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Show f-BIfflMENS (MBREN K V3H Autior x'TfTB FJOMEEi IIhstr&tkD3(fcy - DCMJ.LAVIN CoyrittOCTkBGBlS-MmiLL CO. man with bit most Ironical air. "Suppose "Sup-pose then you lt me know what you've come down to say." "('n't you guess?" aba answered, with an expression that waa almoat on of flirtatious Interrogation. "Nup," ha answered, looking steadily steadi-ly at bar. "I have to bare It aald In that plain atyla with no pollteueta that you Bay la tba way w alwaya talk." "All right," aha answered brlakly. "Hera It la aa plain aa A I) C. I'ra decided to accept your offer and take tba money." She looked up at biro, smiling gallantly. gal-lantly. Hut aa ber eya caught bla bar mile, try aa aha would to keep It, died. Ha auddenly reallfed that aha waa extremely nervous, that her llpa were dry, and tba band aba put up to adjuet her veil, and thua hide her Intractable mouth, waa shaking. Tba admiration ha bad or lata felt for ber Insolent fearlessness Increased, alio ba began to feel that now, at laat. ba waa rising to the poaltlon of master of tba situation. He leaned back In the awivel chair and glowered at ber. "You know," be aald alowly, "you've a gall that beata anything I ra ever seen. Two daya ago you buated thle buslneaa higher than a kite by stopping stop-ping my daughter on the public atreet and telling her the whole alory. You did the one thing you knew I'd never forgive; and you ended the affair, hammered the nnllt In Ita coffin and burled It. Now you come flourishing Into my office aa If nothing bad happened hap-pened and aay you'll take the money. It beata me how you've got the nerve to dare to ahow your face In here." Herny listened with the band holding hold-ing the veil pressed against ber mouth and ber eyes staring over It "It's all straight enough," she burst out, "what you aay about telling your daughter. I did It and I waa craty. I'll admit that. Hut you'll have to admit on your atde that It was pretty rough the way I was treated here, ordered out like a peddler. I waa aore, and It was you that made ma ao. And I'll not deny that I wanted to hit you back. Hut you brought It on yourself. And. anyway, what does It matter If I go? Maybe your daughters daugh-ters mad and disgusted now, lut women don't stay that way for ever. If I get out, drop out of sight, the way I Intend to do, give Domlnick bla freedom. free-dom. Isn't aha going to forget all about what I aald? Wouldn't any woman?" The Honanza King made no answer. He bad no Intention of talking with thla objectionable woman about bla daughter. Hut In bis heart hope sprang at the worda. They were an echo of hla own desires and opinions. If this woman took tbe money and went, would not Rose, In tba course of time, relent In her attitude of Iron disapproval, and smile on tba man she loved? Could any woman bold out for ever in aucb a poaltlon? "See here." Herny went out, "III leave a statement. I'll put In In your banda that I changed my mind and voluntarily left. I'll draw It up before be-fore a notary If you want And It'a true. She needn't think that I'm being be-ing forced out to make a place for her. I'm glad to go." She bad leaned nearer to him from tbe chair, one finger tapping tbe corner cor-ner of the desk to emphasize ber words. Scrutinizing ber aa ahe spoke, be became more than ever Im- morning. In you pop, and you're all of a tremble to gat It What's tbe meaning of It?" "I can't atand It any mora," ahe aVld. "When you aald I couldn't tbe other day, that I'd break down, you were right I can't atand It Nobody could. It'a broken me to pieces. I want to get away from It all. I want to go somewhere where I'm at peace, where the people don't bate me and bound me " Her voice suddenly grew hoarse and tbe stopped. He looked at ber In surprise. She bent ber face down, biting ber under lip, and picked tremulously tremu-lously at the leavea of tbe purple orchid aa If arranging them. "You've beaten me," ahe tald In a auddenly strangled voice: "you've beaten me. I can't fight any longer. Give ma some money and let me go. I'm beaten." She lowered bar bead still farther and burst Into tears. So unexpected were they that ahe bad no preparations prepara-tions for them. Her handkerchief waa In the bead purse that hung on ber wrist, and, blinded by teara, the could not find tbe clasp. Her fumbling hand trted for a possible reserve supply sup-ply In her belt, and then In deapalr went up to ber face and lifted ber veil trying to brush away tbe falling drops. Tbe Honanza King atared at ber amazed, aa much surprised aa If be had seen a man weep. Finally be felt In bla own pocket, produced a crisply laundered aquare of white linen and handed It to her, observing observ-ing soothingly: "Here, take mine. You're all broke up. aren't you?" She seized bla offering and mopped ber cheeka with It. sniffing and gasping, gasp-ing, while be watched ber in genuine solicitude. "Wbat'a wore you down to this ttate?" he aald. "You're the nenrleat woman I ever saw." "Its-it's all this thing." aba answered an-swered In a stifled voice. "I'm Just worn out. I haven't slept for nights" I a memory of those miserable nights of perturbation and uncertainty swept over ber and submerged ber In a wave of self-pity. Tbe teara gushed out again, and ahe held the old man's large handkerchief against her eyea. uttering small, sobbing noises, sunk In abandoned despondence In tba hollow hol-low of the chair. The Honanza King waa moved. Tbe facile teara of women did not affect him, but tbe teara of tbla bold, bard, unbreakable creature, whom be had regarded only aa an antagonist to be vanquished, stirred btm to a sort of abRHhed sympathy. There was something some-thing singularly pathetic about the completeness of her breakdown. She, who bad been ao audacious an adversary, adver-sary, now in all her crumpled finery weeping Into bla handkerchief, waa so entirely and utterly a feeble, crusbable thing. "Come, brace up." be aald cheer-Uigly. cheer-Uigly. "We can't do any talking while you're acting tbla way. Wbat'a tbe proposition again?" "I want some money and I want to go." She raised her bead and lowered low-ered tbe handkerchief, apeaklng with a strained, throaty Insistence like a child. "I can't live here any more. I can't bear It It would give a prize fighter nervoua prostration. I can't bear It." Her voice grew small and blgb. "Really I can't." she managed I hysterical eondltioo that was beyond i ber control. Now the made an effort to recover herself, sat up, swallowing i and gasping, while ahe wiped her i yes. I "I'm ready to do it all." she sniffed, r "only only " she paused on the I verge of another collapse, suppressed I It. and aald with tome show of re-, re-, turning animation, "only I must have 1 some money now a guarantee." "Ob." be aald with the descending I note of comprehension. "As I remera-, remera-, ber, we agreed to pay you seven thousand thou-sand dollars for the first year, the '. year of desertion." , She lowered the handkerchief entirely, en-tirely, presenting to blm a disfigured face, all Ita good looka gone, but show-, show-, lng distinct algna of attention. "I don't want the teven thousand. ' 111 waive It I want a sum down, a guarantee, an advance. You offered me . at first fifty thousand dollars. Give I me that down and I'll go this afternoon." after-noon." , "That wasn't our original arrange-. arrange-. ment," he said to gain time. I "Deduct It from tbe rest. I muat t have It. I can't go without It If you . give me the check now I'll leave for . New York tonight." Her reviving Interest and force E aeemed to have quenched tbe aources t of her teara aa suddenly as ber ex-f ex-f hnusted nerves had made them flow. ) Hut her disfigured fare, her figure i which seemed to hnve shrunken In Its I fine clothes, were extremely pathetic. "If you don't trust me send one of your clerks with me to buy my ticket , send one to see me off. I've left my husband for grod, for ever. I can't I live here any longer. Give me the . money and let me go." ! "I don't tee that I'm going to have any security that you're going to car-I car-I ry out the whole plan. How do I , know that you're not going to New York to have a good time and then, when you've spent the money, coma ', back here?" I She aat up and tent a despairing ; look about tbe room aa if In a wild , search for aomethlng that would con-' con-' vlnce him of ber sincerity. "I swear, I promise," tha cried with almost frantic emphasis, "that 111 never come back. I'm going for good and I'm going to aet Ifcunlnlck free. Oh, do believe me. Please. I'm telling tell-ing the truth." He waa impressed by ber manner, aa be had been by ber tears. Something Some-thing undoubtedly bad happened which had suddenly caused her to change her mind and decide to leave her husband. He did not think that It waa what she had told him. Her excitement, ex-citement, her overwrought condition suggested a cause less gradual, more like a shock. He ran over In his mind the advantages of giving ber the money. Nothing would be Jeopardized by It It would simply be an advance made on the sum they bad agreed upon. "Fifty thousand's too much," he aatd alowly. "Hut I'll be aquare to you and I'll spilt the difference and give you twenty five. Ill give you the check now and you can take It and go to-night." She shook her head obstinately. "It won't do." ahe said. "What difference dif-ference doea It make to you whether you give It to me now or next year? I'll give you a receipt for It There won't be any trouble about It. It't as broad aa It'a long. It'a simply an advance ad-vance on the main sum." He looked moodily at her and then down. Her demand seemed reasonable reason-able enough, but be distrusted her. "If you don't believe me," she Insisted, In-sisted, "send out that clerk of youra to buy my ticket to New York. Tell him to go up to the flat and hell see my trunks all packed and ready. I tell you you've beaten me. You and Mrs. Ryan are one too many for me." 1 He again looked at her. hla llpa 1 pressed together, his eye coldly considering. con-sidering. 1 "I'll give you thirty thousand dollars dol-lars and It'a understood that you're to leave the city tonight" She demurred, but with less ahow of vigor, and. for a apace, tbey hag- ' gled over tbe aura till they finally . agreed upon thirty-five thousand dol- , lara. 1 As the old man drew the check ahe , watched blm with avid eagerness, re- , straining by force tbe band that tretn- , bled In lu anxiety to become pos- , aeaaed of the slip of paper. He no- tlced, aa ahe bent over the desk to , sign the receipt, that ber fingers shook so they could hardly direct tbe pen. , She remarked it berseir, setting it , down to ber upset nerves, and laugh- r lng at the sprawling signature. , With the check In ber hand she , rose, aomethlng of the airy buoyancy , of demeanor that had marked her on c ber entrance returning to her. , "Well." she said, opening her purse. r "this Is the real beginning of our buM- t ness relations. I feel as If we were I partners" ? The old man gave a short, dry r laugh. He could not rid bis mind of i suspicions of her and the whole proceedings, pro-ceedings, though he did not see Just how she could be deceiving him "Walt till next year," he said. e "When I see tbe divorce papers m feel a lot surer of the partnership" , She snapped the clasp of her purs, t laughing and moving to the door. She was aid to gt away, to erap from )( the dark room that held such unpl.as- , ant memories, and tbe old nun. whose t steely penetrating eye. fastened on g her. ti full of uriMt.flx q!Jpry "Well, ao long- ,be cried, owning d the dor. "Next time we meet It will c t more sociable. I hope. We really ought to be olj friends by thig time" li She hardly knew what she aa saying, say-ing, but she laughed with a natural o and bowed ber Jaunty good r,M , btm He stood back and M N ood r humoredly at ber. U r.ct 8omfig" . puzzlement under ita alight, Iroulc smile. Once in the atreet ber demeanor again changed. Her atep became sharp and quick, her expression keenly keen-ly absorbed and concentrated. A clock showed ber that it waa nearly half past ten, and ahe walked, w ith a speed that was as rapid a mode of progression as It could be without attracting attention, to tbe great bank on which tbe check waa drawn. On tbe way down on the car she bad thought out all ber movements. Just what she would do, and where she would go. Her mind w aa as clear, her movements aa systematic aa though, she were moved by mechanism. She ran up tbe steps to tbe bank and presented tbe check at the paying teller's window. "In one thousand dollar bills, If you please." she said, trying not to apeak breathlessly, "all but five hundred, and you can give me that In one hundreds." hun-dreds." The man knew ber, made tome vaguely polite remark, and took the slip of paper back Into unseen regions. Herny stood waiting, throbbing from head to foot with excitement. 8he was not afraid tbey would refuse to 'fill Btrny Stood Waiting, Throbbing From Head to Foot With Excitement cash the check. Her aole fear waa that Cannon, aa toon as ahe was gone, might have regretted hla action and telephoned from hla office to atop the payment on it She knew that once the money waa hera be would not make any attempt to get It back. Hla own reputation and that of bla daughter daugh-ter were too Inextricably bound up with the transaction for blm to dare to apprehend or punish Herny for ber deception. Her heart gave a wild leap aa ahe saw tbe teller returning, and then pause behind the netting of bla golden cage while he counted out the bllla. She tried to speak lightly to blm aa he laid them one by one on tbe glasa alab. She waa hardly conacloua of what she said; all ahe realized waa that the crisp roll of paper In ber flngera was ber possession, If not of great fortune, at least of something to ttand between ber and the world. When she left the bank ahe walked forward slowly, tbe excitement which bad carried her on to this point having hav-ing auddenly left her feeling weak and tired. She entered the railway office and bought her ticket for New York for that evenlng'a train. Then once more emerging Into the eun-shine eun-shine she directed ber atepa to the car which would take her to ber slaters. sla-ters. She had decided to spend ber last day In San Francisco with them. As the car whisked her up the bllla she carefully pondered on how much Khe would tell them, where truth waa advisable and where fiction would serve a better purpose. (TO HE CONTINUED.) Johnson on Melancholy. Talking of constitutional melaa-rholy, melaa-rholy, he observed: "A man ao afflicted, af-flicted, air, mutt divert distressing houghts. and not combat with them." floswell "May not be think them iown. alrr Johnaon "No. air. To ittempt to think them down Is mad-aest. mad-aest. He should have a lamp con-utantly con-utantly burning In bla bedchamber luring tbe night and, if wakefulty die-urbed. die-urbed. should take a book and read ind compose himself to rest To have he management of the mind la a jreat art. and It may be attained In a mslderable degree by experience and labitual exerrlse." Hoswell "8hould iot be provide amusements for hlra-Hf? hlra-Hf? Would It not. for Instance, be ight for him to take a course of hernlMryr Johnson "Let him take i course of chemistry, or a course of ope dancing, or a course of anything o which he la Inclined at the time. t him contrive to Lave as many re-rests re-rests for bis mind as be can. aa nany things to which It can fly from tself."-Hoswell (Life of Johnson). Indelicate. Washington a cosmopolitan society ontains many members whose dol-srs dol-srs came too late to supply the ad-antsges ad-antsges of early education. An lltuau rstJon of this occurred last winter, t a dance given by one of tbe rap-tal's rap-tal's moft opulent dowagers. Tbe ady's l. butante daughter appeared la re, ball room In ao ultra decollete own. "Isn't It rather Imprudent for your aughter to wear so Sow a gown on s old a nlghtr remarked a "catty" oung matron. "She a quite delicate, n't sber "Merry, no!" excLimd tbe mother f tbe fair bud. -ghee one of tbe lost Indelicate girla you ever taw -Tes; l observe she's dancing the Un Incisive aweetaeaa. " SYNOPSIS. Illlt Cannnn. the bunansa king, and his daughter, who h1 aI up Mrs. Cornllus Kyan'i ball at Hun Kram iiro to aooortipanjr her fatliar, arrlva at Antolopa. Jtnmlnlrk llyan calls on Ma mother to b bait Invltattim fur hla wlfa. and Is rafusad. Tha dtrmlnl old lady rfuaa lo rftc-oatilte har duhtr-ln law lorn-Inlch lorn-Inlch had bean trappad Into a inarrlnca with lli-rnlia Ivaraun, a atanosrapliar. vrral -ars hla aanlor. Khe aiuau!ra hla miinor, thay have frequrnt nuarrola. and ha allpa away. Cannon and his riauahtar are snowad In at Antelope. Pornlnlrk Ityan la reai-uad from tha aiorm In uncon-rloua uncon-rloua condition and broiiKht to An1'-I"i hntal. Antrlopa la rut o(T by atorm. H 'niion nutaea I tomlnlch a k to Ufa. Two a.ka later ll.rnlia rtlai-overa In a mxt where hoehand la and wrlt-a letter trying to smooth over dirfli-ultlea between them. lomlnlrlt at last Is ahle to toln fellow snowbound prisoners In hotel parlor. par-lor. Ha losea temper over lalK of Hnford, an ai-lor After three weeks, and If Itn-prleonment Itn-prleonment la seen. Tt)l'raina and mull arrlva I x.rril nti-k seta letter from wife, 'lelia Xoae he doesn't love wife and never did. HlortntKitmd people IhkIm to depart. Itoae and liointnh k embrace, father aeea them and demands an enpUnsilon lt"e s brother tiene Is made mnnaaer of ranch, and Is to net It If ha stava sober a year. Cannon eipreasea sympathy for loiiil-niclt's loiiil-niclt's position In talk with llose. IkmhI-nlrk IkmhI-nlrk returns home. Herny eterta herself to please htm. hut he la Indlf'-rent Cannon Can-non colls on Mrs. Hvan. They discuss liomlrn. k'a mamnse dlf nciilttes, and Cannon Can-non suggests buying "IT Herny. Iximlnlck ?oes to park on Hunday with tlrrny and amlly. aea Miss Cannon, bows to har and starts uneasiness In Herny. In Mrs liyan'a name Cannon offera Herny f.i tn leave ber titisbsnd and permit divorce, fibs refuaee. Ih.mlnh k aeea Hoaa. Cornelia Cor-nelia Hvan enBaared to Jack Huffy. Cannon Can-non offera Herny limirtio and la turned down. Hernv tells slaters nf offer. H'l-ford. H'l-ford. the actor, makes hit In vaudeville Itoae tella iNmilnlck that ba must stick to wife, and nrat lima arknowledaea that ha loves hlrn. Cannnn offers Herny M"),. whhh aha refuses, aavlns Cannon wanta fomlntrk for Itoae dene wins tha ranch Herny accuses Hose of trying to steal her husband and tells her nf tha offered of-fered hrlh. Hoaa tella father what aha learned about tha attempt to brlba Herny and declarea that aha would never marry lnmliilrk. should ba ever be divorced Ks-cls Ks-cls promise from father to let Herny alona firanser sees Herny In restaurant, apparently recognlsea her. snd followa her home. Tha stranser. who la Huford. the actor, rails on INmilnlck. Iteclares that he married Herns aecretly some years before Hernv cornea tn and he recognliea her fiomlnk-k packs belongings to fa to mother. CHAPTER XXI Contlnusd. "Don't go to your mother's." she cried, following blm up the hall, "for tonight. Domlnlck, please. And dont tell her. I beg, I pray of you, don't tell her till to-morrow." Her manner waa so pleading, to Imploringly Insistent that he turned and looked somberly at ber. She waa evidently deeply In earnest, ber face lined with anxiety. "This la the last thing I'll ever ask of you. I know I've got no right to aak anything, but you're generous, you've been kind to me In the past, and It'll not cost you much to be kind Just once again. Go to I hotel, or tbe club, or anywhere you like, but not to your mother's and don't tell ber till to-morrow afternoon." He stared at ber without tpeaking. wiahtng tbe would be allent and leave blm. i 7M1 not trouble you after to-morrow. I'll go. I'll get out You'll never i be bothered by me any more." i "All right." be aald. "I'll go to the club. Let me alone, that's all, and let me go." i "And and." she persisted, "you t won't tell ber till tomorrow, tomorrow i afternoon?" i He bad entered tbe parlor In which i the Chinaman had lit tbe lamps, and opening tbe desk began hunting for I bla papers. To ber last words he return- I ed no answer, and ahe crept In after blm and stood In tbe doorway, leaning against tbe woodwork of tbe door- frame. I "You won't tell her till tomorrow f to-morrow, ay, after three?" He found the letters and drew them I out of their pigeonhole. i "All right," be almoat shouted. "I c won't tell her. Hut for Ood'a aake, I leave me alone and let me go. If you i keep on following me round tbla way I I won't answer for what I'll do." f "You promise ther.,' she aald. Ig- I aorlpg bis beat "You promise you'll s not tell her till after three?" I He turned from the desk, gave her f a look of restrained passion, and aald, r. "I promlae." then passed by ber aa a ahe stood In the doorway and walked t to the stairhead. Here his valise I stood, and snatching It up he rao s down the stairs and out of the house. I Heroic, hearing tbe door shut, re- s turned to ber room and went on with i the work of sorting ber wardrobe and packing ber trunks. She did It de- " llberately and carefully. ((Hiking over each garment and folding the choicer t articles between sbeta of tissue pa- t per. At midnight she bad not yet finished, and under tbe blaze of the gases. 1 king very tired, she went on smoothing skirts and pinching up the-tare the-tare on bodices as she laid them tenderly ten-derly on the traya that stood on the td. the table, and tbe sofa. Tbe . Bight wee far spent before everything t tat arranged to ber satisfaction and sba went to bed. whe waa op betimes In the morn-1 1 tog nht o'clock bad not struck , when she waa making a last tour of I the parlor, picking up small articles of stiver and glass that she crowded own Into cra'ks lo tbe tightly packed trvaka At breakfast tbe Chinaman. aa oblique. er,srvant eye on ber. staked ber what be should prepare for t tsnrn. Conscious that If ahe told i IOa aa would not be back be might become alarmed at the general Assertion As-sertion and demand bit wagea, ahe ordered an even more elaborate menu than usual, tailing btm ahe would bring borne a friend. She breakfaated In ber wrapper and after tbe meal finished ber toilet with the extremes! solicitude. Never had she taken more palna with berself. Though anxiety and strain had thinned and sharpened ber. tbe fever of excitement which burnt In her temporarily tem-porarily repaired these ravages. Her eyea were brilliant without artificial aid; her cheeka a hot dry crimson that needed no rouge. The Innate practicality of ber character aaaerted Itself even In thla harassed hour. 1mi night she had put the purple orchid in a glass of water on the bureau. bu-reau. Now, aa she pinned It on her breast, she congratulated heraelf for ber foresight, tbe pale lavender petals of the rare blossom toning altogether harmoniously with her dress of dark purple cloth. Hefore she left the room aha locked the trunks and left beside them a dress suitcase packed for a Journey. Standing In the doorway she took a hurried look about the apartment a last, farewell aurvey, not of sentiment but of Investigation, to aee If abe bad forgotten anything. A silver photograph pho-tograph frame set In rhlnettonet caught ber eye and ahe went back and took It up, weighing It uncertainly uncertain-ly In ber hand. Borne of the rhlne-stnnes rhlne-stnnes had fallen out, and the finally decided It waa not worth while opening open-ing the trunka to put In tuch a damaged dam-aged article. It waa only a quarter paat nine when abe emerged from the flat She took the down town car and twenty minutes later waa mounting the atept to Hill Cannon's office. She had been motionless and rigidly preoccupied on the car, but, aa ahe approached the office, a change was visible In ber gnlt and mien. She moved with a light, perky assurance, a motion as of a delicate, triumphant buoyancy seeming to Impart Itself to ber whole body from her shoulders to ber feet A slight, mild tmlle settled on her lips, tiiggettlng gaiety tempered with good humor. Her eye waa charged with the same expression rendered more piquant by a gleam the mereat suggestion of coquettish challenge. The Honanza King waa already In his office. The same obsequious clerk who bad shown her In on a former occasion oc-casion took ber card In to tbe Inner sanctum where the great man, even at thla early hour, waa shut away with the business which occupied hit crowded daya. In a moment tbe young man returned smiling and quite aa murmurously polite as he had been on her former vlalt and Herny waa once again ushered Into tbe pretence Df the enemy. The old man had read the name on the card with a lowering glance. Hla command to admit the visitor had been hardly more than an Inartculate growl which the well trained clerk understood, aa those about deaf mutes can read their half made algna. Cannon Can-non waa not entirely surprised at her reappearance, and mingled feelings itlrred In him aa be turned bla awivel hair away from the table, aad aat lunched In It, hla elbows on Its arms, la banda clasped over bis stomach. She came In with an effect of daab, onfldence. and brilliancy that aston-shed aston-shed blm. He bad expected her al-nost al-nost to sidle In In obvious, guilty ear of blm, ber resistance broken, lumbly coming to aue for the money, nstead, a rustling, scented apparition ippeared In the doorway, more gra-ious, gra-ious, handsome, and smlltng than he tad ever thought the could be. She itood for a moment, aa If waiting for ils Invitation to enter, the whole ef ect of ber rich costume, her feverish-y feverish-y high coloring, and ber debonair ind aelf confident demeanor, surprls-ng surprls-ng him Into silence. A long white eather on ber hat made a back-rrotind back-rrotind for her darkly flushed face and mburo hair. There were aome ame hyats ronnd her neck, their purple lghtt harmonizing richly with the ntperb flower pinned on ber breast ler eyes looked very black, laughing. I ind provocative through ber spotted rell. "Well." she said In a gay voice, here I am again! It It a surprise?" She advanced Into the room, and he old man, almost unconsciously, ose from bis chair. "Yes, sort of." be said, dryly. She stopped by the desk, looked at lira aldewlse, and aald: "Do we shake banda?" His glance on ber was hard and old. Herny met It and could not retrain re-train a sinking of tbe courage that as her mot,t admirable characteristic ind that she bad screwed far past Its irdinary sticking point that morning. 1 gbe aank down Into the same arm 1 :ha!r that abe bad occupied on her 'ormer visit and aald. with a tittle angtild effect of Indifference: 1 "Oh. well, never mind. We dont 1 Dave to wase time being polite, rhat'a one ef tbe most convenient ' things about our Interview. We Just 1 ay what we really think and there's 1 to need bothering about humbug." 1 "So glad to bear It" said the old 1 I -a HiteJs& "What's Wore You Down to Thla Stits," He Said. I pressed with the conviction that she sras held In a tremor of febrile excitement excite-ment Her vole had an under note f vibration In It. like the voice of ne wbo breathe quickly. The orchid m ber breart trembled with tbe trembling trem-bling of ber frame. "Look here." be aatu quietly, "I s-ant to understand this thing. Wbat't tuside you change your mlnj ao tud-; lenly? A few daya ago you were all ip on fid Jle strings at tbe suggest! f taktag that tuoaey. Here, tbla to articulate, and then dissolve.! Into another flood. Tbe old rnnn. high In bis awivel rbalr, sat with bis hands In bla pocket, pock-et, hla lips pursed anj his eyes on tbe floor. Once or tlce be whirled tbe chair slightly from one side to tbe other. After a pause of some tuln a tes be aald: "Are you prepared to agree to anything any-thing Mrs. Ryan and I demanded?" After the last outbreak abe bad completely abandoned bar self to the |