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[ i I _i",ti;ilsl e29: She helped herself to both, and reclined on the sofa in her favorite V attitude. "Have you brought any , news?" “We asked; "or have you forgotten all _ about my little affair? I've taken your advice and kept quiet; but I'm more than half inclined to think that I've been a fool Ao do so, and that I _ should get a lot more out of him if I took Bruce into Court." F "Don't you believe it!" said Mr. Glave. "Has he been here since that night he broke with you?" "No," she replied moodily, "he hasn't; and I should say he wasn't KElikely to. I hear he's in town, and carrying on like the very devil." "He is," assented Mr. Glave blandly --"like two devils!" "I never desert a. friend, old or young, my dear Deborah!" said Mr. Glave. “Have a cigarette and a glass of wine." "What's that you mean ?" she -asked with a sneer. “I thought he was go- ing to turn over a new leaf, and be a milksop, so as to be fit to marry that sickly doll of his-that dairymaid, or whatever she is!" Mr. Glave ignored the question for the moment. ."Have you heard from him?" he asked. , "Yes," she replied. "That is, I had a, letter from his lawyers, with a kind of agreement-deed, or whatever you call it." "Where is it?" he asked. She nodded toward a cheap and nasty cabinet. "In that drawer there." Arr. Glave leaned out of his.chair and took out the document. It was a short affair, on the usual blue tool- scap, and it did not take him long to read it. t "Ha1loo.t" she said. "So youve here! Jdake yourself at home," she added with good-humored sarcasm, as she removed her outdoor things, and flung them, in her untidy way, upon a chair. " thought you'd forgotten my existence, or that you’d decided to desert 'an old friend pow that she's down on her luck." "It isn't bad," she assented grudg- ingly. ~“Very fatistactory, eh, Deb!" he rgmarked. "No," said Mr. Glave. "I'rn sure I don't know where he got the money from. He must have had a deuce ot a trouble to raise it." He had a1Gtadstone bag in his hand, and he carried it upstairs to the cheap and vulgar sitting room, looked around induirintrly, then hid it behind a sofa. in the inner room to which he had retreated when Bruce had called the night Glave and Dedorah were drinking gin and water. Then he came back to the other room, got the easi- est chair, lighted a cigarette,and made himself comfortable. In about a quar- ter of an hour Deborah came in. She was gorgeously dressed, with a too fashionable hat and too large a feath- er, and looked more aggressively hand and suspiciously superb than ever. "I don't know, and I don't care!” she said. "He ought to have some trouble, and to suffer. And, now he's got rid of me, I suppose he'll marry this girl, and I shall be thrown aside like an old glove. I don't know what you meant the other night when you advised me to keep quiet and let him mean anything." Mr. Glave smiled. “When's the marriage coming off?" she asked, biting at her cigarette. "Not atall!" said Mr. Glave quietly. “Never!" She sat up and stared at him with open mouth. "What."' she repgétéa- her face flushing. 1Broken off; why?" _.____._.¢.. “AVA\\411 ULL, wuy: “‘I don't know." replied Mr. Glave coolly. "Either the young lady has Jilted him, or her father and her; peb- ple object to the match, or the mon- ey's turned out to be a myth. Some- thing has happened, and the engage- ment is oft." "What'." "It isn't coming oft at all," he said "ng match is broken off!" Some few days later, Mr. Glave went round to*86 Gardenia Street, and inquired for Miss Blunt. The rather sm'udgy servant informed him that her mistress was out, but that she was expected home directly. “All right," said Mr. Slave; "I'll wait." _ "Then-then he's tree again. Why doesn't he come back to me ?" Mr. ‘Glave smiled. "Well, the unpleasant fact is that Ravenhurst is in love with the young lady." Her face grew dark. "Yes," continued Mr. Glavo, "hp'n As he went down St. James' Street, a carriage came toward him. Lady Marvelle was in it, and Bruce happen- ed to pass under a gas lamp at the 'moment. The old lady saw him and uttered a cry of consternation and anxiety, and, hastily letting down the window, called to him. Bruce heard his name, and turned his face, so that she could see quite plainly the terrible change in him. He started and looked at her, seemed about to go to her; then, biting his lip and shaking his head, raised his hat and strode on again. Before Lady Marvelle could stop the carriage, he had turned the corner and she dropped back tremb- ling, and with clasped hands. She guessed in a moment what was going on, for she knew the Clansmere tern- perament took well. Bruce was trying to "forget" the sweet little girl whose father had forbidden her to marry him, "Yes," continued Mr. Glave, "he's about as far gone, my dear Deb, as a man can be, and so badly hit that, now that the affair is off and he ap- pears to have lost her, he has gone on the rampage. And I will say this tor Ravenhurst. that When he does a thing he does it thoroughiy--very thorough- ly. I've seen a good many men on the burst. but I've never seen any fellow go the complete thing as completely as he is going it." ' She leaned her chin on her hand and stared at him thouzhttully. "I fancy you’ve got a cold, Raven- 1turatr" he said. " should lay up to-morrow-rel and beef-tea, and that sort of thing.” "Thanks'." he said shortly. "Good- night"; and he "rode off. "confound him.'" he thought; 'thail have him in it I don't mind, not able to start." . r ______________________________________________ =MSaEmSmSgBSahe BWtg2tg2aaSamagagaSmgaMNliN%2 SgaapgaSmSggSMS2ESaEg=a3WUS4l '"H ---. ' :“UAQgi -heee""s'N""'"'"""'="="'='""""'='"'"""- [E Bruce laughed as he had laughed at Continued from last week. ha}; expeétilig' that you‘diah"; and "That's just where my idea. is so wonderful," he retorted. "If I could so fix it that, withqut marrying him, you could stand up before the world and say, ‘I am Lady Ravenhurst!' and no one Could coritradict you or disprove it--" t "One day you go to a, registrar's with a gentleman, and you say that you have come to be married. You have brought the necessary papers, and made all the necessary arrange- ments, and the registrar is bound to marry you, because, as I say. you have got all the things fixed properly. He asks your names. You say, 'Deborah Blunt, Spinster';, the gentleman says, 'Bruce, Lord Ravenhurst.’ The regis- trar performs the little ceremony. You sign the register, 'Deborah Blunt'; the gentleman signs, 'Bruce Strathtayre Killaine Ravenhurst.' The registrar hands you the marriage cer- tificate, and, being a nice kind of gentleman, wishes you good luck and happiness. The gentleman pays the fees,and you and he walk off together. man and wife. And you are Lady Ravenhurst. the wife ot Bruce Strath- fayre Killaine Ravenhurst, son and heir of the great Earl of Clansmere." "YouYe out of your mind, or She had let her cigarette go out, and she gazed at him with widely- open eyes. ' "You're talking fubbishy' she ex- claimed. "There's no sense in it." He leaned back and went on dreamily, as if he were speaking to himself: “Supposing you were able to pro- duce proofs of your right to call your- self toy that title, which not even the most incredulous could refuse to accept, what woiid you say ?" drunk!" she exclaimed, with a short laugh. . "What would you say, Deb, it I could show you a way of becoming Lady Ravenhurst?" Mr. Glave watched her with half- closed eyes. "Supposing I were to show you a way of making yourself Lady Raven- hurst without marrying him?” "I don't know what you mean; it isn't possible!” she said. "You must be tlady' impossible, I tell you! Mr. Glave smoked in silence tor a moment or two; then he went on in the same slow, dreamy voice: "Thank you," she said. "But you’re not tar wrong. I was never wanting in pluck. I don't suppose you could startle me if you tried ever so hard." " fancy I shall startle you, though, Deb," he said. “Try!" she said, between her teeth. " will, Sit tight and hoitluyn."' He leaned forward in his chair, and dropped his voice to a. whisper. "There's only one way," she re- sponded. "And he wouldn’t marry me, especially now he’s so completely gone on another woman." “It is a secret marriage, and you and your husband separate after a cosy little dinner. He goes his way; you go yours. His way is to Africa; your way is to 86, Gardenia Street, where you sit tight and wait. The odds are that your affectionate hus- band gets knocked on the head or shot in that heaven-forsaken land of diamonds and darkies; or perhaps he gets one of the large assortment of fevers which abound in that insalu- brious clime. Anyway, he departs to the land of the blessed, and you are a disconsolate widow." "I'm not sneering or scoffing, Deb," he said in a low voice. "During these last few days I've been thinking over your case, and I've got a little idea, Which I fancy will somewhat startle you. Confess it startled me-rather. It's one of those ideas which amount to an inspiration; it's perfectly sub- lime in its audacity, and I tell you frankly, Deb, that I shouldn't dream of communicating it to you if I did not know that you had the pluck of the "You're right, she must be," as- sented Mr. Glave. "Now, you’d marry him, a shot, wouldn't you, Deb?" "Wouldn't I!" she ejaculated. "Ye-s," he went on, thoughtfully, eyeing her sideways, and with his hands folded behind his head. "It's a thousand pities that you couldn't have persuaded him into marrying you. I fancy you might have lured him into it some time ago if you’d been sharp enough." “Well, I wasn't," she said sullenly. "No," slowly, dreamily; "you might have' kept the marriage quiet and waited, even until he was out of the way. It would be very nice to be Viscountess Ravenhurst and future Countess of Clansmere, eh, Deb ?" She bit her lip and frowned at him angrily. "What are you playing at?" she de- manded. "Are you trying to get my monkey up, sitting there sneering and scoffing?" _ . He paused and sipped his cham- pagne. "Out of your low voice. "You would look rather fetching in the newest thing in widow's weeds, Deb', You put them all on, and go down to Itavenhurst, and throw your arms round the Earl of Clansmere's neck, and sob, a am poor Bruce's widow, and your daughter." Tableau!” “There is a row, of Course-a perfect shindy. They will my rude "It's a pity the young lady's friends don't insist upon her marrying him, for it's extremely probable that in a, few short months she would be a widow. A widow, and Lady Raven.. hurst---perhaps the Countess of Clans- tuere---without the encumbrance of a husband!" “She must be a fool!” said Deborah, with volumes of contempt in her tone " mean that he is going out to Africa, to join the Border force there, and try and get knocked on the head by a Zulu club or riddled by a bullet; he's not particular which it is, as long as it's one or the other." "He must be mad!" she said. "He is, my dear Deb," assented Mr. Glave cheerfully; "as mad as a March hare; and his friends would be fully justified in putting him into a strait- waistcoat." She lighted another cigarette and smoked furiously. ed, "'He'L~ come back io me," she said under her breath. 'Wm afraid not," said Mr. Glave blandly. "The fact is, Lord Raven- hurst is going to leave this happy land of England for other and more adven- turous dimes." "What do you mean?" she demand- devill" mind.'" I" she said. "It's she said in a "My God!" she exclaimed. "Is it you, Bruce, or---.)'."' Mr. Glave laughed. "Not a bad 'make up,' eh, Deb?" l cry of horror broke from her parted lips again, and she recoiled until she leaned against the wall, clutching at it for support, and staring at him with distended eyes, her face white to the lips. He went toward her and kissed her. It was Bruce himself-the same hair, the smile, the voice, the attitude. There was the scar on the left temple: the very clothes were Bruce's--she remembered the suit Quite well. It was impossible that it could be any other than Bruce! So perfect was the imitation of form and manner ot voice, that even she, an actress, had been deceived until Glave had spoken to her in his own voice. _ “I am glad you've come, Bruce," she said. "And-and you’ve, come back for good, I hope, Bruce?” she said. He nodded and laughed again. "Why doh't you come and kiss me?" she asked. "You needn't be afraid. I'm willing to let bygones be bygones, and don't bear any malice. Come and sit down." "Yes," said-not the voice of Bruce Ravenhurst, but that of Mr. Henry Grave. "The smell of the grease paint is the only weak thing in the affair." She shrank back with a cry of horror. Had he been behind that curtain all the time , and heard Glave's rav- ing drivel? No; or he woultrnotmnile at her and speak so pleasantly, "I'm awr1ryly glad you've come, Bruce," she repeated, with a little catch in her voice, I've been looking out for you every day, and missed you dreadfully." "Have you Deb? It's pleasant to be missed'." was the response, with the old nod and short laugh. "Why, what a smell of powder and paint!" she said. The horror of the thing over-mas- tered her; she flung up her hands as if to shut out the figure-the tace--- that was like Bruce's, and yet had the devilish smile which Mr. Glave wore now and again. A shudder ran through her, and she staggered, and would have fallen it he had not sprung forward and caught her. She bit her lips, still looking at him with surprise and agitation. She lay full length on the sofa, irowning, and gnawing softly at her lips; asking herself whether Mr, Henry (Have had any serious meaning and intentions, or whether he was only playing with her; and resolving that if the latter proved to be the case, she would treat Mr. Glave to an ex- hibition of what she could do when she was in a really bad temper. The minutes passed slowly C, they seemed to drag themselves “go hours as she moved to and fro impatiently, and with the restlessness of a wild animal, constrained to remain quiet. How long she remained fighting with her im- patience she never knew: but Bud- denly the curtain was thrown back and a figure stood in the doorway with the light of the lamp full upon it. "Why-how did you get in here? I must have been asleep! But I haven't--T know I haven't.r" She looked round the room in incredulous amazement. “How did you come in? I never heard you; and I've been here all the time! And where's Glave---is he in there?” “Mr. Glave has gone," said Bruce"s voice. ' "Come, Deb'." he yourself together!" CHAPTER XXI. Glave caught her just in time, and propped her up against the wall. She fought against the faintness. and with a. long breath choked hack the hysterics which threatened her. Then she looked at him shrinkingly. fearfully, with the horror still linger- ing in her eyes, and her first words were: “I promise," she said, with a con- temptuous laugh. "Where are you going?" for he had moved towards the other room. She sprang to her feet with an exclamation of amazement. "Bruce!" she cried. ‘He smiled. "Deborah'." said the voice of Bruce Ravenhurst. "I've plenty of both, you know," she said. "Hurry up and explain, for you're wearing me to a pack-thread with your puzzles." Mr. Glave rose an cigarette into the grate "Wait here," he said, Don't get off that sofa until-well, until you’re obliged: Will you promise?" He looked back over his shoulder, and smiled; then he passed behind the curtain and drew it closely over the doorway. 'T know he wouldn't, Deborah," he assented. blandly. "But I assure you it isn't necessary." ,“Not necessary? What rot you talk! How can he marry me and not marry me? I haven't the least notion of what you’re driving at; and, what's more, I don't believe you have yourself; and I think it's playing it pretty. low down to make game are friend when she's down on her luck'" "rm not making, game of you, Deb," he said. _ "I’m aware that the thing mustpseern a puzzle to you-it was a puzzle to me until I had worked it out. But it's simple enough, if you‘ve only the pluck and the cheek to do it." a things and demand proofs. You pro- duct them-all the proper papens, marriage certificate. Registrar swears that he performed the ceremony,and identifies the portrate of Lord Raven- hurst as that of the bridegroom. The Clansmeres have to acknowledge you, and take you to their aristocratic bosoms. or shunt you off with a spanking allowance. Either way, your fortunes made, Deborah, my girl, and you call down blessings upon the head of the humble friend who helped you to greatness!" He stopped and smiled at her through the smoke of his cigarette. She laughed and jerked her head contemptuously. "You have been talking like acmfc "You've been talking like a perfect idiot!" she said. "A pretty kind of fairy tale! And you reeled it off as if it was possible for it to come true! Why, you know, as well as I do, that he wouldn't marry ‘me to save his life "Get away from me; stand some- 'n THE TIMES & GUIDE. WESTON. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1917 exhorted, "pull and flung his "How?" she asked. "Ohl for God's sake, go and take those things off," she broke out almost desperately. " can't bear it any longer.' Every time I look at you I think it must be Bruce, and then your voice-your own voice, coming from his face, drives me sil- Ir." . "All riirht," he said with a laugh, as he got up and went into the other room. When he had gone she rose unsteadily, stretched her arms above her head. drew a long breath. and then, filling a glass with champagne, drank it off. he retorted coolly. "What I meant is, that the odds are against his com- ing back safe and sound. First, there's the chances in a. scrimmage; then there's the fever, and he'll probably be wilder than ever when he gets over there; then there are all sorts of acci- dents to depend upon. In fact, Deb ---you'll think me superstitious-but I have a presentiment that Ravenhurst will never return." "Nonsense!" he said blandly. "It's suicide, at the worst. And, come to think of it, even if he did return to England, he would find it deuced hard to prove that he was not the mannwho married you-mot that we'll bluff it quite to that extent--tor, see here, Deb, I have not forgotten a link in the chain. This deed of gift is going to help us." "That's better," he said, when he returned in his own character. There's some color in your face now, and you look your own self. Now light a cig- arette"-he tossed her his silver case --"and let's talk the matter over sen- sibly. What was I saying? Oh, the deed!" He touched the pocket in which he had placed it. "It is not signed yet. It never will be." "What do you mean by that? No, I'll have that, at any ratel'l she said. He smiled. "You'll have something better, my dear Deb. See here; you must get Ravenhurst to come here to, sign the deed." "He won't." "Oh, yes, he will.. He mightn't if he had been still engaged to that other girl, but he isn't, and he's des- perate, and will do anything or go anywhere just at present. Get him to come here; say you don't like Bo- ing to his lawyers, write him a. pretty, pathetic little note-the sort of thing a deserted woman always writes. Understand?" "It is as bad As murder," she mur- mured. She shrank back, and eyed him Wm? suspicious horror. "Tut!" he said, with a laugh; "you look at me as if I meant to murder him." "You're capable of it," she said, below her breath. "I think not," he said. " will arrange that. I have planned out how to get him out of the way tor the day. He has a horse at Elford, and I am going down with him. I shall get himldown there, and leave him in the lurch at the last moment. That's enough for you without details. Be- sides, you are only to declare your- self his widow, remember." She shuddered. "If he--he doesn't die--if nothing happens to him?" she said in a low voice. "Then we are Just where we were," he replied. "Neither you nor I, for the best of reasons will say anything about the marriage. But lie a notion that something will happen to Raven.. hurst--'" There's -.-- there's Bruce himself!" she said in a, low, agitated voice. "He will be able to prove that he was somewhere else at that, very time of the-c-the marriage." T She was silent a moment. In truth, she could not quite get over the horror of this counterfeit presence, which mocked the reality so closely, so fiendishly. L . us? The registrar? Not he. I have fixed upon an oldish man who wears spectacles. He runs an office just outside Brompton. He probably never heard of Itavenhurst, most probably never saw him; and if he has, all the better, seeing that my make-up de- ceives even you. And there's no one else to see us! I take a. cab from the lodgings I shall rent for a week, and after the marriage, go back in a cab-a four-wheeler, of course. Who's to see me?" "I-I don't know," she faltered. "It is-it is as if he were dead, and you were his ghost.') He laughed softly. "Anyway, your emotion is a strik- ing and convincing testimony to the success of my imitation. The voice wais all right, Deb, eh '?" She shuddered. "Yes; and the walk, and the scar. and-You mus: be a devil!" He smiled. "And what do you think of my little plan?" "I-I don't know. What would happen it'--if we were found out?" He laughed. "I'm not sure. Penal servitude, I daresay." She stared and stared at him. "I-T won't do it!" she gasped. "Oh, yes,‘you will," he said easily. "You're only afraid of being tound out; isn't that it, Deb? Well, there is no chance of it." "Why not?" she asked. "It seems "Why not?" she asked. "It seems to me that it would be impossible to carry it through without being dis- covered. It-it sounds like a plot in a. silly novel." _ He lighted a cigarette. "My Dear Deb, no novelist who ever lived or ever will live will succeed in hitting upon a plot, a. plan more strange and improbable than that which has been actually conceived and carried through in real lite. Truth is stranger than fiction; things occur every day more far-fetched than CQ a novelist has ever imagined. No I, let us see where this danger of dis- covery comes in. It will trouble you to hoint out a flaw. Who will detect "And it is good, isn't it, eh, Deb?" he said, with som'e pride. I flatter myself that it's as good a make-up as ever Tree ar Irving could manage. Have another look at me, and get used to it. What there is to frighten you, I can't understand!" She stole a. glance at him, and shuddered. l "Why-why didn't you tell me?" she gasped. "It was so sudden!" He smiled. " wanted to try my make-up on you. You see, I knew that if I could deceive you, I could deceive anyone; for no one knows Ravenhurst better than you do." “I thought you had more nerve," he said, as he went behind her and turned the key in the door. where where I can't see you."' He drew back, and she dropped into a chair, wiping the cold sweat from her averted face. Well ?" she she asked, sullenly. To be Continued. I stop short at murder," _i e LET US DO YOUR JOB PRINTING. ‘VAVAVAVAV’A I January. 1917. For full information apply at any Bank or Money' Order Post Office. l Each Certificate is registered at Ottawa in the name of the buyer and, if lost or stolen, is valueless to anyone else. Individual purchases are limited to $1,500. . 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