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Show Flaming M 1 JkjEWELjf! I O lD22 GEORGE R DOEAM CQMVAlTf ' (Continued From Our last Isae ) CHAPTER Tl Darragh, In blanket outfit, a pair i snow-shoes on his back, a rifle in his mlttncd hand, came trudging up from the lake. He and Btormont watched Lannin riding away with tho two horses. "He'll make it all right, but it's time he started." said the latter. Darragh nodded;. "Some storm. Where Is Em-"" In her room " "What la she goinic to do. Jack"" ' Marry me as soon as possible. She wants to stay here for a few lays, but I can't leave her here alrn. I think I'll telephone to Ghot Lake for a sleigh." "Let me talk to her," said Darragh Dar-ragh In a low voice. "Do yon think you'd better at such a time?" "I think lt'a a good time It will divert her mind, anyway. I want her to come to Harrod Plaeo." "She won't," said Stormont grimly grim-ly "She might T.t me talk to her." Stormont hesitated, looked at him. nodded. I'arragh stood his rife against the bench on the kitchen j porch. They entered the house slow-' slow-' ly. And met Eve descending th , .stairs. The girl looked at Darragh. SS I tonished. then her pale fnco flushed with anger. "What arc you doing In this ! house?" she demanded unsteadily. 'Hav- you no decency, no shame"" j "Yes." he said. "I am ashamed of j what my kinsman has done to you and voura. That is partly why I am . here." I "You came here as a spy." she i said with hot contempt. "You lied i about your name; you Med about 'your purpose. You came hero to betray Dad! If he'd known ll h-would h-would havo killed yoUi" "Yes, he would have But do you know why I came here. Eve.'" "I've told you!" "And you are wrong. I didn't com? here to "hetrny Mike Clinch; I came to save him." ' Do you suppose r believe a man who hr.'s lied to Lad?" she cried "I don't ask you to. Eve 1 shall let somebody else provo what I say. God knows I don't blame Mlko ("linch. He stood up like a man to Henry Harrod. . . . All I ask Is :o undo some of the rotten things that J my uncle did to you and yours. And , that is partly why I came here." The girl said passionately j "Neither Dad nor I want anything (from Harrod Place or from you! Do yoti suppose you can come Tiero 'after Dad ia dead and pretend you (want i o make amends for what your uncle did to us?" "Ee,- said Darragh gravely. "I've made some amends already. You don't know It, but I have. . . You may not believe It, but I llkea I your father. He was a real man Had anybody clone to me what Hcnrv Harrod did to your father I'd havo behaved as your father behaved: I'l never have budged from this spot; I'd have hunted where I choae; I'd have borne an Implacable hatred against Henry Karroo and Harrod Place, and every son! In it!" I The girl, silenced, looked at him without belief. He said. "I am not surprised that you distrust what 1 say Uut the man you aro going to marry was a junior officer in my command i have ho closer friend than Jack Stormont. Ask him whether 1 am to be believed." be-lieved." Astounded, the girl turned Muuhcd. incredulous lace to Stormont. 1 He said "You may trust Darragh la.s you trust nv. 1 don r know what jhe has to say to you. dear. Kut whatever he h.ivs will be the truth." Darragh said, gravely: "Through la misunderstanding your father came i Into possession of stolen property. ! Eve He, did not know It had been ! stolen. I did But Mike Clinch would 'have believed me if I had told him that the case of jewels in his possession posses-sion had b.-en sloien from a woman. i Miint'tn.i sK.;e the.-u. Uy accident acci-dent they eame Into your father's possession pos-session I learned of this. 1 had promised prom-ised this woman to recover her jewels. "I came here for that purpose. Eve And for two reasons: first, because 1 learned that Qu in tana also was coming here to rob your father of these gems; second, because, when 1 knew vour f:ithe-, :-nd Knew you, I concluded that I! would be an outrage to call on tlv police. It would 'mean prison Tor Flinch, misery and j ruin for von Eve. .o - 1 tried to i steal the Jewels. ... to save you ! hnth " He looked at Stormont. who seemed astonished, . To whom do these jewels belong. Jim''' demanded tho Trooper. "To the young Grand Duchess of Est n on la. ... Do you remember that I befriended her over there? I "Yes." . ' "Do you remember that the Reds were accused of burning her cha-teau cha-teau and looting it?" "Yes, I remember." well, it wai. Quintans and his gang of International criminals who did that." said Darragh dryly. And, to Eve. "By accident this raao of jewels, emblazoned with the c oal of arms of the Grand Duch. SI Of Esthonla. carno into your father I possession. That Is the story. Evo." There was a silence. The girl looked at Stormont. flushed painfully, looked at Darragh. Then, without a word, she turned, ascended the stairs, and reappeared Immediately carrying the leather case. Thank vou. Mr Darragh." she said timply. and laid the case in his hand "Put " said farragh. "I want you to do a little more Evo. The owner of these gems la my gueut at Harrod Place- I want you to give them to her yourself " j i can't go to Harrod Place. , .'immortd tho Jtlrl. "Pleaso don't visit the slna of Henry Harrod on me. Eve. y don't. But bnt that place " After a silence "If Eve ffrelS ths way." began Stormonv awkwardtv I couldn't become aaaociated witn you in business, Jim " "I'd rather sell Harrod Place than out) you!" retorted Darragh almost sharply. "I want to go Into business with you. Jack if Eve will permit me " She 6tood looking at Stormont tho heightened color playing in her Cheejcs as she began to comprehend the comradeship between these two men Slowly Bhe turned to Darragh. offered of-fered hor hand : "I'll go to Harrod Place." she said in a low voice Darragh'b quick smile brightened tho somber gravity of his face. "Eve," he said, "when I came over here this morning from Harrod Placo I was afraid you would refuae to listen to me: I was afraid you would not even aee me And no I brought with iue Bom I to bom 1 fell irertaln you would listen. ... I brought with me a young "girl- a poor refugeo from Russia, once wealthy. I today almost pennilesa. . H-r name is Theodorlca. . . Once she was Grand Duchess of Esthonla. . . . I But tills morning a clergyman from Five Lakes changed her name. . . To such frlenda as you and Jack she Is Rlcca Darragh now . . . and she's j having a wonderful time on her new i snow-shoes " I He took Eve by one hand and I Stormont by tho other, and drew i them to the kitchen door and kicked onen llH Through the swirling snow. over on tho lake-slope at tho timber edge. a graceful, boyish figure in scarlet ,' and "white wool moved swiftly over the drifts with all the nalvo delight I 6f a child with a brand new toy. All aglow and a trifle breathless. : she met Darragh just beyond the ! veranda, rested one mlttcned hand on his shoulder while he knelt and Icled her snow-sioos, stepped I lightly from them and came for-i for-i ward to Ee with outstretched hand and a sudden winning gravity in j her lovely face. iFLLw ' We shall be friends, surely." she lrH . said In her quick, winning voice (lfll "because my husband bus told me riLLn and I am so grieved for you and I i'LLa need a girl friend " ml Holding both Eve's hands. her h'iifl looked Into her eyes very steadily. rllLLa Slowly Eve's eyes filled; more slow- 'vH ly Rlcca kissed her on both cheeks. ! rH framed ho- face in both hands, kissed 1 her lightly on Die lips j! Then, still holding Eve's hands, she turned and looked ut Stormont. "I remember you now. " she said. "You were with my husband in Riga." . She freed her right hand and held L it out to Stormont. He had the grac to kiss it and did it very well for a Together fch v entered the kitchen 'door and turned into the dining room on the left, w he re were c hairs around .the plain pine table. i: ( Darragh said "The new mistress of Harrod Place has selected your ! 11 I quarters. Eve. They adjoin the quar- f' ' ters of hrr friend, the Countess Orlotf-j Orlotf-j Strelwltz." KH "Valentine begged me." said Rlcca, rl smiling. 'She is going to be lonely wdthout me. All hours of day and night we were trotting Into one an-Other's an-Other's rooms " She looked grave!y H I at Eve. "You will like Valentine, and she will like you very much. . . As for me I already love you." :H pul arm around Ev' shouldera: "How could you even thlnK of remaining here all alone? Why. I should never close my eyes for think-ing think-ing of dear.1 H Bve'S head drooped: ahe said In a stilled voice: "I'll go with you. ... H I want to. . . . I'm very tired." "We had better go now," said Dar-rahj Dar-rahj "Vour things can be brought over later If you'll dresa for enow-shoeing, enow-shoeing, Jack can pack what clothes you nerd. . . Ar there snow-shoes for him. too?" 1 E ' irned tragically to her lover: 'In Dad's closet" she said, chok-Lng chok-Lng then turned and went up the H stairs, still clinging to Rlcca's hand and chawing her with her. (Continued In Our Monday Issae) |