Copyright, 1913, by the H. K.
Fly Company
Farther down the room toward the
rear, the alcove, In which was the safe,
Hliowecl its draperies of portieres along
the line of the opposite Willi. Facing
Itltu, a little further toward the front,
wns tlio wide doorway Into tho hall,
through which wus to bo seen a part
of the stairway. Tho softly burning
hull light cast its Illumination over tho
stairs and hall Itself, and shone
through the doorway Into the llbrury,
though tho rail lu Lice here was dimmed
h that objects were only barely vlsl
ble In shadowy wise. From time to
lime the detective had undertaken a
cautious round of the house to make
sure that nothing of a nefarious sort
was anywhere under way. But as the
appointed hour of Andrew's promised
burglary approached he held his po
sition Immovably In the window seat,
where the drawn hangings hid him
well while permitting his espionage.
.Thou a faint sound from the stairway
caught Ills ear, and he peered forth in
anxious expectancy.
Presently a soft nolso near at hand
caught the attentive ear of the detec
tive. A gentle creaking sound followed
ami Marshall wus speedily aware, out
of his professional experience, that the
window furl her down the room was be
ing skilfully opened.
Then, after an Interval of silence, a
pencil of light, the beam of an electric
torch, shone from between tho hang
ings of the rear window. The light
moved slowly to and fro, taking its
survey of the room with a leisurely
thoroughness that again provoked Mar
shall to appreciation of the marauder's
adept methods. Then, at lust, tho
radiance rested for" a second time on
(lie alcove, and there conlluueil for un
appreciable period. Thu light vanished.
There wns no sound, but Marshall
knew that the thief was stealing on
silent feet through the shadows of the
room, that be bud come to thu safe,
Hint he wns ready to yes, n glow of
light became faintly visible within the
recess.
The detective prepared for action by
pulling a blackjack from his pocket, lie
parted the curtains, and would have
Issued from his retreat, when again
his attention wus held by a wisp of
sound. 1( waited, In tense silence,
his eyes roving, for he was uncertain
us to the direct Ion whence, the noise
had Issued Then his glance caught
night of a 1 oi in moving slowly on the I
stairway. In the llrst Instant he per-
icp'ed with n start of astonishment,
Hint the new Intruder on the scene was
a woman, in the next, as the face was
liricd so that the feeble light of the
hall lamp fell full on It, lie rocognl.ed
Mrs. Walnwrlght, and his earlier feel
ing of surprise was lost lu total dis
may. For tlio woman's manner was plain
proof of guilt -of what guilt Hie spying
man co-ild nazard no guess, but guilt
none the less. Her gall was not merely
hIow, It was stealthy, with the uwk
wind sleiilthlness of one wholly un
accustomed, mid the gu.e, that darted
here mid there so hurriedly was fur
the, laden with fear of discovery.
These evidences were re-enforced by
the shudder that now and again shook
her visibly. Marshall was appalled
by Ibis latest development in the mys
tery that beset tho man he sought to
nerve.
The soft gleam In the alcove bis'iiuie
discernible to her. At llrst glimpse of
II she halted, ami a smothered gasp of
terror broke from her lips. She stood
rigid, looking straight before her with
dilated eves. Then, ill last, she swayed
a Utile, tensed swiftly mid went for
ward ug-iln. ben she was come to
the alcove sin' pushed Hie draperies
apart mid resolutely stepped wltlilu
'I lie portieres closed behind her. Mar
hIi.iII crushed buck an oath of iiiuae
tic 'li t.
Vcl for a brief season the detective
was held I'liictlve by slink bewilder
ment. Then, to his usloiil.lied curs
cniiie a hushed sound of whlsperluc
from beyond the curtains of the alcoe.
II was lurredlble, inousiroiis, thil this
slioiilil lie. Nevertheless, the truth was
palpable. There was no out. TV, no
Hlirhk for help from the woman, no
tliL'hl by a safely necking housebreaker.
Instead there was only whispering, this
Hoi-ret conference 111 the dead of night
hoi ween the thief and the mistress of
Hie mansion. Suddenly another Idea
Hashed in his brain, impelled him to
linuicdinlc endeavor: Was It mvos
wiry, after all, that Wuliiurlght him
self should ever know the whole hate
ful (ruth? l'd'haps, even, there nikht
be some explanation of tho wife's guilt
Hint fell short of Infamy.
Firm of purpose at last, Marshall
crop! slowly ik loss the room lo Hie al
cove. Now be could hear Hie two wltli
lu more plainly, and lie listened eager
ly, but tho words were unintelligible,
Convinced that longer effort at cuves
diopplng would avail naught, the de
tective, wllh his weapon ready, put
forlb it cautious hand and parted the
draperies,
Notwithstanding all bis painstaking,
hoinetbliig betrayed this new presence
to (ho keen senses of the burglar. As
the portiere moved slowly apart under
Marshall's c.irel'ul lingers there came g
sudden flash- of HghT run In his face.
Blindly be sprang forward and found
himself In grapple with tbe thief. A
scream came from the woman. The
torch fell to the floor, to be crushed a
moment later under the feet of tbe
men. The woman shrank In a corner,
half swooning. The men writhed and
tottered to and fro, scutillng over the
thick pile of velvet The weapon of,tho
detective gave him an advantage. One
fierce blow struck the back of Cree
gun's head, and the man lurched beav.
ily to the floor.
Marshall, after an Instant's pouting
pause, got out his owu torch and turn
ed Its light ou the scene. He saw
the woman crouching miserably agulnst
the wnll. On the floor the thief was
moaning faintly. Then the detective's
eyes caught sight of unother object on
the floor. He bent and picked It up
a sheaf of bills of large denomination.
Here was more mystery. But there
was no time now to bother with ltl
He thrust the bills Into his coat pocket
Marshall stepped to the main electric
switch and Hooded the whole room
with radlunce. Once again Lucene sti
lled a cry as the brilliant Illumination
blinded her. The stricken burglar stir
red and groaned, and then unclosed hU
eyes and lay blinking dazedly for a
few Becouds. But soon he sut up, very
clumsily, and put a wavering hand to
his bead. He brought away the fing
ers all bloody, and regarded the stums
with disgust
"He'll do well enough now," Mar
shall stated, as be looked up and met
the alarmed gaze of the woman.
Creegun, following the direction of
tho detective's glance, turned his head
weakly und perceived the girl, where
she stood agulnst the wall, His coarso
fuee twisted Into a grin.
"Hello, Maggie!" he mumbled. "Say,
the bull near croaked me."
"But you will be able to go In a min
ute," Lucene urged, wringing ber
bands In desperation. "Oh, pleuse!
You must! Mr. Marshall will give you
tbe money. He picked It up."
I'll tuke you along when I go,"
Creogan snarled.
"What do you meun?" she gasped.
But Marshall Interrupted roughly.
"Here, yon!" he snapped at Creegan.
"You get n hustle on yourself." He
seized tbe burglar by the collar and
Jerked him to his feet. "Go sn and
get out of here! Didn't you bear what
tho lady said?"
"Olmme buck that roll sho give me!"
he commanded surlily.
"You stand a fat chance of getting
that," Marshall exclulmed with a
sneer. Then, as the thief moved a
III tie: "None of that side stepping,
either!"
'Oil, I ain't trying to beat It," Cree
gan declared. "I don't have to."
Marshall rested wordless, stupefied
by tho colossal impudence of this crim
inal, caught In the very net of bur
glary, Then the woman darted to
him:
"Oh, Mr. Marshall, plenso let Mm
go!" she besought him frantically,
"(live him the money and let him go!
Oh, you must!"
The detective, however, could no
longer accept tills way out of the tan
gle of events. Ills llrst Instinct of de
sire to shield the woman for her hus
band's sake, If not for her own, was
overcome by the responsibility Involv
ed bv such a course.
"it Is Impossible," he said.
"Oh, If you only know!" she breathed.
Marshall remained unshaken ,
"Minium," he saiil coldly, "I urn In
your husband's employ."
She twisted bis argument in her own
favor:
"Hut It would bo doing liliu the great
est possible kindness to let this man
go." She niadu a despairing gesture.
"nil, I know Just how strange It must
seem to you, but It's true It's true!
Marshall found (hut It required all
his strength of will to wllhstand her
supplleiillou.
"You mean, without your husband's
knowledge?"
"Oh, yes, yes!" was the Instant an
swer, "lie must never know-never; 1
can't tell you wby-l can't, I can't! If
1 only could! Hut I swear to you, on
my honor us a woman, that my bus-
tntin, without your
knowltdgtf"
husband'
"You
band's happiness, bis career, his honor
even, everything, depends on your do
lug as I a9k you. Please oh, please!"
Nevertheless Marshall hud the cour
age to deny her prayer.
"It Is Impossible."
"Why, I'm bis wife, and I love him.
It's for bis sake that I beg of you to
let this man go." Sho made a slight
gesture toward Creegan. "He'll go If
you will let him. Yes, he'll go, and
never come back again." She glanced
for an Instant into the brutul face, as
she added ber question confidently:
"You will go, won't you? Tell him!"
"Sure thing!" was the harsh answer.
The thief's small eyes, bloodshot now,
were leering. "Sure, I'll go fast enough
-if you'll go with me, Maggie,"
Lucene seemed not to bear the vile
utterance. Certainly she gave It no ap
parent heed, only persisted In her wild
petitioning.
"Dou't you see, Mr. Marshall, no one
will ever know not a living soul
ever!"
The voice of Creegan sounded.
"Say," be cried to the detective, "are
you such a bonehead you can't see that
me and tbe lady was goln' away to
gether?" Marshall made a threatening
movement. Creegan spoke again, reck
less of tlie menuce. "Aw, cut It out,
cull. Just ask the lady."
Marshall looked down Into the face
of the trembling woman. But the
denial for which he longed did not
burst from her Hps. Instead, she stood
In mute abasement
"Did you hear what the man saldT
Marshall asked.
"Yes," came the muffled syllable.
"Of course he lies?"
There was a pause, pregnant of a
hateful possibility. And then, at last,
there came from the girl the word that
was the seal of her degradation:
"No." It was hardly a breath of
sound.
CHAPTER XIV.
In tha Alcove.
T
nE spirit of mistaken martyr
dom which had driven Lucene
to this confession for the sake
of the man she loved now again
nerved ber to struggle in his cause.
"And now," she cried, "you'll let him
go! Won't you? Yes, yes! You must!"
There came nn Interruption which
turued the eyes of the three to the arch
way of tlie alcove, where a tull figure
stood contemplating the group. The
woman uttered a faint cry that was
ruther a moan and shrunk away as If
In mortnl feur, for the tull form, with
tho face set so sternly, was that of
Walnwrlght. Ills voice cnine with a
dominant severity:
"What have we here?"
Marshall answered:
"I caught this ninn monkeying with
tbe safe, Guess I'd better get him out
of here." He scowled at tho thief.
"Come ulong, you!"
Creegan returned the scowl.
"I won't go!" he shouted. "I wa'n't
trying to crack no safe. I told ye 1
come here 'cause the lady"
Marshall fairly throttled the thiol
for u moment.
"One more peep from you and I'll
make you wish you'd never left Jail!"
"Who is tills fellow?" Walnwrlght
demanded.
"He's n cracksman, all right," tin.
detective replied. "I caught him as lit
was going to work on tho safe hero.
Ueyund that, I don't know anything
about him, though it's certain he's a
professional."
Walnwrlght put his next question dl
rectly to the crlmlnul:
"Who are you?"
But, for the time being, Creegan had
become subdued under tho buffeting he
had Just received. So now he did not
venture to answer.
"Are yon deaf?" the sleuth rasped.
"Well, If you want to know so bud,"
ho replied sullenly, "why, I'll Just tell
you. My names Creegan, and lui
from Chicago."
"Y'ou seem to have wandered a con
sideruble way from home," Wain
wrlght commented dryly.
"Ah," Creegan said, with an attempt
ut airiness, "u guy'll go further than
that to please u lady. What?"
Marshall broke In:
"Cut that out!" Then he faced his
employer somewhat doubtfully. "You
see, sir," ho explained, "I caught him
"Who li this fellow?" Wmwri9hl de
rrundtd,
trying to take this money away from
Mrs, Wiiluwilght." Ho drew the bauk
notes from his pocket.
"it's n d d He!" Creegan bellowed
ferociously. "She give It to mel"
"Shut up!" The detective poised as
If nhout to spring on Creegan.
But Waiuwrlght Interfered.
f ' .--4 v ;e'1
W
& . :v..;V';V, ;
"Marshall,'r Tie directed shortly,
"leave the man alone. Lies dou't hurt
-If they are lies." He put forth a
hand and took the money. Briefly his
eyes ran over some of the bills, scru
tinizing them closely; then be bestow
ed the packet In a pocket. For the
llrst time he let his gaze go for an in
stant to his wife, who in frightened
grief wutched his face unremittingly.
Immediately he gnvo his full attention
again to the criminal. '
"Why should my wife give you
money?" he Inquired.
Creegan wriggled uncomfortably.
"Well, I guess tlie game's up, gov'
nor," he whined. "I guess they ain't
nothin to say, except you got me and
the lady dead to rights."
Marshall Interposed.
"Ah, say, Mr. Walnwrlght," he pro
tested, "what's tho good listening to
this crook's pipe dreams? Come on,
you!" He strode to the thief and
caught him by the shoulder.
But again the detective was stayed
from his purpose by the command of
Walnwrlght:
"Wait!"
Now finally excess of fear gonded
Lucene to the bravery of despair. She
straightened, held forth her aims Im
ploringly. "Cortland," she said falterlngly, "I
beg you not to ask him any more ques
tions. Let him go-please! Oh, for
pity's sake! I can't stand it! I"
She broke off, panting.
Her white face was drawn In agony,
for Walnwrlght gave no least heed
to her prayer. He contemplated the
thief and spoke quietly.
"Who sent you here?"
"Aw, nobody sent me," the man re
plied flippantly. "I was Invited."
"By whom?" Walnwrlght persisted.
"Ask the lady." Creegan's grin was
frozen by the cold fury of the hus
band's low spoken phrase:
"You He!"
"I do, do I?" be sneered. "Well, Just
tako it from me. I don't. I knew her
a long time before you ever did. ripe
that, mister! Aw, say! Don't kid
yourself. What was she doln' down
Btalrs by the safe at 2 o'clock in the
mornin'? Eh? Havln' a cup of ten?
Huh!"
Walnwrlght was dead white from the
fury of bin passion. His bands
clinched.
"Take him away!" he ordered.
The wife dared a forlorn hope, cry
ing out her plea wildly:
"Oh. Cortland! Let him go!"
Walnwrlght repeated his command.
"Take him away!"
Wulnwrlght's face had settled Into a
musk of coldness as he turned to ad
dress his wife. But before he could
speak his lntcntlou was halted by the
surprising change that came over her
within an Instant. Where she had been
shrinking, pallid, seeming even near
to collapse from the misery that af
flicted ber, she nw suddenly stood
alertly upright, and n color burned hot
ly In her cheeks, and her eyes, filmed
by suffering before, shone In their full
violet radlaui'e, unveiled again. Her
hands were abruptly reached forth In a
gesture of welcoming. Walnwrlght, fol
lowing the niovciuent of her arms,
took lu the figure of Andrew, standing
motionless Just within tho doorway of
tho library. At sight of him there was
a harder compression of Wnlnwrlght's
Hps. Ills voice, as bo spoke, wus
suave.
"Ah, I was expecting you,"
Andrew was undaunted.
"1'iiruon me, sir, but may 1 aslc a
question'" lie Inquired.
'Oh, certainly," Walnwrlght retorted,
"Do you intend sending to prison the
man whom Mr. Marshall Just cup
Hired?" Before Walnwrlght could answer the
question put l,y th0 Master Mind there
came an Interruption by Lucene. It
was despair that found tongue.
"Mr. Andrew, Mr. Andrew, what
have you done to me?" bIio wailed.
"Oh, what have you done?" Her voice
broke In n slorni of sobbing.
If a alight shiver touched the man
under tlie clasp f the girl's hands it
was imperceptible, arrested cro it be
gan by the Iron sway of his will. He
spoke gravely.
"Mi's. Walnwrlght will excuse me, 1
know, if I say that I must speult with
you alone," he said to Walnwrlght
At this saying Lucene lifted her
head and stared desperately Into tho
granite face. The assured voice enr
rlcd couvletlon to her,
"I am quite sure that sho will trust
my Judgment In tho matter." Ostensi
bly the sentence was spoken to Waln
wrlght. Iu effect, U was directed to
Lucene. Sho went slowly out of the
room.
When she was Kno tho Master Mind,
with a swiftness f movement utterly
unlike his usual placidity of behavior,
darted to the door and shut It Then
he faced his employer, standing fully
erect, a smile of triumph bending bis
tips, at last. Tho humility of thu
trained servllor was vanished, In Its
place was a dominant personality, bold
ly proclaimed,
Walnwrlght met the transformation
fairly,
"Well, Mr, Allen?" he remarked.
His tone as ha spoko the name that
explained bis kimwledgo of the other's
identity was a challenge.
"That Is quite correct," Andrew re
plied, with an enigmatic mullo. "In
cidentally this Is tho llrst time In twen
ty years that I have been addressed by
my own name."
"The full mime Is Richard Allen, I
believe?"
"Precisely."
"Alias, the Master Mind?"
"I believe that tinmo has been given
lo tue by some," Andrew replied, with
unconcealed egotism. "I might even
say bt many."
"It Is rather an ostentatious title,"
Walnwrlght commented Indifferently.
"At least, It Is not of my choosing,"
wns tho retort, "i merely adopted It
after It hud been givon"nie by others,7'
"You hart a brother," Wnbawrl'jht
suggested.
A spasm of emotion contracted the
features of the other.
"My brother," he said In a hushed
voice, "was Henry Allen, whom you
sent to tbe chair. You you!" The
fury of hate vibrated In the voice.
"No," Wnlnwrlgbt declared stern
ly; "not I, but the law."
Andrew shook his head.
"You!" he repented, with the empha
sis of a supreme wrath.
Walnwrlght disdained Insistence.
"May I ask why you so constantly
reminded me of your enmity through-
"I knew her long time before you ever
did. Pipe that, mieterl"
tut all this time since the trial of your
brother, which, one might suppose,
would have no other effect than to put
me on my guard?"
Andrew admitted the implied state
ment ns to Wulnwrlght's freedom from
petty cownrdlce.
"Exactly," be agreed. "I meant it
to put you on your guard." Again he
revealed his massive egotism. "To
one such as I there could be no tri
umph lu victory over, a sleeping vie.
tlm."
"Triumph!" Walnwrlght repented
the word thoughtfully. To his logical
mind the inference was precise. "Then
you think thut you have triumphed?"
"Yes," camo the confidential reply.
"Indeed!" The ejaculation of the
word was replete with skepticism.
Andrew responded with fierceness.
"Yes, yes, Mr, Walnwrlght!" he
cried savagely. "It Is well that you
should understand the truth nt once.
This night you aro delivered Into my
hands, bound and helpless Into my
hands!"
"Very well," Walnwrlght retufned
calmly. "Iu that caso suppose you
give uio tho details." There was to
hliu n considerable relief In the arrival
of this hour when there must be ex
pllclt evil, something real and tangl
blc, in the stead of vague, Imaginary
horror, of the sort thut had striven to
haunt him since Ihe receipt of the first
white card.
Andrew grinned malevolently,
"With pleasure!" he declared. There
could be no doubt ns to the sincerity
of Joy with which he pronounced tbe
trite phrase. It summed tho culmlua
Hon of weary years through which he
had tolled for hate's sake to this end,
Yet he hesitated still for a llttlo before
he began the elucidation of his scheni
lug to compass tbe ruin of the man be
fore him. "For every human nctlon
worthy of tho name, Mr. Walnwrlght,'
ho said at last, speaking with a new
formality, "there is n motive. Mine,
as you must already understand, was
to avengo the death of my brother at
your hands."
Agnln Wnlnwrlgbt Interposed,
"At tho bands of tho law," he said
quietly, yet determinedly.
"We'll not quibble over terms," An
drew said arrogantly. "It may seem
odd to you, but I loved him. Ho was
oiuy a noy a noy wnoso heart was
broken-because ho had loved one un
worthy. He was tbo only thing that I
cherished, tho only creature life hud
given lno to care for with all my af
fection, with all my soul. When he,
for no fault, wns condemned to die I
I well, l-siHTered!" Presently be
continued, In n colorless voice of re
pression. "I swore then to make you
suffer as be hnd-a I had. You pre
sented 1o mo a very dllllcult case,"
Andrew continued. "Y'ou were rich,
honest, Intelligent You did not spec
ulate. Your relations with women,
even, were lieynnd rcprouch of tbo
most scrupulous. For a lime, I con
fess, I almost despaired of you-de-spalred
of finding your weakness, your
vulnerable point. Yet, not quite! You
went abroad, it wns a simple thing
for mo wllh my resources to gain ac
cess to your npartmeut I went thorn
and made It my dwelling place until I
had gained nil that I needed. I search
ed your private papers. One day I
noticed lu your study a portrult-tlio
fiusj of a young girl, it was dono
rather crudely, perhaps, tjt t was
dono with sincerity nnd with n certain
effectiveness. I found nl.i
tries In nn old Journal which explained
thai face. Then f beean to finfis U'
searched, you and I, for the sume girl
and I found her. I found that the cir
cumstances of this girl, who was the
original of the portrait and of the en
tries in the journal, were ideal for my
purposes. Tho essential thing Is this
I desired you to marry her. In order
to bring that to pass certainly It was
necessary to prepare her, by education
and experience of the world, to be
your fitting mate. That was done. In
uue, sir, you married her precisely as
iiuu. pinnnea tuat you should."
"Yes," Walnwrlght nereeil hpnrti
"I-I married her. I understand n
on, please."
"And now," he went on. with .
drawling contentment In his utterance,
"you have Just surprised her here in
me act or leaving the house with her
-well, let us say, with the young
friend of her earlier dnys-Creegan."
Tbo voice of Walnwrlght enme
roughly.
"What do you mean?"
Andrew's smile wns taunting.
"It's clear enough, isn't It?" ho
Jeered.
"You!" Ia a gust of raae Wnin.
wrlght remembered the revolver offer
ed to him by Marshall that same even
ing and accepted. His hand went
swiftly to his hip pocket There was
no responsive contact with tho wenpon.
as ne stood astonished Andrew's
voice sounded again with a vast en
tertainment derived from the circum
stance. "Your servant, Parker my servant
rnrker-is really very capable. ' You
did not observe when he thoughtfully
removea tne weapon Mr. Marshall had
provided." Then abruptly the mock
ing tones were filled with virulent
hatred.
CHAPTER XV.
The Martyr.
B have here a close parallel,
Mr. District Attorney,1
went on Andrew, "to the
case of my brother. He
killed his man under the Influence of
a sudden passion Justifiable passion
too. Just now you would have killed
me under tho Influence of passion
quite unjustifiable, however had I not
taken the precaution to have tbe
weapon removed from you. But all
this Is beside tbe mark. Tbe point of
Immediate interest Is this: First loves
are hard to forget, Mr. Waiuwrlght.
It is for this reason that Mrs. Waiu
wrlght, your wife, has planned to go
away with our young friend Creegan,"
"It is a He!" Wnlnwrlght's voice
wns overweighted with quick rage.
"Slnco you doubt, why, call her!" He
went to the door nnd swung It open.
"Lucene!" ho called. This use of her
nnmo so familiarly for the first time
In the presence of tho husband wns in
itself n revclntlon. "Come, Lucene,"
ho cried; "come!"
The wife entered almost nt once, for
she-had been waiting In tho hall in an
agony of despair.
It was the husband who addressed
her with n fierce entreaty:
"Lucene, this man he has been say
ing" He choked.
Audrcw continued:
"I huve been trying to show your
husband how useless it would bo to nt
tetnpt to prevent you from going out
of bis life as you hud already planned
I have also"
Walnwrlght was furious.
"Ho said ho said that you you were
going nwny with this man Creegan
Tell him he lies!"
"Sho will not do that," Andrew de
clared, "or I am much mistaken."
"Lucene!" The husband's voice rnng
forth in a loud tenderness.
Sho spoke In n level voice, apathetic
from the burden of a consummate tor
ment. "There's no uso of any more fuss, Is
there?" sho said pitifully. "Oh, I'll go
"You wlih to know about the money,
perhspi?"
-I'll go! There'll bo no scandal, none
ut till. I'll Just go, und that will bo uu
end ot it."
Walnwrlght strodo forward.
"No!" bo shouted, with primitive vio
lence. "I say uo!"
"No, no!" bIio gasped. "You must lot
me go. It's tlio only way."
Andrew's voice camo is gloating ac
quiescence: "That is it precisely."
Wulnwrlght. however, was not to be
Intimidated by this mysterious con
spiracy that meant thu wrecking of
bis life's hiitiiiliiess.
"No! There nro things you must tell
me." His eyes pierced to the soul of
bis wife, so that alio dropped her owu
and answered hurriedly:
"Very well. Only, please, hurry,
What do you want to know?"
Andrew agnln Interrupted, very bland
ly now:
J -,- .- ' .nNXI. ''
YOU Wish to ttinn, ..
perhaps?" " mo,se7
"About the money?" wi...v.
pen ted. f
Tbe wife hesitated.
"It was for Jim." she i,i .
the soul of her revolted almost S
endurance. "It was for bim-cZa
Ob. you've been good to me in 1
way, Cortland. But your way L'f m
way, and-ud now its over" 7
Walnwrlght spoke with .......
of half amused tolerance: "
iou are making n verv .... .
"And why not?" she responded, with
n effort toward brazen assuraZ
Hnven't you heard what m- ,
said? And. now"- w l?mnw
tremulous, then broken with th, hZ
den of feeling. Yet she finished
iy, "Ana now I'm off."
Andrew added bis word f
ration, with a certain dreadful, ZZ
less Jocoseness:
'xes, Hie game's over!"
Waiuwrlght was coiitnmi,i,i,u t.
wife with a strange intensencss Z
approached hcr.closely and spoke In ,
.;: .. -"""-u I'unni to her contmL
J seer he said slowlv. Wh..
you wish to go?"
The answer came In a eron
despair: " "" ut
"Now at once!"
Of a sudden some delicate nha.
expression In the beautiful face befora
u.ui tuugm me attention of Waia
wrlght, diverted It to a new unucl,
standing not complete yet, but enomh
for guidance In this time of crisis.
"I see," ho said softly. "But, Lu.
ceue, you've overlooked one rather Im
portant thing."
HU wife stared at hlra uueomnre.
hendlngly.
"Have I?"
lea Ily.
she questioned meehaa-
"Yes," Wulnwrlght answered. "Of
course, I dare say. It's a matter really
of no moment to any one except my.
self. But the fact Is you've made ma
love you."
There came from the girl a tiny
burst of sound, Indeterminate, ye
fraught with emotion. The liusband
continued with a curious severity of
expression:
"You had forgotten that?"
"Tho wife gasped. Her color flowed
to and fro In her face, so that she was
pallid nnd fevered In the same Instant
"No, no!" she breathed.
"But-bndn't you?" Walnwrlght per
sisted. "Hadn't you forgotten, too,
how you feel toward-me?"
Luceno shuddered visibly. But ber
resolve of martyrdom, formed under
the specious arguments of Andrew, still
held. She would not yield to tlie love
light in her husband's eyes the en
veloping caress in his voice.
No, no!" she cried, with a hys
terical vehemence, "Don't you see?
That was all n part of tlie pinie-my"
Walnwrlght smiled . MiirrufuWy.
Something in the manner ot his wlfa
wns convincing toward comfort.
"Oh, ye, to be sure!" he said smooth
ly. "All a part of the game! And
that-that is-ull?"
Lucene faltered, shrunk, could n
meet bis searching eyes,
"That," she said despiilrlngly-"uiat
Is-nll!"
Wnlnwrlgbt went slowly toward nH
wife, There was something compell
ing in his aspect, something that beat
upon her heart and bent It to bli will,
despite her struggle again"
Blindly she saw an Imperative groiura
from Andrew, bidding ber go. She
gave no heed to it. Her whole soul
was absorbed by Ihe mini she loved,
who came close to her, and looked
down on her with eyes that searched
within the Innermost rceessi of her
soul. .
"Look nt me!" ho commanded. B"
made no answer; only stood downcast
before him, ireiniiloas, longtog, Kit
fully reluctant. "Look nt me!" Again
the command smoto her, moved W
strangely to obcilleiice, dcsldle W'
thing. - .
"Lucene!" Once agnln, his voice wa
wholly masterful. "Look at W;
Then, nt last, she yielded
his, and tho piteous sacrifice In taw
depths taught him something of W
ghastly truth that hi)' beneath heriur
fuco reluctance. ,(ii,
Ho went to the door ldlo Into
hall and called sharply:
"Marshall. Marshall!' There cam
nn Indeterminate sound miu
"Bring Creegan
luted into an answer.
here!" was bis ccniinanil.
A mouient later the uV "
poured with n manacled thief at
"'"Tko oft the h-mdcuaV
wrlght directed brUkly.
After one glance nt the
Marshall obeyed the on ler.
Walnwrlght .ko l" m V
0,"Creoga my wife .el
(111,1 you bad planned f W 9
gethcr."
"That's right gv'iior.
Wulnwrlght tuned 1 - ol.
bis wife, nnd sH,l,e e.i-H. "lll0Sl
adalslcnlly:
"Well, here she I". ' ""
ber and go'" ' , , ,,,
- The thief stand womHUiLl.r.
.Sure-sure!" ho"-'
Walnwrlght nodded t '"
nnu men " .
. ,,.!" he exit"
, ....... I..,, .-I,,, i " -i
j "There s
-"'"" 1 i i... n!
off."
He
your man. ium.-... "" , b'
'" " . . .nt
went iu " ,
. . .. I.. i ml in
forward, nnu r ,,
. .. . i,ni, nn the t""
. 1 ..In.w.il I CI Hi' .
ther-
or tne unci, -
Tho touch of the Will"' '
hand on
come
i..l. II, n llOlldS Of
Her J
.,,W - .
a shrill cr; -
gho drew away
w on
horror.
v no. 110
florceiy-
she repe
i ted
V . ..... i ...ni'l
f rnll't. I Cllll l, -
- - . .
jt SuturJ7'
(Con
tinued li