Page:Waylaid by Wireless - Balmer - 1909.djvu/226

Rh strike your wrist, and saw the blood come, and you stood and laughed 'All right' to the people in the car before bandaging it. I—I won't tell how close I came to letting you know then that I was there! But, when the police put that in their description against you, I was sure it was part of a plot. So, I saw my chance to best them at their own plot! And," she triumphed gladly again, "I did it!"

"Miss Varris! Oh—oh, Miss Varris!" young Preston could only exclaim, incredulously.

He felt the blood sting hotter and hotter within him. He put out his hand and caught one of the girl's and held his over hers for a fleeting instant, and then Mrs. Varris's quiet voice in the hall brought his senses back to him.

"But how can that give me the right to stay?" he cried, as he let go her hand. "If that could clear me, you could have told it to the police. But it could not! I can take advantage of your—your evasions for me, 202