cvyfwtr 7W9 Ay WKW-.SfJtJlL CO. t 8YN0PSIS. At ik prlvnte view of the Chatworth personal estate, tn he Bold nt auction, the Chatworth ring, known as tlio Crew Idol, mysteriously disappears. Hurry Creasy, who was present, describes the ring to his fiancee, I-'lora (lllsey, and her chap eron, Mrs. Clura IJrltlon, as being like a heathen god, with a beautiful sapphire set In the head. Flora meets Mr. Kerr, an Knglishman, at the club. In dis cussing the disappearance of the ring, the exploits of an ICngllsh thief, t'arrell Wand, nro recalled. Flora has a fancy that Harry nnd Kerr know something about the mystery. Kerr tells Flora that he has met Harry somewhere, but eannot place him. I'.'O.KIO reward Is offered for the return of the rlntr. Hurry admits to Flora that he dislikes Kerr. Harry takes Flora to a Chinese goldsmith's to buy an enajremont rinij. An exquisite sapphire set In a hoop of brass. Is selected. Harry urges her not to vc:ir It until It Is reset. The possession of the ring seems to cast a spell over Flora. She becomes uneasy and apprehensive. Flora meets Kerr nt a box pursy. Sho Is startled by the effect on 1 1 1 tn when be Rets a glimpse of the sapphire. The possibility that the stone Is part of the Crew Idol cnuses Flora much anxiety. Unseen, Flora discovers Clara ransacking her dressing room. Flora refuses to give or sell the stone to Kerr, and suspects him of being the thief. Flora's Interest In Korr Increases. She decides to return the ring to Harry, but he tells her to keep it for a day or two. Ella Bnller tells Flora that Clara Is set ting her cap for her father, Judge. Huller. CHAPTER XIV. (Continued.) "Well, I'll let you know If it makes any difference," said Ella hopefully. Flora knew that nothing either of them could say would make any dif ference to Clara, or turn her from the thing, she was pursuing; but by speak ing she might at least find out if Judge Buller himself were really her object. The bells and whistles of one o'clock were making clangor as she ran up the steps of her house again. In the hall Shlma presented her with a card. She looked at It with a quick ening pulse. "Is he waiting?" "No, madam. Mr. Kerr baa gone. He waited half an hour." Down went her spirits again. Yet surely after their last Interview she ought "not to be eager, to meet him again. "In the morning," she thought, "and waited half an hour. How he must have wanted to see me!" She didn't know whether she liked that or not. "When did he come?" "At 11 o'clock." At this she was frightened; he had missed Harry by less than half an hour. "He waited all that time alone?" "No. Mr. Cressy came." Flora felt a cold thrill in her nerves. Then Harry had come back! What bad he come for? "Ho also would wait," the Japanese explained. Flora gasped. "They waited to gether!" The Japanese shook his head. "They went away together." She didn't believe her ears. "Mr. Kerr went away with Mr. Cressy?" The Japanese seemed to revolve the problem of mastery. "No, Mr. Cressy accompanied Mr. Kerr. He had made a delicate oriental distinction. It put the whole thing before her in a mo ment. Harry had been the resistant, and the other with his brilliant initi ative attacking, always attacking when he should have been hiding, had carried him off. What had he done, and how had he managed, when Har ry must have had such pressing rea sons for wanting to stay? Ah, she knew only too well Kerr's exquisite knowledge of managing; but why must he mako such a reckless exposure of himself? Did ho supposo Harry was to bo managed? Had he no Idea where Harry stood in this affair? In pity's name, didn't he know that Harry had seen him before had seen him un der circumstances of which Harry wouldn't talk? CHAPTER XV. A Lady In Distress, She had returned, ready for pitched battle with Clara, and on the threshold there had met her the very turn In the affair that she had dreaded all along the setting of Kerr and Harry upon each other. These were two whom she had kept apart even in her mind the man to whom sho was pledged, with whom she had supposed herself In love, and the man for whom she was flying In the face of all her traditions. She had not scrutinized the reason of her extraordinary behavior; not since that-dreadful day when the vanishing mystery had taken positive form in him had she dared to think how she felt about Kerr. She had only acted, acted; only asked herself .what to do next, and never why; only taken his cause upon herself and made It her own, as if that was her natural right. She could hardly believe that it was she who had let herself go to this ex tent. All her life she had been do cile to public opinion, bowing to con ventions, respectful of those legal and moral rules laid down by some rigid material spirit lurking in mankind. But now when the moment had come, when the responsibility had de scended upon her, she found that these things bad in no way persuaded her. Then this wai herself, a creature too much concerned with the primal harmonies of life to be impressed by the modulations her decade set upos them. This was that self which she had obscurely cherished as no more real than a fairy; but at Kerr's accla mation It had proclaimed itself more real than flesh and blood, and Kerr himself the most real thing In all her life. Then what was Harry? The bland Implacable pronouncement of Shlma had summoned him up to stand beside Kerr more clearly than her own eyes could have shown him Kerr, with his brilliant Initiative, might carry him off, but Kerr was still the quarry. For had not Harry, from the very beginning, known something about him? Hadn't he at first denied having seen him before, and then admitted it? Hadn't he dropped hints and Innuendoes without ever an explanation? 8he remember ed the singular fact of the embassy ball, twice mentioned, each time with that singular name of Farrell Wand. And to know If that was what Harry knew that a man of such fame was In a community where a ring of such fame had disappeared what further proof was wanted? Then why didn't Harry speak? And what was going on on his side of the affair? Harry's side would have been her side a few dayB before. Now, un accountably, it was not. Nor was Kerr's side hers either. She was standing between the two standing hesitating between her love of one and her loyalty to the other and what he represented. The power might be hers to tip the scales Harry held, either to Kerr's undoing, or to his protection. At least she thought she might protect him, If she could dis cover Harry's secret. Her special, authorized relation to him her right to see him often, question him freely even cajole should make that easy. Dut she shrank from what seemed like betrayal, even though she did not be tray him to Kerr by name. Then, on the other hand, she doubt ed how much she could do with Har ry. She wasn't sure how far she was prepared to try him after that scene of theirs. She had no desire to pique him further by seeing too much of Kerr. On her own account she wanted for the present to avoid Kerr. He roused a feeling In her that she fear ed a feeling intoxicating to the senses, dazzling to the mind, unknit tlng to the will. How could she tell, If they were loft alone, that she might not take the jewel from her neck, at his request, and hand it to him and damn them both? If only she could escape seeing him altogether until she could find out what Harry was do ing and what she must do! Meanwhile, there was her promise to Klla. She recalled It with difficul ty. It seemed a vague thing in the light of her latest discovery, though she could never meet Clara In disa greement without a qualm. But she made the pHnge that evening, before Clara left l'or the Hullers', while she was at ner dressing-table In the half disarray which brings out all the soft ness and the disarming physical charm of women. From her low chair Flora spoke laughingly of Ella's per turbation. Clara paused, with the powder puff in her hand, while she listened to Flora's explanation of how Ella feared thnt some one might, aft er all these years, be going to marry Judge Duller. Who this might be she did not even hint at. She left It ever so sketchy. But the little stare with which Clara met it, the amusement, the surprise, and the shortest possible little laugh, were guarantee that Clara had seen it all. She had filled out Flora's sketch to the full outline, and pronounced it, as Flora had, an ab surdity. But though Clara had laughed, she had gone away with her delicate brows a little drawn together, as if she'd really found more than a laugh, something worth considering, In Ella's state of mind. She heard tho wheels of Clara's de parting conveyance. Now was her chance for an' interview with Harry. She spent SO minutes putting together three sentences that would not arouse his suspicions. She made two copies, a:4 sent them by separate messen gers, one to his rooms, one to the club, with orders they be brought back if he was not there to receive them. Then the business of wait ing in the large house full of echoes and the round ghostly globes of elec tric lights, with that thing around her neck for which did they but know of It half the town would break In her windows and doors. The wind traveled the streets with out, and shook the window-casings. She cowered over the library fire, listening. The leaping flames set her shadow dancing like a goblin. A bell rang, and the shadow and the flame gave a higher leap as it In welcome of what had arrived. She went to the library door. In the glooms and lights outside Shlma was standing, and two messengers. It was odd that both should arrive at once. She stepped back and stood waiting with a quicker pulse. Shlma entered with two let ters upon his tray. She had a mo ment's anxiety lest both her notes had been brought back to her, but no the envelope which lay on top showed Harry's writing. She tore it open hastily. Harry wrote that he would be delighted, and might he bring a friend with him; a bully fellow whom he wanted her to meet? He added she might send over for some girl and they could have a Jolly little party. Flora looked at this communication blankly. Was Harry, who had always jumped at the chance of a tete-a-tete, dodging her? In ter astonishment be let the other envelope fall. She stooped, and then for a moment re mained thus, bent above it The superscription was not hers. The note was not addressed to Harry, but to her, and in a handwriting she bad never seen before! Again the peal of the electric bell. Shlma appeared with a third envel ope. This time it was her own note returned to her. With the feeling she was bewitched she took up the mys terious letter from the floor and open ed it. She read the Btrange handwrit ing: May I see you, anywhere, nt any time, to-nisht? ROBERT KERR., It was. as if Kerr himself had en tered the room, masked and muffled beyong recognition, and then, face to face with her, let fall his disguise. She gazed at the words, at the signa ture, thrilled and frightened. She looked at Harry's note, hesitated; caught a glimpse of the two messen gers waiting stolidly in the hall. Waiting for answers! Answers to such communications! She made a dash for the table where were pens and Ink and on one sheet scrawled: "Certainly. Bring him," appending her Initials; on the other the word "Impossible," and her full name. Then she hurried the letters into Shlma's hands, lest her courage should fall her lest she should regret her choice. "Anywhere, at any time, to-night," she repeated softly. Why, the man must be mad! Yet sho permitted her self a moment of imagining what might have been if her answers had been reversed. But no, she dared not meet Kerrs impetuous attacks yet First she must get at Harry. And how was that to be managed if he Insisted on surrounding himself with "a Jolly lit tle party?" She found a moment that evening In which to ask him to walk, out to the Presidio with her the next morn ing. But he was going to Bur lingame on the early train. Ho was woefully sorry. It was ages since he hnd had a moment with her alone, but at least he would see her that even ing. She had not forgotten? They were going to that dinner and then the reception afterward? Her sus picion that he was deliberately dodg ing wavered before his boyish, cheer ful, unconscious face. And yet, fol lowing on tho heels of his tendency to question and coerce her, this reti cence was amazing. The next day would be lost with Harry beyond reach 12 hours while Kerr was at tho mercy of chance, and she was at the mercy of Kerr. Yet when his card was brought up to her the next morning she looked at the printed name as wistfully as If It had been his face. It cost an effort to send down the cold fiction that she was not at home, and she could not deny herself the consolation of lean ing on the baluster of the second landing, nnd listening for his step In the hall below. But there was no move ment. Could It be possible be was wailing for her to come in? Hush! that was the drawing-room door, nut instead of Kerr, Shlma emerged. He was heading for the stair with his lit tle silver tray and upon it a note. Oh, Impudence! How dared he give her the He. by the hand of her own butlor! She stood her ground, and Shlma delivered the missive as If it were most usual to And one's mistress beflounced in peignoir and petticoats, hanging breathless over the baluster. "Quite 8oI" 8ald Harry, "Take that back," she said coldly, "and tell him that I am out; and, Shlma," she addressed the man's in telligence "make him understand it." She watched the note departing. How she longed to call Shlma back and open it! There was a pause then Kerr emerged from the drawing room. As he crossed the hall he glanced up at the stair and as much as was visible of the landing. He had not taken Shlma's word for It, after all! The vestibule door closed noiseless ly after blm, the outer door shut with a heavy sound. Yet before that sound had ceased to vibrate, she heard it shut again. Was he coming back? There was a presence in the vestibule very vaguely seen through the glass and lace of the inner door. Her heart beat with apprehension. The door opened upon Clara. Flora precipitately retreated. She was more disturbed than relieved by the unexpected appearance. For Clara must have seen Kerr leave the house. Three times now within three days he had been found with her or waiting for her. She wondered If Clara would ask her awkward questions. But Clara, when she entered Flora's dressing-room a few moments later with the shopping-list, instead of a ques tion, offered a statement "I don't like than man," she an nounced. "Who?" "That Kerr. I met him Just now on the steps. Don't you feel there is something wrong about him?" "Oh, I don't know," said Flora vaguely. Clara gave her a bright glance. "But you weren't at home to him." "I'm not at home to any one this morning," Flora answered evasively, feeling the probe of Clara's eyes. "I'm feeling ill. I'm not going out this evening, either. I think I'll ring up Burlingame and tell Harry." It was In her mind that she might manage to make him stay with her while Clara went on to the reception. "Burlingame! Harry!" Clara echoed in surprise. "Why, he's In town. I saw him just now as I was coming up." "Are you sure?" "Yes. He was walking up Clay from Kearney. 1 was in the car." "Why thnt that Is" Kiora stam mered In her surprise, "Thon some thing must have kept him," she al tered her sentence quickly. But though this seemed tho probable ex planation she did not believe It. Harry walking toward Chinatown, when ho had told her distinctly ho would be In Burlingame! She thought of the goldsmith shop and thero returned to her the memory of how Harry and the blue-eyed Chinaman had looked when she had turned from the window and seen them standing together la the back of the shop. "You do look 111," Clara remarked. "Why don't you stay In bed and not try to see any one?" Flora murmured that that was her intention, but she was far from speak ing the truth. She only waited to make sure of Clara's being In her own rooms to get out of the house and telephone to Harry. It was not far to the nearest booth, a block or two down the cross street. She rang, first, the office. The word came back promptly In his partner's voice. He had gone to Burlingame . tho narlv "' It was the same with a Straight Look at Kerr. at the clrY Ho must be in town, then, on secret business She walked rapidly. In her excite ment, turning the troubling question over in her mind. She did not realize how far she had gone until some girl she knew, passing and nodding to her, called her out of her reverie. She was almost In front of the University club. A few blocks more and she would be In the shopping district She hesitated, then decided that it would be better to walk a little further and take a cross-town car. A group of men was leaving the club. Two lingered on the steps, the other coming quickly out At sight of him, she averted her face, and.hurry Ing, turned the corner and walked down a block. Her heart was beating rapidly. What If he had seen her! She looked about there was no cab in sight the best thing to do was to slip into one of the crowded shops, full of women, and wait until the dan ger had passed. Once Inside the door of the nearest she felt herself, with relief, only one of a horde of prlcers, lookers and buyers. She felt as If she had lost her Identity. She went to the nearest counter and asked for veils. Partly concealed behind the bulk of the woman next her, she kept her eye on the door. She saw Kerr come In. How absurd to think that she could escape him! She turned her back and waited a moment or two, still hoping he might pass her by. Then she heard his voice be hind her: "Well, this Is luck!" She was conscious of giving him a limp hand. He sat down on the vacant stool next her, laughing. "You are a most remarkably fast walker," he observed. "I had to buy a veil," Flora mur mured. "Has It taken you all the morn ing?" She could Bee she had not fooled him. "I had a great many other things to do." She was resolved not to ad mit anything. "No doubt, hut I wanted to see you very much last night, and again this morning, I may see you this even ing, perhaps?" He was grave now. She saw that he awaited her answer In anxiety. "Hut " she hesitated Just a mo ment 'too long before she added, "I'm going out this evening." She started nervously to rise. "Wnit," he Bald In a voice that was audible to the shop girl, "your pack age has not come." She looked nt him helplessly, bo at tractive and so Inimical to her. He swung around, back to the counter, and lowered his voice. "Did you know I called upon you yesterday morning, also?" he asked. She nodded. "Mr. Cressy and I waited for you to gether. Did he mention It to you?" "No." Her lips let the word out slowly. "That's a reticent friend of yours! The exclamation, nnd the truth of it, put her on her guard. "I can't discuss him with you," she said coldly. "Yet no doubt you have discussed me with him?" "Never!" "You haven't told him anything?" The Incredulity, the amazement of his face put before her, for the first time, how extraordinary her conduct must seem. What could he think of her? What construction would he put upon it? She blushed, neck to forehead and her voice was scarcely audible as she answered "No." But at that small word his whole mood warmed to her. "Why, then," he be gan eagerly, "If Cressy doesn't know " "Oh, but he " Flora Btopped In ter ror of herself. "I can't talk of him, I must not. Don't ask me!" she lm- plored, "and please, please don't come to my house again!" He gave his head a puzzled, Inv patient shake. "Then where am I to see you?" "In a few days perhaps to-morrow I will let you know." She rose. Sho had her package now. She was get ting back her courage. There was no further way of keeping her. But he followed her closely through the crowd to the door. "Yes," he said quickly under his breath, "In a few- days, perhaps to-morrow, as soon as von got rid of It, you won't mind meet Ing me! What are you afraid of? Surely not of me?" She was, but hotly .denied it "I am not afraid of you. I am afraid of them!" "Of them!" He peered at her. "What are you talking about now?' Ah, she had said too much! She bit her Hp. They had reached the corner, and the gliding cable car was approaching. She turned to him with a last appeal. "Don't ask me anything! Don't come with me! Don't follow me!" Not until she was safely inside the car did she dare look back at him He was still on the corner, and he raised bis bat and smiled so reassur ingly 'that she was half-way home be fore she realized that in spite of all she had urged upon him, he had not committed himself to any promise. And yet, she thought In dismay, he had almost made ber give away Har ry's confidence. Sho was seeing more and more clearly that this was the danger of meeting blm. He always got something out of her and never. by chance, gave her anything In re turn. If he should seek her to-night she dared not be at home! Any place would be safer than her own house. It would be better to fulfill ber ea- gngement and go to the reception with Clara and Harry. That was a house Kerr did not know. It was awkward to have to an nounce this sudden change of plan aft er her pretenses of the morning, but of late she had lived too constantly with danger for Clara's uplifted eye brows to daunt her. The mere trivial act of being dressed each day was fraught with danger. To get the sap phire off her person before Marrlka should appenr; to put It back some how after Murrllta had done; to shift It from one place to another as she wore gowns cut high or low and every moment In fear lest she be dis covered In the act! This was her dally maneuver. To-night she clasped the chain around ber waist beneath her petticoats. She was ready early, In the hope that Harry might come, as he had been wont to do, a little before the nppolnted hour. But be turned up without a moment to spare. Clara was downstairs in ber cloak when he ap peared. There was no chance for word at dinner. But if she could not manage it later In the wider field of the reception, why, then she deserved to fall in everything. But she found, upon their arrival, that even this was going to be hard to bring about. For she was Imme diately pounced upon first, by Ella Buller. "Why, Flora," at the top of her voice, "whrre have you been all these days?" Then In a hot whisper: "Did you speak to her? It hasn't done one bit of good." "I think you are mistaken," Flora murmured. "But be careful, and let me know " She had only time for that broken sentence before she was surrounded; and other voices took up the chorus. She realized with some alarm that though she had forgotten her public, It had kept its eye on her. She an swered, laughing, that she was keep ing Lent early, and allowed herself to be drifted about through the crowd by more or less entertaining people, now and then getting glimpses of Har ry, tracking him by his burnished brown head, waiting her opportunity to get him cornered. At last she saw him making for the smoking-room. Con necting this with the drawing-room where she stood was a small red lounglng-room, walls, floor and furni ture all covered with crimson velvet It had a third door which communi cated Indirectly with the reception rooms, by means of a little hall. She was near that hall, and It would be the work of a moment to slip by way of It into the red room and stop Harry on his way through. She had not played at such a game since, as a child, she had Jumped out on people from dark closets, and Harry was as much astonished as she could remem ber they had been. "What In the world are you doing hero alone?" He spoke peevishly. "I don't see how a crowd of men can leave such a bundle of fascination at large!" She made him a low courtesy and said she was preventing him from do ing so. "It's very good of you, and you are very pretty, Flora," he admitted with a grudging smile, "but I've got to see a man in hero." His eyes went to tho door of the smoking-room whence was audible a discussion of voices, and among them Judge Buller's basso. She was between Harry and the door. Laughingly, he made as if to put ber asido, when the door through which she had entered opened again sharp ly; and Kerr came In. "Forgive me. I followed you," he began. Then he saw Harry. "I ha ha I've been hunting for you, Cres sy, all the evening!" Harry accepted the statement with a cynical smile. It was too evidently not for him Kerr had been hunting, and after tho first stammer of embar rassment, the Englishman made no at tempt to conceal his real intentions. His words merely served him as an excuse not to retreat "This Is a good place to sit," he said, pushing forward a chair for Flora. She sank Into it wondering weakly what daring or what danger had brought him into a bouse where he was not known, to seek her. He sat down in' the compartment of a double settee near her. Harry still stood with a dubious smile on his face. The look the two men exchanged appeared to her a prolongment of their earnest interrogation in the pic ture gallery; but this time It struck her that both carried it off less welL Harry, especially, bore it badly. "Did you say you were looking for me?" he remarked. "Well, Buller'a been looking for you. He wants to know about some Englishman that they're trying to put up at the club." "How's that? Oh, yes! I remem ber." Kerr shrugged. "Never heard of htm at home, and can't vouch for every fellow who comes along Just because he is English." "Quite so!" said Harry, with ' straight look at Kerr that made Flora uncomfortable. - (TO BB CONTINUES,)
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