ieved, or that he was
laying a trap.

"Will you tell me," he said, "how you--your sister got Latimer to lie
for her?"

"Mr. Latimer--lie! Oh, you don't know him. He expected a lady to read
to him that very evening. He had never seen her, and when Nora walked
into the garden--"

"After getting a skirt somewhere."

"Yes--the housekeeper's, it happened to be her evening out--why, he
just naturally supposed Nora was Miss Omar."

"Ah! then her name isn't Omar. What might it be?"

"I'd rather not tell--if you don't mind."

"But when Latimer found out she had the diamonds--he did find out?"

"She confessed to him. Nora's not really so bad a girl as--"

"Very interesting! But it doesn't happen to be Latimer's version. And
you say Latimer wouldn't lie."

I got pale--but the paleness was on the inside of me. Think I was
going to flinch before a chump like Moriway, even if I had walked
straight into his trap?

"It isn't?" I exclaimed.

"No. Latimer's note to Mrs. Kingdon said the diamonds were found in
the bell-boy's jacket the thief had left behind him."

"Well! It only shows what a bad habit lying is. Nora must have fibbed
to me, for the pure pleasure of fibbing. I'll never dare to trust her
again. Do you believe then that she didn't have anything to do with
the hotel robbery? I do hope so. It's one less sin on her wicked
head. It's hard, having such a girl in the family!" Oh, wasn't I
grieved!

He looked me straight in the eye. I looked at him. I was unutterably
sad about that tough sister of mine, and I vow I looked holy then,
though I never did before and may never again.

"Well, I only saw her in the twilight," he said slowly, watching my
face all the time. "You two sisters are certainly miraculously alike."

The train was slowing down, and I got up with my basket. I stood right
before him, my full face turned toward him.

"Are we?" I asked simply. "Don't you think it's more the expression
than anything else, and the voice? Nora's really much fairer than I
am. Good-by."

He watched me as I went out. I felt his eyes on the back of my jacket,
and I was tempted to turn at the door and make a face at him. But I
knew something better and safer than that. I waited till the train was
just pulling out, and then, standing below his window, I motioned to
him to raise it.

He did.

"I thought you were going to get out here," I called. "Are you sure
you don't belong in Sing Sing,