Part 12 (1/2)

Jane's voice, running on rather at random, suddenly with unusual force penetrated Mr Heatherbloo--isn't--What are you talking about?” The youngattention focused itself on her noith swift completeness He had hardly heard her, until a few moments before, when her conversation had first drifted to that ever fascinating fen lords and American heiresses, then narrowed down, much to his inward disapproval, to one particular titled individual and one particular heiress ”But you are mistaken, of course!” he said bruskly

”Oh, a you read in the newspapers?”

Mr Heatherbloo out of the

Against the sky the jutting lines of buildings sees seehtness when it turned ”Have you any better authority?”

His tone was a challenge ”I heard her tell him so myself,” she said succinctly ”That she could never marry him and that he must never come back”

Mr Heatherbloom's hand crumpled the newspaper; then mechanically he folded it and put it in his pocket His look was oncevery fast, see surface of the water afar His thoughts scattered; he tried to collect them, to realize where he was, how he happened to be there; the identity of the speaker and what she had been saying! Certain preconceived, fixed ideas and conclusions had been toppled over, brushed aside in an instant Was it possible?

”I aiting to tri to oil la) ”The prince and she were in the library He has a loud voice, you know”

The young man did ”But why--”

”Search o of dukes and the like There isn't another girl in New York would have done it”

”But surely,” scarcely hearing her last words, ”no newspaper would dare to announce such a thing without--”

”Oh, wouldn't it? When it called up the house every day, al to say'? Didn't I answer the 'phone once or twiceher niece She has nothing to say' I think I once giggled, the ressive He said he was the city editor hih up?”

Mr Heatherbloom did not seem to hear He scarcely saw his companion now; nevertheless, he was conscious of a desire to be alone, in order to concentrate, consider, reach for light and find it But where could he discover a safe spot; his problem was a dual one; priet his own desperate situation and danger The train, beginning to slacken, brought the sense of it once nantly to mind His companion hadn't reached the station yet but he suddenly rose The car stopped with a jerk; Mr Heatherbloo hurriedly and dived for the door

On the street he breathed deeply, standing as in a daze while the thunder of iron-rinizant principally of certain words hued! The noble back!

But that item in fine print in the newspaper he had in his pocket--what did it , of course, beyond what it said; still--

Some one bumped into Mr Heatherbloo on one of the busiest corners and had beenhimself as conspicuous as possible Hastily he lanced toward a convenient saloon; it looked hospitable and inviting Then he reeneral--always searched the saloons first for criminals

He started toward a side street but paused, reasoning that he was hfares than on the swar department store, exercised an odd attraction for hi numbers; at least, for the time, until he could devise a course of action If he could conceive of one! If--

He must; he would Every nerve in his body seemed to respond Had he not eht in the face of overwheled to hold his head up? A peculiar little smile played around the corner of his thin lips; it was like the flash of light on a blade He joined the inflowing eddy

Bargain day! He was crushed and crumpled but found himself ultimately on a stool in the rear of the store No; he didn't want any marked-down collars or cuffs; he conveyed an i for so eye for the hurrying and scurrying myriads! Time passed; he remained oblivious to the babble of voices Tienes in his tub, could not have beenhuman consociation than was at the moloerie

Suddenly he stirred ”Have you a book departht across; last aisle to the left”

Mr Heatherblooleam appeared in his eye Yet he was very much awake; he had never felt more keenly alert He reached the book section

Did they have any Russian fiction? Oh, yes; what kind did he want, nihilistic or psychological? _The Fire and Sword_ kind, whatever that was; the second voluy, if they had it in stock? Sure they had; but had he read the first voluin in the ies that way

The young lady in charge looked what she thought as she handed him the book He paid her; unfortunately it cost ravely contemplated the few small bills he had left; the amount of his capital would not carry him very far, especially if unusual expenses should occur Miss Van Rolsen still owed him a little money but he didn't see how he could collect that now