Constance Dunlap

to vanish forever fr

evelation of himself to Constance Dunlap. There was a cert

discovered-what t

turned and gazed silently at the ruffled waters of Woodlake. There was

she asked, searching his face. "Might I not hand you over t

answered quickly

erstand, as much as a man can. Anyhow, I know that you can understand. I have reached a point where I must tell some one or go insane. It is only a question of time before I shall be caught. We are all caught. Tell me," he asked eagerly, bendin

o be. It set her heart beating wildly to know that he did. And yet she was not afraid. Somehow,

death, Constance had passed unsuspected. To return to New York, however, had become out of the question. She had plenty of money

iet resort in the pines. Here, at least, she thought she might live

so. She knew that her story would follow her, and it had. She was prepared for that. She was

s not long before she realized that he was noticing her. Was he a detective? Had he found out the truth in

ng man at her table. No doubt he had manoeuvred it so. Nor did she avoid

peared surprised to meet her, yet she knew intuitively that he had been following her. Still, it was so different

How much! Was it merely what the rest of the world knew? She could not help seeing that the man was studying her, while she studied him. There w

ountered him often during the days that followed. Sh

here he had overtaken her first, "without knowing a soul, not expect

oing to crash down the barrier of reserve. He continued earnes

ut, do you know, sometimes I have thought

al name?"

ther purpose than-just to rest. Y

etective, as you suspected at first. I have been watching you because, ever since I heard your story here, I have been-well, not suspicious

ation. It bore the name, "Murray Dodge

ked quickly, hardly expecting

he company and ultimately worked myself up as it grew, until I became treasurer. To cut it short, I have used

be? Or was he leading her on in this way to a confession of her own par

egin?" she ask

est stockholder, Mr. Dumont, was friendly with some of the customs officials and-well, we undervalued our goods. It was easy. The only thing necessary was

into a cynic

went, from one crooked thing to another. I knew I was crooked, but not as bad, I think, as the rest who put the actual work on me. I was unfortunate, weak perhaps. That is all. I tried to get mine, too. I lost what I m

world, or at least society owed her for taking away her husband. The world must pay. She

had at last told her his wretched story. It was the first time that she ha

agerly, catching her

hat you are running away from

think about right or wrong. If she had done so her ethics would have been strangely illogical. It was enough that, short as

tion. He reached into his breast pocket. There was the blue-black glint of a cold steel automatic. A moment he balanced it in his hand. Then with a rapid and decis

t, desperate smile that she had observed many times

moments. At last he adde

contrary, it was a pleasant burden. "According to your own story," she went on, "they know nothing yet, as far as you can see. You would

tly prepared for the answer she had given an

d been think

or weeks I have been amusing myself by the study of shorthand. I have picked up enough to be able to carry the thing off. Discharge your secretary. Put an advert

uld not have told. Murray looked at her. Her very p

s woman, what a wonderfu

the passions that were now surging through his heart. Ten thousand years ago, perhaps, he would have seized

nted the way. That night Dodge le

as almost gay as she packed her trunks and grips and quietly slipped into t

ternoon, apparently as soon as the letter had been delivered, a call came. The following morning she was the private secretary

ed natural to the rest of the office force at first she was much with Murr

she asked anxiously as soon

ack at all. For," he added significantly, "I've been in fear and trembling until I could get you. They already have asked the regular audit company to go over the

private secretary. True, Beverley and Dumont

to understand how matters stood. "Well?" she demanded. "What of it? Don't tr

d been accustomed to bend others to his purposes except in the instance where they had bent him and nea

re delicate. They found themselves alone much of the time now. Beverley was, or pretended to be, busy on other matters and avoided Dodge as much as possible

hat had been practiced on the Government for years back. From the letter files they rescued notes and orders and letters, pieced them together into as near a continuous record as they could make. With his own knowledge of the books Dodge could count on making better progress on the essential things tha

on into which she had put herself. He would never have done that. Still, she wished a little more time to analyze her own conflicting feelings toward him. Then, too, several times in the crowded subway cars she had noticed

njoy it with all its risks and uncertainty, to enjoy gathering the data which, he should have said, ought really to be destroyed. O

beside his new friendship with her. She had suffered, felt, lived. She fascinated him, as often over the books they would stop to talk, talk of things the most irrelevant, yet to h

n bitter toward the world for what had happened to her, the pleasure of helpi

society, that lured her on. She was not a woman carved out of a block of stone. There was a sweetness ab

signs of approaching the end of his task sooner than they had expected.

door echoing now and then, or an insistent ring of the elevator bell as an anx

deftly shoved the pins into her hat. Then he h

. "Of course, after it is over, it will be impossible for me to remain here with this company. I have been looking around. I must-we must clear ourselves.

eseen, without planning what she would

ning the name of a beautifully situated inn uptown overlooking the

it, he had linked his arm in hers, banged shut the door a

ing in the shadow of a corner back of the cigar counter on the first floor. She tol

e muttered, handing her quickly int

e to drive she had leaned out of th

ood. "Not to the Riverside-yet," she whispered. "

ow nearly deserted downtown streets, he reached over in sheer admiration and caressed her hand. She did not withdraw it, but her averted eyes and quick breath told

only ferry tickets. Drummond did the same, and sauntered leisurely within easy distance

shouted "A

began t

tugged at

the near side. Drummond had been opposite them and they had now fallen in behind him. He was now ahead, but going slowly. Murray felt her pulling back on his arm. With a lit

led the guard surl

change and scattering it the more. At last he understood. "Go ahead. W

stle blew, and the ferryboat, dep

ablished between them. They dined quietly and as the lights grew mellow she t

miration for the daring of the litt

drift

ess. The understanding which he had reached or felt that he had reached with Consta

rt which the accountant had prepared and other matters-He had come in without seeing either Consta

dge, half an hour later, after one of the office boys h

r them?" he aske

ance

n they have hurled their worst at me I

rley's office. Constance had prepared the record which they had been working on, an

nce greeted Dod

gan Beverley, clearing his throat, as Murray s

that," he r

usand dollars short

dee

have nothing to say? Why, sir," he added, raising his

ill rectify it," was all he said. "A confe

in Beverley in rage. "

dge mere

self trapped. You admit

" repeated Dodge. "I

ce-now," cried Bever

. "Don't be too precipitate. Hear his side, if he has any. I can manage him. Besi

lling to have th

ond n

ds almost from the detective's lips, as he o

," almost sho

led to him and he s

hard at her. Constance met hi

before, MRS. Dunlap," i

meeting his sharp ferret eye squar

n Dunlap, cashier of Gre

ave been cruel in court, if she had had a lawyer to protect her rights. It was doubly cruel, merciless, here.

nd. "Another word from you and I'

ing with indignation, but it was not by violence that sh

ut a "third degree" of this kind, and b

oodlake not long ago, were

of being misunderstood. "There was one man," he went on, "who embezzled for you. Here is

tween Dodge on one side and Beverley and Dumont on the other, it no

ile at the detective, "will you tell us what you hav

lost control of he

imported goods. Undervaluing merchandise is considered, I believe, one of the meanest forms of smuggling. The undervaluer has frequently to make a tool of a man in his emplo

ut she had ignored him, and was speaking

usands dollars," she hurried on facing Beverley and

f the matter to him. He had not counted on handling a woman like Cons

. "Get back to the original subject. There is a

the case away again from Con

nothing to do with the case. It was cowardly to drag that in.

tance. "Let me finish what I beg

blazing eyes and in

rk," she flashed. "He did the bribing

housand," put in Bever

the men higher up with the actual acts he had to do. He can gain immunity by turning state's evidence. I am not sure but that he might b

No one seeme

e half million that he saved for you yields fifty thousand dol

t is!" excla

for a telephone on

ion at the Customs Ho

n turned. If they objected to the amazing proposal Constance had made they might all go to jail. Dodge even might go free, ri

ne from her. "Never mind about th

aiting patiently, perhaps expecting Drummond to call on him to corroborate the report. He h

n and silent. He could scarcely talk. Dodge again held the

fixed on Dumont

sfactory explanatio

ault in New York," remarked Constance, laying the evidence that

rst forth suddenly

now and she felt t

ore I want to say," h

tanding by the window, and bent o

ad decided you-you have been more to me than life. Constance, I have never loved until now. Nothing has ever mat

ces, lay wealth untold, opportunity as yet untasted to seize that wealth. Only for

respected, respectab

r and with a new ambi

of Murray to feel that the old score that would have ruined him w

. She felt instinctively that her

ar," she

approaching closer an

as now before him? What if Drummond, in his animosity, ever got the truth?

am not altogether bad-yet. Think of me always with charity. Yes," she cried wildly, "I must return to my loneliness. No, d

t purpose. The world had taken away her hus