big animal's
dominating will power.

And if it affected him that way he didn't wonder at the spell the man
had cast upon the impressionable and sentimental Helen.

He left the room with a sudden spurt and swiftly mounted the stairs,
the chief object of his haste being to prevent an extended interview
in his absence and a resumption of tender dialogue.

He had scarcely gone when the spurious Gladwin turned again to the
girl with his most engaging smile and softest tones:

"You see, dear," with a sweeping gesture that included his work of
spoilation, "I am taking your advice--packing only the most valuable
ones."

"I am afraid, Travers," said Helen, rising from her chair and coming
toward him with all her impulsive love and confidence restored, "that
I am giving you a lot of trouble."

"Trouble!" he cried, with the gushing effusiveness of a matinee idol.
"You're bringing a great joy into my life."

He took her hand and caressed it, adding with the true lover's frown
of perplexity, "But are you going to be happy, dear? That's what you
must think of now--before it is too late."

It was a magnificent bluff and carried with deadly aim. The girl
stopped him passionately:

"We must not stop to talk about that now--there isn't time. We must
hurry, dear, and get away before auntie finds out and comes after
me."

"Do you think she'll come here?" he asked slowly, while his forehead
wrinkled.

"I am afraid Sadie will tell her!"

"Sadie--your cousin? H'm."

He made no effort to conceal that he was thinking rapidly.

"Perhaps you'd rather postpone it after all, Travers?" she said
quickly, while the color rushed to her cheeks and her lips trembled.
"If you only thought it best I'd like to tell auntie what I'm going to
do."

"No"; he retorted. "We can't do that--we've gone over all this before.
It must be this way, or not at all. Which is it to be?"

"I've given you my word, you know," she said under her breath.

"That's my brave little girl!" he cried with a burst of feeling,
reaching out his arm to embrace her.

Crash! Bang! Biff! Slam! Bam!

There burst into the room Officer 666, entangled in the lid and straps
of an empty trunk. It was a steamer trunk and not very heavy, but
Travers Gladwin was far from adept in baggage smashing.

He had wasted so much time in hunting for the trunk that he had sought
to make up for the delay by executing what resembled an aeroplane
descent.

At the final twist of the st